FOX 26’s Damali Keith caught up with Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath to discuss his decision.
The law Commissioner Morath is referring to says the state has two choices, to take over a district or close a campus that fails five years in a row. HISD has had several struggling schools. A number of local leaders have rallied recently, speaking out against a state takeover, saying since 2019 HISD has drastically improved and now the district has a B+ accountability rating. So why is the decision being made to take control away from the district?
If you’re interested in being on the board of managers, the TEA website is accepting applications to seat a diverse group that can come together as a team. "Democratically controlled local school districts are part of the fabric of the country and this is important. This is a value that I hold dear, that everyone holds dear, but we also have public schools, this institution is designed to deliver on the American dream," says the commissioner.
"Leadership does matter. Anybody that thinks leadership doesn’t matter is living in fantasyland," says Morath.The commissioner says just as students and parents don’t necessarily see or feel changes after a new board is elected, he expects that will be the case once the board of managers is in place.