Texas Creating the Blueprint for U.S. Public School Education...Maybe?

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HISD shaking up public education

When it comes to the public education system, the overarching goal is universally the same—to educate students so that they have the necessary tools and skills to be successful contributors to society at large. How you get there differs vastly, as there are many views on what works.

Mike Miles, the new state superintendent for Houston Independent School District, took office during the 2023-2024 school year with a plan to drastically overhaul the school system. In the first year of Superintendent Miles' tenure, 28 schools participated in this seismic shift in education at HISD.

In each classroom in one of the 28 overhauled schools, there are unifying elements that can be seen:

• A one-sentence learning objective printed on the board.

• Posted instructions for an activity for students to complete that demonstrates their learning.

• Plastic bins filled with heaps of stapled worksheets.

• Desks clumped into pairs of two, each prepped with whiteboards, highlighters, pencils, dry-erase markers and a large paper notecard. - Dunlap & Lehrer-Small

The aim is to keep students constantly engaged and learning. This regimented classroom structure, inspired by his time with the Army Rangers, has significantly improved student engagement. By keeping students on track with the lesson for the day and limiting unnecessary distractions, such as couches or plant collections, the environment is conducive to learning. Teachers also have teacher apprentices to keep eyes on students, redirecting them when needed. This approach has led to a noticeable increase in student engagement and learning outcomes.

Here is an example of an activity being conducted in a sixth-grade math class:

One of the more contentious and controversial parts of this overhaul is teacher pay. A teacher’s pay will depend on what subject and grade level they teach. This is in stark contrast to how it is in most public schools, where teacher pay is determined by years of experience. Based on this new pay scale, there can be a $10,000-$20,000 pay gap to the detriment of teachers who teach at the lower elementary levels and electives. Teachers and unions have pushed back at this, stating that the teachers that could potentially be paid the most are the subject areas in which standardized testing is emphasized.

When it comes to how the first year went, there were improvements. On average, there was a 7-point improvement in reading and math scores at the elementary and middle school level compared to other HISD schools, which saw a 1-point improvement, and state averages slid in math while remaining flat in reading. HISD also made progress in meeting requirements when it comes to serving students with disabilities.

This overhaul, though, has taken a toll on teachers. Out of the 11,000 teachers in HISD, a quarter of them put in their resignation four weeks before the deadline to resign so as not to get penalized. Complaints from teachers range from micromanaging, more frequent observations of teachers in their classrooms, more feedback on instruction, and the lack of respect for teachers from the top. One teacher, David Berry, mentioned how they were yelled at for not using a student engagement strategy frequently enough. Berry will be teaching at a neighboring school district next year.

With one year down, it is still too early to judge whether this is the blueprint public schools should follow, but many administrators around the country have taken notice and will be watching HISD’s Year 2.

Satanist in school classrooms?

Earlier this year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law that would allow religious chaplains to volunteer in place of school counselors. This bill aims to address the shortage of counselors in Florida schools.

Lucien Greaves, who is the co-founder of the Satanic Temple, is challenging a statement DeSantis’ made before signing the bill that this will be open to all religious chaplains. DeSantis has pushed back, stating that the Satanic Temple is not a religion despite the U.S. Government recognizing it as a church that is protected by the First Amendment.

Although DeSantis has reiterated that the role of a chaplain is to support students as a school counselor would, he has made clear that one of its intent is to bring back the tenets of Christianity to public schools. After signing the bill, he stated, “You’re basically saying that God has no place [on campus]. That’s wrong.” DeSantis has also been explicit that there will be no Satanists in the classrooms.

In response, Greaves stated, “Nothing in the text of the bill serves to exclude us, and no credible interpretation of the First Amendment could. Should a school district now choose to have chaplains, they should expect Satanists to participate as well.”

The Satanic Temple describes itself as nontheistic and does not believe in God or, surprising to many, the devil. One of their central tenets is the fight against the encroachment of religion into people’s public life. They do not “proselytize” as their focus is on “science, critical thinking, and the creative arts.” They have made clear that there is no goal to convert people to Satanism.

Members of the Satanic Temple have already volunteered to fill school counselor roles in the 67 counties across Florida. It will be interesting to see if any school districts will take the Temple up on their offer. This will be one to watch in Florida.

The Final Minute

1. A high school senior, Bailey Griggs is a talented musician who has performed at numerous venues around her home state of North Carolina. She was recently expelled from her school in Gastonia, Cramerton Christian Academy because she had performed at venues that just happened to serve alcohol. She has made clear that she does not drink, and her being in a music venue performing is no different than high school kids going and watching bands at venues that serve alcohol. She might still be a little bummed out because she will miss her senior year at her high school. Still, a nice consolation is that she was recently added to a big music festival in South Carolina - Field and Stream Music Fest - where she will be in the company of big names like Eric Church, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and ZZ Top. Not bad at all.

2. Virginia Governor Glenn Younkin signed an executive order mandating cell-phone-free education in public schools. To allow the state’s Department of Education time, they will have until January 1, 2025, to create a guideline that will be implemented in all K-12 public schools in the state.

3. Teachers and staff at Salamanca City Central School District have retired with a combined total of 249 years of experience. They were all recognized and honored for their dedication to their schools, and district superintendent Dr. Mark Beehler stated, “There is no way we can replace those 249 years no matter who we bring on board…we want to acknowledge that and once again say thank you for your dedication and service.”

4. An investigation has been opened up in Arizona by Attorney General Kris Mayes on the alleged spending of funds in the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program. Allegations include education officials misspending funds as far back as 2020. ESA families have also been cited as misusing funds under “supplemental materials,” with purchases made from espresso machines, kayaks, and Broadway tickets. There are Facebook groups that share tips to maximize the money they receive. An ESA parent, Kathy Boltz, stated that more oversight is needed to curb abuse as “people constantly state on these social media posts they buy a curricular workbook for an educational purpose, and then spend the rest of the funds on extracurricular activities…martial arts, horseback riding lessons, Sea World…We don’t even know if their kids are filling out the workbook.

Closing Bell

On this day in 1987…

Martial Law came to an end in Taiwan after 38 years. This was the longest imposed martial law by a regiment in the world until Syria ended their's in 2011. That lasted for 48 years.