Houston ISD Trustees Will Still Run for Election Amid TEA Takeover

HOUSTON, Texas. Some of the current Houston ISD trustees are not letting news of the state takeover discourage them.

Less than two months after Dani Hernandez became president of the HISD board, she learned she could be replaced as early as June.

“Honestly, this is something unrealistic for me,” Hernandez said.

Although she is about to be replaced, she is determined to get her job back.

“Even though there is a designated management board, they still have to hold an election of trustees to still have a democratically elected board, even though they may not have the right to vote.”

READ: Who are the 9 trustees on the Houston ISD board?

After the takeover by the Texas Education Agency, voters will still elect district trustees, even if they have no powers.

The trustees will regain their voting rights if the following conditions are met:

• No more multi-year “D” or “F” campuses
• Special Education under Federal/State Law
• Council procedures are followed with student outcomes as top priority

TEA commissioner Mike Morath said government intervention could take at least two years.

“They range from two to about six years,” Morath said. “And so, hopefully, it will happen as soon as possible. We want it to take as little time as possible, but we want to make sure these exit criteria are met.”

Morath will select a management board of applicants who must live within HISD’s boundaries. The elected trustees may only work with them in an advisory capacity and may qualify for actual positions on the board of directors.

Either way, Hernandez is planning on getting engaged, as are some of her other co-stars.

“Because the appointed council will be made up of new people, it’s good to have someone in this chair who knows what’s going on, who knows the history, has been in this place before and can effectively return to this place,” Hernandez said.

HISD Superintendent Millard House II will also be replaced, but TEA hopes he will be able to serve the district in some capacity in the future. service in some capacity even after a replacement is called.

“The agency wants to make sure that its institutional knowledge and experience is maintained as long as it is prepared to continue to provide it to the county,” an agency spokesman said.

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