HOUSTON — The Texas Education Agency's long-threatened takeover of HISD was not on Wednesday's Houston City Council meeting agenda, but it took up most of the discussion.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the TEA could take over Houston ISD as early as next week, according to his sources with the state legislature.
“The state is overreaching on this issue,” he said during the city council meeting.
Turner said the takeover will totally obliterate local control. He also said HISD Board of Trustees and Superintendent Millard House II could be replaced.
The news of the TEA taking over HISD is not all that surprising. The TEA first launched its takeover efforts in 2019 due to perpetually failing schools. Not to mention, alleged misconduct by certain trustees.
READ: 'They have pretty much sentenced the school district to a takeover,' HISD board president says
In January, the Texas Supreme Court issued an opinion ruling that cleared the way for the TEA takeover. However, a timeline has yet to be officially revealed.
KHOU 11 reached out to the TEA to see if the takeover will happen as early as next week and the agency said it's continuing "to review the Supreme Court's decision in order to determine next steps that best support the students, teachers, parents, and school community of the Houston Independent School District."
"I think it's ridiculous they're not looking at significant academic progress that's been made in recent times," said Houston City Council member Karla Cisneros.
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"As of school year ending in 2022, 40 of 54 failing campuses have shown passing grades of C and an overall grade of B for the District as a whole," HISD Trustee Kathy Blueford-Daniels said. "Wheatley High School students have improved from a failing grade to a C, and only a few points away from a B. There is still work to be done but we must keep the focus on the students."
Turner said TEA commissioner Mike Morath agreed to give him a heads-up when and if a TEA takeover happens.
"It's important now to raise this issue because parents have every right to know, Turner said. "Students have every right to know. Those in the community have every right to know."
A Supreme Court spokesperson said a ruling mandate was dispatched to the TEA Wednesday afternoon.
HISD has not responded to a request for comment on this matter.