Merit Pay, New Curriculum, Leadership Changes Drive Houston ISD Revival

Two years after the Texas Education Agency took over Houston ISD — the nation’s eighth-largest school district — student performance is on the rise. The 2023 state intervention followed years of chronic underperformance, including 56 schools with failing grades and seven straight years of failure at Wheatley High School. Superintendent Mike Miles, appointed alongside a state Board of Managers, implemented sweeping reforms: merit-based teacher pay, a centralized New Education System across more than 100 schools, and leadership changes at underperforming campuses. Now, reports show zero F-rated schools, improved STAAR scores, and a projected B district rating for 2024-25 — a dramatic turnaround that’s fueling debates over state takeovers and education reform nationwide.