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YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY, AND THANK YOU AS WELL[Childhood and Youth Committee on March 8, 2023.]
FOR YOUR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN SUPPORTING THE SUCCESS OF OUR YOUNGEST RESIDENTS.THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD IN HYBRID MODE AS BOTH AN IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL MEETING ON MICROSOFT TEAMS AND ON HTV AS THE CHAIR AND PRESIDING OFFICER OF THE COMMITTEE.
I AM PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE CHAMBER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5 5 1 0.127 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE APPLICABLE TO A GOVERNMENTAL BODY THAT EXTENDS INTO THREE OR MORE COUNTIES.
ALL OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE THE OPTION TO PARTICIPATE IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY, UM, VIA MICROSOFT TEAMS. TODAY, WE WILL HEAR A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE IMPACT AND RECITING OFFICER OF THE COMMITTEE.
I AM PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE CHAMBER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5 5 1 0.127 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE APPLICABLE TO A GOVERNMENTAL BODY THAT EXTENDS INTO THREE OR MORE COUNTIES.
ALL OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE THE OPTION TO PARTICIPATE IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY, UM, VIA MICROSOFT TEAMS. TODAY, WE WILL HEAR A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE IMPACT, SO WE'RE HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT REPEATED.
UM, SO TODAY WE WILL HEAR A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE IMPACT TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON IF THE STATE TAKES OVER HISD.
I'M COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS, CHAIR OF THE CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH COMMITTEE.
UM, I AM JOINED BY SEVERAL OF MY COLLEAGUES, UM, HERE IN THE CHAMBER.
UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TASHA JACKSON AND COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN ARE, ARE PRESENT, UM, IN PERSON.
AND THEN ONLINE WE HAVE, UM, THE STAFF FROM VICE MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ABBY CAYMAN, AND COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, EDWARD POLLARD.
AND, UM, WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK.
WE WILL HAVE ONE PRESENTATION TODAY, A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE IMPACT TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
IF THE STATE TAKES OVER HISD, WE ARE ALSO JOINED.
I'M PLEASED TO SEE COUNCIL MEMBER MARYANNE HOFFMAN.
UM, BUT FIRST, A FEW HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS FOR THIS HYBRID MEETING.
SO, COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT, PLEASE INDICATE THAT IN THE CHAT WINDOW.
IF YOU'RE VIRTUAL OR JUST, YOU KNOW, LET US KNOW.
UM, COPIES OF TODAY'S AGENDA AND PRESENTATION ARE POSTED ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON WEBPAGE FOR CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES.
WE HAVE EIGHT PUBLIC SPEAKERS WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AT THE MEETING.
SPEAKERS WILL MAKE COMMENTS DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
AT THE END OF THE MEETING, PUBLIC SPEAKERS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK, AND THOSE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK VIRTUALLY, WE'LL JOIN THE MEETING BY PHONE.
SO, I'D LIKE TO ASK AT THIS TIME, ALL PUBLIC SPEAKERS TO PLEASE REMAIN MUTED UNTIL YOUR NAME IS CALLED AT THE END OF THE MEETING, AFTER THE PRESENTATION HAS BEEN MADE.
SO, LET'S BEGIN BY REVIEWING THE FOUR GOALS OF THE CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH COMMITTEE.
THEY ARE TO BE A CATALYST FOR CHANGE BY INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS AND DIALOGUE ABOUT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF A CHILD AND THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF WHAT KIND OF PERSON THAT CHILD WILL GROW UP TO BE FOCUSING ON DATA AND WELLBEING INDICATORS AS TOOLS FOR POLICY DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING AND ACCOUNTABILITY, SEEKING EQUITY IN WORKFORCE READINESS, BEGINNING AT BIRTH, AND SUPPORTING OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN CITY DEPARTMENTS TO STRENGTHEN AND ENHANCE THE WEB OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES, SCHOOLS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
I WANNA THANK OUR, OUR PRESENTER, DIRECTOR, YOUNG KOSKA, FOR COMING TODAY AND FOR SHARING IMPORTANT INFORMATION WITH CITY COUNCIL.
THERE'S NO SOUND ON TEAMS. I'M HEARING THAT THERE IS NO SOUND CURRENTLY ON TEAMS. DO THEY NEED A MINUTE? OKAY.
SO LET'S JUST PAUSE FOR A MINUTE TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO, TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
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UM, WE ARE TESTING RIGHT NOW.THEY CAN, THEY CAN SEE IF THEY CAN HEAR ME SPEAK.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO AT THIS POINT, UM, UH, ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRESENCE OF, UM, VERONICA GILA REPRESENTING COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER.
SO WE'VE JUST RECEIVED CONFIRMATION THAT WE'RE, WE'RE LIVE AGAIN ON TEAMS. UM, SO DIRECTOR, COME ON UP AND, AND, UM, LET'S, UM, LET'S DO YOUR PRESENTATION.
THEY CAN, SO THEY CAN SEE IF THEY CAN HEAR ME SPEAK.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO AT THIS POINT, UM, UH, ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRESENCE OF, UM, VERONICA HILO REPRESENTING COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER.
WE'VE JUST RECEIVED CONFIRMATION THAT WE'RE, WE'RE LIVE AGAIN ON TEAMS. UM, SO DIRECTOR, COME ON UP AND, AND, UM, LET'S, UM, LET'S DO YOUR PRESENTATION.
WE MAY BE GOOD NOW, TODAY AT THE YOUTH AND CHILDHOOD COMMITTEE.
UM, IT'S AN HONOR TO, UM, SEE SO MANY PEOPLE PRESENT AS WELL AS, UH, THOSE WHO SIGNED UP TO SUPPORT, UM, WITH THIS ISSUE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO, UH, UH, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY POTENTIAL TAKEOVER, UM, HISD, BUT BECAUSE SOME OF YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN FIRST TIME INTERACTING WITH THIS YEAR, WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A JUST A TINY OVERVIEW.
UM, ON JANUARY 13TH, 2023, UH, THE TEXAS, THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT, UM, UH, ALLOWED THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY TO TAKE OVER HISD BASED ON A 2019, UH, DATA OF A FAILING SCHOOL WITHIN THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHEATLEY HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, ON MARCH 6TH, WE HEARD RUMORS THAT THE POTENTIAL TAKEOVER, UM, IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.
SO THE COMMUNITY STOOD UP, AND WE HAVEN'T HEARD EVERY ANYTHING, UM, SINCE.
HOWEVER, WE ARE STRONGLY, ONCE AGAIN AND FIRMLY ON BEHALF OF MAYOR TURNER, ON BEHALF OF CITY OF HOUSTON, ON BEHALF OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, PEOPLE WE'VE SPOKEN TO, WE STRONGLY CONDEMN IN THE, UH, TEXAS EDUCATIONAL AGENCY'S TAKEOVER.
UM, HISD, UM, ALLOW ME TO START WITH A, A PERSONAL STORY SO I CAN GIVE A JUST A LITTLE HIGHER AND, AND BIGGER PICTURE OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND, AND, UM, SOME OF MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES.
AS YOU CAN HEAR, I'M AN IMMIGRANT.
OFTENTIMES A COMBINATION BETWEEN EUROPE AND EDUCATION.
PEOPLE REFER TO FINLAND, ONE OF THE GREATEST, UM, UH, SCHOOL SYSTEMS AROUND THE WORLD.
BUT I AM ACTUALLY FROM A VERY SMALL, UM, UNDERPRIVILEGED DEVELOPING COUNTRY CALLED MACEDONIA IN SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE.
MY COUNTRY HAS, UM, SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC CHALLENGES AND CONTINUES TO HAVE THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT HIS ENTIRE HISTORY, ESPECIALLY DURING MY EDUCATIONAL YEARS.
HOWEVER, THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN MY COUNTRY, REGARDLESS OF HOW POOR WE WERE, NEVER FAILED ME.
I'M STANDING HERE TODAY BECAUSE MY EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM WAS FUNDED,
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MY EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM MET ME AND MY NEEDS WHERE I WAS AND SUPPORTED ME THROUGHOUT MY JOURNEY.TOP PICTURE IS A SCHOOL WHERE MY CURRENTLY SON, UH, ATTENDS.
AND THIS IS IN A, IN A PRETTY GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD.
BOTTOM PICTURE IS A SCHOOL, UH, FROM MY HOMETOWN.
SHOCKINGLY, WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED IN THE UNITED STATES AND I SAW THESE PORTABLE MOBILE CLASSROOMS, I THOUGHT THERE WERE STORAGE UNITS,
WELL, FAST FORWARD, NOW THAT MY SON IS IN SCHOOL, I REALIZE THAT THOSE ARE NOT STORAGE UNITS.
THOSE ARE ACTUALLY WHERE STUDENTS STUDY.
NOW, I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS RHETORICAL QUESTION HERE.
DO WE VALUE OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM? DO WE HAVE ENOUGH INVESTMENT IN OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM? OUR CHILDREN MARKED AS FAILING.
BUT WHAT IS FAILURE? I'M NOT GONNA DISCUSS THAT.
I, I REALLY URGE YOU TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS THOUGHT PROVOKING THOUGHT.
WHAT IS FAILURE? WHO MEASURES IT? AND WHO DEFINES IT? LET ME GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF VERY, VERY, UM, BIG GENIUSES OVER HISTORY THAT HAVE BEEN MARKED AS FAILURES.
ALBERT EINSTEIN, ISAAC NEWTON, THOMAS EDISON, WINSTON CHURCHILL, BILL GATES, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON AND ON.
NOW, WHAT IS FAILURE? I ASK YOU THAT.
ANYHOW, THE POINT OF THIS STORY IS TO TELL YOU THAT REGARDLESS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT IS THE CONDITION OF, OF THE, OF THE, OF THE COUNTRIES THAT WE, WE LIVE IN, CHILDREN SHOULD COME FIRST.
AND OUR FUTURE IS AT THE TEACHER'S HANDS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
NOW, WHETHER WE ARE GONNA SLICE THE PIE AND PROVIDE SO LITTLE INTO OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, AND EXPECT OUR FUTURE TO PERFORM AND EXPECT OUR FUTURE TO PERFORM BETTER THAN WHATEVER STANDARDS HAVE BEEN SET, THAT IS JUST NOT POSSIBLE.
SO NOW BACK TO THE ISSUE, STATE TAKEOVER.
THANKS TO THE KINDER INSTITUTE FOR URBAN RESEARCH, THEY HELPED US, UM, TAKE A LOOK INTO THE RESEARCH TO SEE IF THERE IS A SUCCESSFUL MODEL INTO A, UH, STATE TAKEOVER OVER THE SCHOOLS.
THERE IS NONE IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY THAT HAS PROVEN SUCCESSFUL.
NOT ONLY THAT THEY'RE NON SUCCESSSFUL, BUT THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE STATES THAT HAVE TAKEN OVER SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE ACTUALLY NEGATIVELY IMPACTED THOSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT TAKEN OVER BY A STATE, ACTUALLY NEGATIVELY PERFORMS IN TEST SCORES BEFORE THEY RETURN BACK TO THE PRE TAKEOVER LEVELS.
SO WHAT'S THE POINT OF A TAKEOVER? CAN ANYONE STATE ONE SPECIFIC REASON OF WHY A TAKEOVER SHOULD ACTUALLY BE, UH, THE CASE? WILL IT DELIVER RESULTS? RESEARCH SHOWS US THAT IT WILL NOT.
EVIDENCE IS THERE THAT USUALLY STATE TAKEOVERS ARE OVER UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN, CHILDREN OF COLOR IN, IN, UH, LOWER INCOME COMMUNITIES.
ANOTHER BLOW INTO COMMUNITIES THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE EMPOWERING, AND YET WE ENFORCE RULES AND BRING PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THOSE COMMUNITIES TO STATE HOW THEY SHOULD RUN AND SHOULD DO THEIR, THEIR JOBS.
BUT WHAT I'M ACTUALLY, UM, REALLY TOUCHED ABOUT IS WHAT DOES THE STATE TAKEOVER ACTUALLY DOES TO THE COMMUNITY? AND THIS IS WHERE MY HEART GOES, VERY HEAVY STATE TAKEOVERS ARE DISRUPTIVE, ANTI-DEMOCRATIC AND DISENFRANCHISED COMMUNITIES.
GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT CHAMPIONS PARENTAL RIGHTS CHOOSE THIS AND THAT.
HOWEVER, PARENTS ARE LEFT ALONE AND THEIR VOICES ARE LEFT OUT OF THE, UH, TEXAS EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES TAKEOVER.
NOBODY ASKED WHETHER PARENTS LIKED THIS.
NOBODY ASKED WHETHER PARENTS AGREE WITH THIS.
LOCAL CONTROL OF SCHOOLS IS CRUCIAL IN EMPOWERING RESIDENTS.
I ACTUALLY HAD A CHANCE TO MEET WITH HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF CONSTITUENTS THIS PAST WEEK WITH PARENTS, WITH TEACHERS, FORMER TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS, UM, CONCERNED CITIZENS.
I HEARD NOT A SINGLE POSITIVE NOTE ON THE STATE TAKEOVER.
FURTHERMORE, A LADY SHARED WITH ME A VERY, UM, FUNNY ANECDOTE THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU.
AND SHE SAID, SO IF MY HOUSEHOLD DOESN'T WORK OUT, THINGS ARE NOT WORKING OUT IN MY HOUSEHOLD, IS MY NEIGHBOR TO COME TAKE OVER TO FIX IT IN THE NAME OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
MY NEIGHBOR DOESN'T KNOW HOW MY HOUSEHOLD FUNCTIONS, WHY WE SHOULD LET SOMEONE ELSE RUN OUR OWN SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE THE BEST INTEREST TO MAKE SURE OUR SCHOOLS PERFORM, AND, AND THEY CONTINUE IMPROVING.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TRUSTING THAT THE TEACHERS, OUR TEACHERS WHO WE HAPPEN TO CALL HEROES THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PANDEMIC,
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AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY'RE NOT DOING A GOOD JOB.THEY'RE GOING TO BE, UM, RUNNING ALL THIS ANXIETY, WHAT THIS TAKEOVER IS ACTUALLY GOING TO, TO MEAN TO THEM.
UM, AND TRUST ME, TEACHERS ARE NOT THERE TEACHING BECAUSE OF THE BIG BUCKS THEY'RE EARNING.
THEY'RE THERE BECAUSE THEY REALLY LOVE OUR CHILDREN AND THEY LOVE TEACHING.
SO WHY DON'T WE LET TEACHERS AND OUR ELECTED LEADERS FOR SCHOOLS TO ACTUALLY DO THE JOB THEY'RE DOING SO GOOD FOR THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF.
DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE STUDENT VOICES.
NOBODY MENTIONED HOW STUDENTS FEEL ABOUT THIS.
NOBODY TALKED ABOUT WHETHER STUDENTS HAVE BEEN CONSULTED, WHETHER THEY EVEN HAVE ANY OPINION ON THE TAKEOVER.
THAT CAN TAKE A WHOLE SESSION FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT.
SO HOW BAD IS HISD DOING? LET'S, UM, LET'S TAKE A LOOK.
THIS IS JUST A POLITICAL GAME.
HISD HAS MADE A SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IS 2019.
SCHOOLS WITH A RATINGS HAVE JUMPED ALMOST TWICE.
SCHOOLS WITH B RATINGS HAVE ALSO INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE 2019.
NOW, HISD HAS 88 PERCENTILE RANKING B AUSTIN HIGH SD HAS 88 PERCENTILE.
RANKING B, WHAT DOES TEA TAKE OVER SEND AS A MESSAGE TO OUR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE? THAT SPEAKS A LOT.
OUR SUPERINTENDENT, DR. HOUSE HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB SINCE HE JOINED.
HE'S BEEN PARTICIPATING WITHIN CITY PROGRAMS. HE HAS TALKED TO TEACHERS.
HE HAS BEEN PARTICIPATING WITH STUDENTS.
HE HAS IMPROVED OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT SINCE 2019 SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND YET, TEA IS STILL CONSIDERING A TAKEOVER.
SO INSTEAD OF A TAKEOVER, WHAT COULD BE BETTER? WELL, I TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE BEGINNING.
UM, FUNDING SCHOOLS ARE SEVERELY UNDERFUNDED.
TEXAS IS 42ND IN THE NATION PER STUDENT SPENDING.
HISD IS SLIGHTLY EVEN LOWER THAN THAT FOR TEXAS, FOR EVERY STUDENT SPENT IN TEXAS, 10,342 PER STUDENT, THERE'S ABOUT ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS LESS IN HISD.
NOW, LET'S NOT FORGET THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC POVERTY AMONG CHILDREN, INCREASED NUMBER OF CHILDREN WHO WERE UN UM, UNPRIVILEGED WITHIN THE HISD SYSTEM INCREASED, AND YET OUR FUNDING REMAINED THE SAME, AND WE EXPECT THEM TO DO BETTER THAN WHAT THEY DID.
EVERYTHING IS EQUIVALENT TO THE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT PROVIDED IN THESE, UM, IN THESE STUDENTS.
INVEST IN OUR STUDENTS, INVEST IN OUR TEACHERS, INVEST IN OUR ELECTED LEADERSHIP TO CONTINUE DOING THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING.
WHY DO WE ALL NEED TO CARE? WHETHER YOU'RE A PARENT, WHETHER YOU'RE A TEACHER, WHETHER YOU HAVE CHILDREN IN HISD OR NOT, WE ALL NEED TO FOCUS ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE AND STAND UP ORGANIZED AGAINST THE HOSTILE STATE TAKEOVER OF HISD.
FIRST THINGS FIRST, GO AND VOTE.
SECOND THING, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE SENDING A MESSAGE.
WE ENCOURAGE TEA TO WORK WITH THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS LEADERS TO FIND THE SOLUTION FOR THE 194,000 STUDENTS IN HISD.
WE NEED TO STAND TOGETHER WITH HISD PARENTS AND TEACHERS WHO I HAVE COME ACROSS TO BE SO DESPERATE, SO ANXIOUS, AND REALLY JUST THE TONE OF, OF THIS DISBELIEF THAT THEY ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN.
AND YET THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, IS REALLY CRIPPLING THEIR, UH, ABILITY TO CONTINUE PROVIDING FOR OUR CHILDREN.
THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS TO ADVOCATE IN THE CURRENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
YOU CAN CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES ARE, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE.
WE CAN HELP YOU OUT WITH THAT.
TALK TO THEM AND ASK THEM TO PREVENT FUTURE ABILITIES OF TEA TO TAKE OVER OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND TO ALSO INTRODUCE NEW BILLS THAT SPECIFICALLY SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH NEEDS THEY HAVE, UM, AT THE CURRENT TIME.
NOW, I'D LIKE TO CONCLUDE WITH
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EDUCATION IS THE CORE ACTIVITY OF OUR SCHOOLS.YOUTH HAVE HAD SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES SINCE THE PANDEMIC, THANKS TO, AGAIN, TO THE KINDER INSTITUTE, HOUSTON EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH CONSORTIUM.
WE FOUND OUT THAT THIRD OF THE STUDENTS REPORTED SOME KIND OF A MENTAL ISSUE.
AGAIN, THE SCHOOLS LACK THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE WRAPAROUND RESOURCES, AND YET THEY'RE PRESSURED TO PERFORM, AND YET THERE IS NOT ENOUGH FUNDING PROVIDED FOR THEM.
THAT JUST BREAKS MY HEART BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE JUST CARE FOR THE STUDENTS, AND THEY WILL DO ANYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO HELP THEM.
BUT WE AS CITIZENS, WE PROFESSIONALLY OR PERSONALLY, NEED TO STAND UP AND SUPPORT EDUCATION BECAUSE OUR COUNTRY, OUR FUTURE DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH WE INVEST IN OUR FUTURE OF, UM, OF TOMORROW.
SO ON BEHALF OF MAYOR TURNER, CITY OF HOUSTON, ONCE AGAIN, WE STRONGLY CONDEMN THE POTENTIAL TAKEOVER OF HISD.
UH, AND WE, UH, STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT HISD HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS, UH, AMOUNT OF WORK AND WE CONTINUE TO, UM, IMPROVE OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BUT NOT WITH A HOSTILE TAKEOVER.
AND WE DO HAVE A QUESTION FROM, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HOFFMAN.
UM, DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE FIRST SCHOOL TAKEOVER, OR THE FIRST STATE TAKEOVER FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS, I BELIEVE IT WAS A CONNECTICUT.
UM, BUT REGARDLESS OF FIRST OR SECOND OR LAST, ALL, ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN LOOKED INTO AN EXTENSIVE RESEARCH AND NONE OF THEM HAVE PROVEN TO ACTUALLY DELIVER ANY RESULTS.
WELL, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET AN IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE TIMEFRAME? DID THIS START HAPPENING 10 YEARS AGO, 20 YEARS AGO? DO YOU KNOW THAT? THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
AND, UM, HAVE THERE BEEN ANY TAKEOVERS THAT HAVE BEEN AS BIG AS HISD? I MEAN, WE HAVE A VERY LARGE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
IT IS, IT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST.
UM, I DO NOT KNOW THE SIZES OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
UM, BUT WE HAVE SOME EDUCATIONAL EXPERTS THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH EXPERTS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS JUST A REALLY HARD TIME TO, TO JUDGE SCHOOLS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CHART, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU HAD FROM 2019 TO 2022.
AND, YOU KNOW, DURING THAT TIME, A LOT OF KIDS WEREN'T IN SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, MYSELF AND MY HUSBAND WERE BOTH WORKING PARENTS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO HOMESCHOOL KIDS.
I'VE NEVER BEEN TRAINED TO, TO DO ANY OF THESE THINGS.
AND I ACTUALLY KIND OF FELT JEALOUS OF SOME OF MY FRIENDS THAT ACTUALLY WERE TEACHERS BECAUSE THEY WERE AT HOME HOMESCHOOLING AND THEY KNEW WHAT TO DO.
BUT I'D, I'D HAD NO TRAINING IN ANY OF THAT.
UM, AND SO I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, I HAD LITTLE KIDS AND I FEEL LIKE BECAUSE OF THAT AND BECAUSE OF MY INEXPERIENCE, THAT THEY WERE BEHIND WHEN THEY GOT BACK TO SCHOOL WITH READING.
AND, AND THEN KIDS ARE WEARING MASKS AND YOU'RE TRYING TO TEACH KIDS TO READ AND THEY CAN'T READ LIPS OF THE TEACHERS TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE OUT THE SOUNDS.
UM, AND, AND THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THIS TO COMPARE ANYTHING ELSE, LIKE RIGHT.
THERE'S NEVER BEEN SCHOOL TAKEOVERS BEFORE, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE EIGHTIES WITH A PANDEMIC WHERE THEY SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN.
UM, SO JUST I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A REALLY HARD TIME FOR SCHOOLS.
YEAH, NO, AGAIN, THAT, THAT POINT THAT YOUTH AND CHILDREN NEEDS HAVE GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY, ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC, ESPECIALLY WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
UM, AGAIN, THE, WE, WE KEEP FORGETTING THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE THERE TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN.
THEY'RE NOT THERE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CHILDREN.
UM, AND THERE IS GENEROUS COMMUNITIES THAT DO SUPPORT WITH WRAPAROUND, UH, RESOURCES.
I GET AN EMAIL ALMOST EVERY, EVERY SINGLE DAY IN MY SCHOOL.
UM, WHETHER THEY ARE ASKING FOR JACKETS FOR KIDS WHO CAME TO SCHOOL WITH NO JACKETS, OR THERE'S NO FOOD, OR WHATEVER THE ISSUE MIGHT BE.
I, AS A PARENT, AS A COMMUNITY SUPPORTER, OF COURSE, ALWAYS CONTRIBUTE.
HOWEVER, THE QUESTION IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS.
WHY IS THE CHILD AT SCHOOL WITH NO JACKET, WHAT DRIVES THAT SOCIAL SAFETY NET THAT REALLY BROUGHT THE CHILD TO BE WITH NO JACKET? AND WHY IS THE SCHOOL, INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON CURRICULUM, FOCUSING ON WHETHER THE SCHOOL HAVE THE, THE CHILDREN HAVE JACKET OR NOT, RIGHT? THE CHILDREN SHOULD HAVE THEIR PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS MET BEFORE THEY CAN ACTUALLY SIT IN A CLASSROOM AND LEARN.
AND YET, MAJORITY OF OUR SCHOOLS, MAJORITY OF OUR SCHOOLS DON'T HAVE FOOD.
KIDS DON'T HAVE APPROPRIATE CLOTHING.
WE JUST DID A DRIVE FOR FOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WHERE, UM, SEVERAL OF THE, UH, BUS DRIVERS ACTUALLY EMAILED US AND I QUOTE, UM, POVERTY STRIKE IN SCHOOLS.
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THE CHILDREN ON THE BUSES BE, UM, COLD AND HUNGRY.SO WE ORGANIZED, UM, FOUR OF THESE RESOURCE FAIRS.
UM, ALCOTT ELEMENTARY WAS ONE OF THEM, UH, FOR, UM, HIGH SCHOOL, A A FEW OF THEM THAT PARTICIPATED WHITLEY HIGH SCHOOL AS WELL.
UM, AND THE PURPOSE WAS TO SUPPORT THESE STUDENTS.
BUT AGAIN, WE AS A SOCIETY, AS A COMMUNITY, BECAUSE OF OUR GOOD HEARTS, BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE, WE SUPPORT THE SCHOOLS.
THERE SHOULD BE A SOCIAL SAFETY NET WHERE THESE CHILDREN ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE BEGGING FROM STRANGERS.
THERE SHOULD BE AN ABILITY FOR CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL AND LEARN.
I HAD NOTHING WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, AND YET THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE DAY WHEN I HAD TO GO AND ASK FOR SHOES OR CLOTHES OR FOOD OR ANY OF THAT.
AND, UH, I ONE OTHER QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, IN HOUSTON, HISD, WE HAVE ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
HOW WOULD THIS CHANGE THE ROLE OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS? I MEAN, THIS IS BLOW IN DEMOCRACY.
'CAUSE IF YOU HAVE ELECTED THE PEOPLE WHO YOU WANT TO LEAD YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THEN THEY COME OVER AND THEY JUST IMPOSE PEOPLE WHO THEY THINK SHOULD LEAD WHAT STOPS STATE GOVERNMENTS FROM DOING THE SAME ACROSS ALL OTHER SECTORS, RIGHT? TODAY'S INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY, I DON'T WANNA MIX ISSUES, BUT WE AS WOMEN HAVE EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT, UH, WITHDRAWAL OF OUR RIGHTS.
WHERE IS THIS HEADING? WHY IS THE STATE TAKING OVER THESE BASIC FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS? THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION IS A RIGHT TO EDUCATION.
THEY'RE NOT TO COME HERE AND INSTRUCT HOW TEACHERS SHOULD TEACH.
THEY'RE NOT HERE TO INSTRUCT HOW THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SHOULD RUN.
THEY'RE HERE TO SUPPORT THE EFFORT AND TO PROVIDE FUNDING.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, UH, TWO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE.
UM, FIRST WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, AND THEN TO COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON.
YOU TALKED ABOUT THE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH THAT'S BEEN DONE ON SCHOOL TAKEOVERS.
I I DO SEE IN A RECENT KINDER, UH, ARTICLE THAT BROWN UNIVERSITY CON CONDUCTED THIS.
IS THERE IS THAT THE SEMINAL WORK ON THIS? THE 20 20 21 BROWN? IT'S THE MOST RECENT.
IF, IF YOU, IF YOU COULD COME ON UP,
WELL THEN I'LL, I'LL HOLD, I'LL HOLD.
SHE'S THE ONE I'M QUOTING IN THIS.
YOU GOT SO, BUT THE, THE BROWN STUDY'S THE ONE TO LOOK? YES.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, SO I'M A PRODUCT OF NORTH FOREST.
I, UM, ISD, UM, THAT WAS SHUT DOWN.
UM, AND OF COURSE IT DISRUPTS, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY, BUT, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S LONG TERM, YOU KNOW, AS AN ADULT, I CAN'T GO BACK TO MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OR MY JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE IT NO LONGER EXISTS.
AND SO, OF COURSE, THAT WAS A PLAN, UM, TO SHUT THAT DOWN.
SO MY QUESTION IS, AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HISD, YOU KNOW, THE TAKEOVER, THIS, THIS CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN HAD YEARS BEFORE THIS DATE.
AND SO I'M JUST CURIOUS, IS THERE, ARE THERE, IS THERE ANY, UM, I GUESS PROOF OR CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CONVERSATIONS THAT'S BEING HAD RIGHT NOW ABOUT VOUCHERS? YOU KNOW, THE PUSH FOR VOUCHERS, YOU KNOW, UM, AND THAT CONCERNS ME BECAUSE LIKE EVEN WITH VOUCHERS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OUR KIDS THAT'S IN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT, IT'S GONNA IMPACT UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE QUITE A FEW KIDS THAT STILL, THAT'S SITTING IN THE SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW THAT DON'T GO TO CHARTER SCHOOLS OR DON'T, YOU KNOW, GO TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
A LOT OF 'EM HAVE BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS OR THEY HAVE MENTAL ILLNESSES BECAUSE THESE SCHOOLS THAT ACCEPT VOUCHERS OR CHARTER SCHOOLS DO NOT ACCEPT THESE TYPE OF KIDS.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT FOR A FACT BECAUSE MY SON WAS, YES, MY SON WAS MENTALLY DISABLED, AND I TRIED TO GET HIM IN CHAR CHARTER SCHOOLS AND THEY WOULD NOT ACCEPT HIM.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS, IS THERE ANY, UM, CONVERSATIONS, HAVE YOU GUYS LOOKED INTO THAT? IS THERE A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE PUSH FOR, UM, VOUCHERS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, USING TAX DOLLARS FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS? WELL, FIRST OFF, THERE IS NO CONVERSATION BECAUSE WE GET TO HEAR RUMORS OF TAKEOVERS.
THERE IS NOT AN OPEN DIALOGUE.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE ACTION ITEMS THAT I MENTIONED, IS THAT, LET'S HEAR, WE ARE NOT, WE SHOULDN'T BE TALKING OVER MEDIA.
WE SHOULDN'T BE TALKING, YOU KNOW, ME REPLYING TO THEIR COMMENTS HERE AND THEY'RE REPLYING BACK IN AUSTIN, AND WE JUST GO BACK AND FORTH.
BUT THERE SHOULD BE THIS SIT DOWN DIALOGUE OF WHAT THE ISSUE IS AND HOW WE CAN RESOLVE IT.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT SAME THING APPLIES ACROSS EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING PROPOSED.
NOW, THE VOUCHER SYSTEM AND ALL THAT, THAT'S JUST,
[00:30:01]
THAT'S A FURTHER PUSH ON OUR, UM, PUBLIC SCHOOLS BECAUSE THAT WILL CONTINUE DECREASE FUNDING FOR OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHICH ARE ALREADY SUPER UNDERFUNDED.I MEAN, I SHOWED YOU A PICTURE OF A SCHOOL IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY THAT LOOKS 10 TIMES BETTER THAN A SCHOOL IN THE UNITED STATES.
TAKING AWAY $10,000 FROM A SCHOOL IS HUMONGOUS.
UM, DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE PRIVATE SCHOOL THING, BECAUSE I HAVE A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WHERE MY SON WAS NOT ACCEPTED IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL BECAUSE HE'S AUTISTIC, SO.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR BEING HERE AND YOUR REPORT TO US.
UM, AT THIS TIME, UH, WE WILL HEAR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
THERE ARE SIX PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UM, AND I WANNA THANK ALL OF OUR, OUR SPEAKERS, VIRTUAL OR IN, IN PERSON THAT ARE, ARE HERE WITH US TODAY.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO MAKE YOUR COMMENTS AS YOUR NAME IS CALLED.
PLEASE ALSO STATE YOUR AFFILIATION IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS PERSON OR A PARENT, OR A TEACHER OR A COMMUNITY MEMBER, UH, UH, AN ACTIVIST, ET CETERA, BEFORE YOU BEGIN.
SO, UH, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF BY PUSHING STAR SIX ON YOUR PHONE IF YOU HAVE JOINED VIRTUALLY.
SO OUR FIRST SPEAKER WAS VIRTUAL IS NOT HERE YET.
SO, UM, NEXT ON THE LIST, WE'LL COME BACK TO HER.
IS JERRY MONROE HERE? HE IS NOT HERE.
UM, NEXT IN PERSON WE HAVE, UM, DANIELLE KEYS.
I AM DANIELLE KEYS BEST, AND I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY.
ON BEHALF OF THE CHILDREN, THE TEACHERS, THE SUPPORT PERSONNEL, THE PARENTS AND THE STAFF OF HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, I CANNOT STAND BY AND BE SILENT.
WHILE TEA THREATENS THE VERY FOUNDATION OF THE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS WITH A B AVERAGE RATING THAT WAS SET IN ACCORDANCE TO TEA PROTOCOLS AND STANDARDS, THIS POLITICAL STUNT CANNOT PLAY OUT AT THE RISK OF OUR CHILDREN.
A TEA BOARD OF MANAGERS HAS THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE DECISIONS WITHOUT THE INPUT OF PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY, WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO RUN, POTENTIALLY RUN HAVOC WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WHERE WAS TEA WHEN OUR CHILDREN WENT WITHOUT FOOD? DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WHERE WAS TEA WHEN THERE WERE RUMORED THREATS OF POTENTIAL MASS SHOOTINGS AT OUR SCHOOLS? WHERE WAS TEA WHEN OUR CHILDREN NEEDED MORE FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND PROGRAMMING? WHERE WAS TEA WHEN TEACHERS, PERSONNEL, AND STAFF NEEDED MORE TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT? IT WAS STATED EARLIER IN THE WEEK THAT YOU CAN JUDGE A SOCIETY BY HOW IT TREATS THEIR CHILDREN.
OUR SCHOOL BOARD HAS THEIR PULSE ON THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS SINCE 2019.
WE CANNOT LET OUR CHILDREN DANGLE IN THE BALANCE FOR OUTSIDERS TO PLAY POLITICAL GAMES WITH OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM HERE IN HOUSTON.
I WAS RAISED WITH THE MOTTO, DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO TELL TEA TODAY DON'T MESS WITH THE CHILDREN OF HISD.
OUR, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TAMARA BELL, AND I DID NOT SEE HER.
UM, OUR NEXT SPEAKER THEN IS RUTH LOPEZ TURLEY COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
MY NAME IS, UH, RUTH LOPEZ TURLEY.
I AM A PROFESSOR OF SOCIOLOGY AT RICE SPECIALIZING IN THE SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION.
I'M ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF THE KINDER INSTITUTE FOR URBAN RESEARCH.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON EDUCATION RESEARCH CONSORTIUM, PART OF THE KINDER INSTITUTE AT RICE UNIVERSITY.
AND, UH, ERIN AND I CO-AUTHORED THE, UH, OP-ED THAT, UH, CAME OUT IN THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE THAT WAS REFERENCED EARLIER BY OLI VERA.
SO WE WANTED TO SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR REVIEW OF THE RESEARCH EVIDENCE REGARDING
[00:35:01]
STATE TAKEOVERS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS.AND, UH, THAT REVIEW, UH, AS YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD, HAS SHOWN THAT ON AVERAGE STATE TAKEOVERS ARE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVED STUDENT OUTCOMES.
AND IN FACT, THEY TEND TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH DECREASED, UH, STUDENT TEST SCORES, AT LEAST INITIALLY.
AND THAT ON AVERAGE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TAKE ABOUT FIVE YEARS TO RETURN TO PRE TAKEOVER LEVELS.
ONE OF THE OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS IS THE DISTRICTS WHO HAVE EX, OH, SORRY.
THE DISTRICTS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED, UH, TAKEOVER TEND TO BE DISTRICTS SERVING LARGER PROPORTIONS OF ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED LARGER PROPORTIONS OF BLACK, LARGER PROPORTIONS OF HISPANIC STUDENTS.
AND THIS IS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND IN PARTICULAR, WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE A STATE TAKEOVER, ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE A LARGE PROPORTION OF BLACK STUDENTS, UM, THAT ACTUALLY OUTWEIGHS, UH, THE, UH, ACTUAL PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS, WHICH IS A BIG CONCERN.
IN ADDITION, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE IN STATES WITH A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR ARE MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE A STATE TAKEOVER.
SO ALL OF THESE PATTERNS, UH, TO US EXPRESS A CONCERN ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR STATE INTERVENTION.
WE DO, HOWEVER, BELIEVE THAT THE RESEARCH EVIDENCE DOES SUGGEST THAT THERE IS A ROLE FOR THE STATE TO PLAY.
UH, BUT IT'S NOT ONE, UH, HAVING TO DO WITH A, WITH A STATE TAKEOVER OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT RATHER HAVING TO DO WITH STATE FUNDING.
WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF EVIDENCE FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT STUDENTS WHO ARE IN PLACES WHO HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR EDUCATION ARE DOING MUCH BETTER WHEN WE THINK ABOUT STUDENTS' ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND OTHER PERFORMANCE.
AND, UH, TEXAS RINGS REALLY LOW WHEN WE COMPARE TO OTHER STATES IN TERMS OF WHAT FUNDING LOOKS LIKE.
AND THAT, UM, STARTS AS EARLY AS EARLY CHILDHOOD WHEN WE THINK ABOUT FUNDING FOR PRE-K THAT'S AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO OUR POOREST STUDENTS, THE STUDENTS IN THE, UM, LOWEST QUINTILE OF POVERTY ACROSS THE STATE.
WE DO SEE RESEARCH EVIDENCE THAT SUGGESTS THAT WHEN THEY RECEIVE PROPER FUNDING FROM THE STATE, THAT THEIR TEST SCORES DO IN FACT IMPROVE.
SOME PEOPLE ARE TEMPTED TO BELIEVE THAT OUR POOREST STUDENTS DO NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO PERFORM AT A HIGH LEVEL, BUT THEY DO.
AND WE SEE THAT STATES THAT DO INVEST PROPERLY IN OUR POOR STUDENTS, THEIR POOR STUDENTS PERFORM AT OR EVEN ABOVE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A, OH, DON'T GO.
OH, UM, WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HOFFMAN.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THIS.
UM, YOU SAID THAT IT TOOK ABOUT FIVE YEARS TO GET BACK AFTER TAKEOVER TO THE, TO THE LEVEL THAT THEY HAD ALREADY STARTED AT PRE THAT'S CORRECT.
TAKEOVER, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, DOES THE SIZE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVE AN EFFECT ON HOW LONG IT TAKES? UM, WAS, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, BUT, UH, THE STUDY THAT WE CITED, WHICH AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED BY, UH, SOME RESEARCHERS AT UVA AND BROWN UNIVERSITY.
THEY, UH, DID LOOK AT VARIOUS CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BUT THEY DID NOT MENTION THE SIZE OF THE DISTRICT EXPLICITLY.
HOWEVER, REGARDING YOUR, YOUR QUESTION EARLIER THAT YOU ASKED TO, UM, VERA, UH, THEY, THEY DID INCLUDE, UM, A, A WIDE VARIETY BECAUSE THEY COVERED ALL OF THE STATE TAKEOVERS SINCE THE LATE EIGHTIES.
AND THEY, THERE, THEY DID MENTION THAT THERE WAS A WIDE VARIATION IN THE TYPE OF TAKEOVER.
SOMETIMES THEY TOOK OVER, FOR EXAMPLE, JUST THE SCHOOL BOARD.
SOMETIMES THEY TOOK OVER THE SCHOOL BOARD AND REPLACED THE SUPERINTENDENT.
THERE WERE DIFFERENT, UH, VARIETIES.
UM, AND, AND, UH, THEY, BUT THEY DID FIND THAT IN GENERAL THERE WASN'T, UH, AN A NOTICEABLE IMPROVEMENT.
AND DO YOU KNOW IF ANY OF THE DISTRICTS, I KNOW THEY DIDN'T MENTION SPECIFIC SIZE ABOUT HOW LONG IT TOOK TO RETURN, BUT, UM, WERE THERE ANY DISTRICTS THE SIZE OF HISD? WELL, I KNOW CHICAGO, UH, IS DEFINITELY ONE OF, IT'S PROBABLY, IT'S PERHAPS THE CLOSEST IN SIZE TO HISD.
UH, BUT THERE AREN'T THAT MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE QUITE THIS SIZE.
SO, UM, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO ANSWER IF, IF YOU'RE GETTING AT THE QUESTION OF, WELL, HOW DO SPECIFICALLY SCHOOLS OF, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF THIS SIZE, HOW DO THEY FARE? UM, WE DON'T KNOW, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THERE WERE AT LEAST SOME OF THE TAKEOVERS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THIS STUDY THAT WERE AT LEAST CLOSE TO THE SIZE, INCLUDING CHICAGO.
I THINK THEN DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK? OH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON.
UM, SO IN YOUR RESEARCH, AND I GUESS I'M
[00:40:01]
CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A BOARD RIGHT NOW.UM, SO THE TAKE OVER OVER IS GOING TO REMOVE THE BOARD, BUT THE APPOINTED BOARD.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT BOARD AND WHAT, UM, POWER DO THEY HAVE? UM, I HEARD THAT, YOU KNOW, EVENTUALLY IT'S TO TAKE OVER, THE BOARD IS SET ASIDE, BUT THEN EVENTUALLY THEY CAN COME BACK ONCE EVERYTHING IS, YOU KNOW, IMPROVED.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE? SURE.
I THINK THIS REFLECTS ONE OF, UH, THE COMMENTS FROM VERA IS THAT WE DON'T, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN HERE.
THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN.
THE STATE COULD CHOOSE TO DO NOTHING.
THE STATE COULD CHOOSE TO PUT SOMEBODY LIKE A CONSERVATOR IN PLACE WHO SORT OF KEEPS AN EYE ON THINGS AND, AND HELPS PROVIDE SUPPORT.
THE STATE COULD CHOOSE TO PUT A BOARD OF MANAGERS IN PLACE THAT WOULD SORT OF OPERATE, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THIS IN A SECOND, OPERATE, UM, AS THE, THE FUNCTIONING SCHOOL BOARD FOR THE DISTRICT, AND THEY COULD CHOOSE TO REPLACE OR NOT REPLACE THE SUPERINTENDENT IN TERMS OF THE BOARD OF MANAGERS.
UM, THE CURRENT BOARD THAT HAS BEEN ELECTED WOULD STILL BE EXISTING, UM, THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS OF, UH, HOWEVER LONG THE STATE INTERVENTION WOULD TAKE PLACE.
BUT THE BOARD OF MANAGERS WOULD BE THE FOLKS WHO ARE MAKING DECISIONS AROUND POLICY AT THIS, AT THAT TIME UNTIL THE, UNTIL THEY WOULD SWITCH BACK, AND THEN THE EXISTING BOARD WOULD COME BACK INTO THEIR ROLES.
AND WE ARE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS NOW.
SO IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THERE WAS TALK ABOUT TAKING OVER, UM, A SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU KNOW, THEY SAY, OKAY, WE JUST GONNA LET YOU GUYS HAVE IT.
UM, HAVE, HAVE THAT HAPPENED BEFORE? WE HAVEN'T SEEN EVIDENCE OF THAT.
IT'S HARD TO KIND OF CAPTURE THAT MM-HMM
UM, KIND OF IN A, IN A RESEARCH SORT OF WAY.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, THE HIGHLIGHTS AND, AND CHALLENGES WITH THE EXISTING RESEARCH WE EVEN KNOW ABOUT TAKEOVERS IS NOT A LOT OF IT HAS BEEN ABLE TO DIG DEEPLY IN TERMS OF WHAT HAPPENS WITHIN THE TAKEOVER.
SO THE, THE RESEARCH THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT REALLY KIND OF GROUPS, ALL THE TAKEOVER STRUCTURES AND STYLES TOGETHER TO UNDERSTAND OVERALL WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE.
BUT WHEN WE, IF WE, IF WE REALLY WANNA UNDERSTAND UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS COULD IT TAKEOVER, BE HELPFUL, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE INFORMATION ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UM, I, I HAD THIS A, A COMMENT, BUT I, I'VE JUST BEEN NOTIFIED THAT WE HAVE A VIRTUAL SPEAKER WHO'S, WHO'S, UM, SHOWN UP.
SO, UM, Y'ALL, PLEASE DON'T GO.
WE WANNA GO TO THE SPEAKERS NOW, THE NEXT SPEAKER, BUT, AND, UM, IF YOU WILL STAY ON HAND.
SO OUR, OUR VIRTUAL SPEAKER, UM, IS, UH, JUDY HARDEN.
SO MS. HARDEN, IF YOU WILL, PRESS STAR STICKS AND UNMUTE YOURSELF.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
UM, I WAS TELLING THE YOUNG LADY THAT, UM, CALLED ME EARLIER.
I DON'T THINK YOU ALL PROBABLY WOULD LIKE WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY ABOUT HISD, UM, MYSELF, AND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE.
UH, EVEN WHEN I GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS REALLY BEEN GOING DOWNWARDS.
AND IT, IT'S NOT THE TEACHERS, IT'S REALLY NOT THE TEACHERS.
IT'S LIKE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ITSELF IS TOO BIG TO BE RAN THE WAY THAT IT'S RUN, IT'S RUNNING, IT, IT, WE WERE THINKING MAYBE THAT WHOEVER COMES IN AND IF, IF IT IS TAKEN OVER, AND I DOUBT IF THE TEA COMES IN AND DO ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST THE WAY THE STATE OPERATES.
THEY COME IN, THEY OVERSEE SOMETHING FOR A LITTLE WHILE, AND THEN THEY'RE GONE AND IT'S LEFT UP TO THE INDIVIDUALS TO HANDLE ONCE AGAIN.
BUT WE WERE THINKING IF THEY WOULD BREAK THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT UP INTO COMMUNITY-BASED SCHOOLS, IT COULD BE RAN A LOT BETTER AND HAVE MORE PARENT INVOLVEMENT WITHIN THOSE CHILDREN'S EDUCATION.
AND LIKE, AGAIN, IT, LIKE I SAY, A LOT OF US THINK THAT WAY.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY IT'S ALWAYS HAVING A TURNAROUND WITH THESE SUPERINTENDENTS.
I KNOW THEY COME IN AND THEY'RE GUNG HO ABOUT TURNING THAT SCHOOL AROUND, BUT IS THE WAY IT'S SET UP NOW, I, WE JUST DON'T SEE HOW ANYBODY, EVEN THE TEA CAN TURN THINGS AROUND WITH IT.
IT, WE JUST THINK IT, IT SHOULD BE COMMUNITY-BASED.
THOSE KIDS ARE, ARE THEY, THEY SEEM TO LEARN A LOT BETTER.
THEY, THEY'RE MORE UPBEAT AND THE PARENTS ARE UPBEAT ABOUT THEIR EDUCATION.
AND MAYBE THAT'S ONE SUGGESTION SOMEBODY SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT BREAKING THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT DOWN.
THANK YOU, MS. HARDIN, COULD YOU, BEFORE
[00:45:01]
YOU GO, COULD YOU PLEASE TELL US WHAT YOUR AFFILIATION IS WITH, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU A, A PARENT OR A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST? I'M NOT A PARENT.I, I'M NOT A PARENT, BUT, UM, I KNOW SOME PARENTS WITH CHILDREN IN HISD, UM, LIKE I SAY, AND I'M JUST A COMMUNITY MEMBER,
UM, I KNOW PEOPLE PROB WANT TO TRY TO BLAME THE TEACHERS, BUT IT'S NOT THE TEACHERS.
IT'S THAT SYSTEM ITSELF THAT NEEDS TO JUST BE REORGANIZED.
I HAVE SOME THINGS I'D ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL HEARD FRUSTRATION AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT ALONE.
I, I MUST AGREE THAT, UM, THAT, THAT I'M FRUSTRATED TOO.
THAT, AND THAT WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
I GUESS HISD HAS MADE ACADEMIC PROGRESS AND HAS IMPROVED OVER PREVIOUS YEAR'S SCORES AND WHILE ON THE SERVICE, THE PROGRESS LOOKS SIGNIFICANT.
WHAT MUST BE UNDERSTOOD HOWEVER, IS THAT ALL OF HD'S IMPROVEMENT THIS YEAR HAS COME FROM THE INCREASES OVER VERY LOW COVID-19 SCORES.
SO THE FACT IS THAT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN HID IS STILL DRASTICALLY LOW.
AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY IS UNACCEPTABLE, AND THERE REALLY OUGHT TO BE A LOT OF OUTRAGE ABOUT THAT.
THAT BEING SAID, I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE THAT THE STATE'S TAKEOVER WILL HELP AT ALL.
NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BE AMBIVALENT.
NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO GIVE UP AND THROW IN THE TOWEL AND SAY THINGS CAN'T GET WORSE IF THE STATE COMES IN.
BECAUSE BASED ON THE DATA THAT, UM, THAT THESE TWO RESEARCHERS, YOU KNOW, HAVE REPORTED, IF THERE IS A STATE TAKEOVER, THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET EVEN WORSE.
IT'LL BE A SETBACK, NOT A WAY FORWARD.
I WANT TO READ SOME QUOTES FROM AN ARTICLE THAT DR.
STEVEN KLEINBERG, WHO IS THE FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF THE KINDER INSTITUTE FOR URBAN RESEARCH AT RICE UNIVERSITY RECENTLY WROTE JUST IN THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS, SAYS HOUSTON HAS BEEN GETTING MANY THINGS RIGHT IN ITS EFFORTS TO ENHANCE THE CITY'S PROSPECTS IN THE 21ST CENTURY.
CONSIDER, FOR EXAMPLE, THE RECENT PUBLIC PRIVATE INVESTMENTS THAT HAVE TRANSFORMED THE BAYOU IN THE PARKS THAT HAVE HELPED TURN HOUSTON INTO ONE OF THE GREENEST CITIES IN AMERICA.
WHERE THE CITY IS FAILING MOST SPECTACULARLY IS IN ITS SEEMING INABILITY TO INVEST IN ITS CITIZENS TO EXPAND SIGNIFICANTLY AREA RESIDENTS ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY LIFELONG EDUCATION.
SO HE'S SPEAKING MORE BROADLY ABOUT LIFELONG EDUCATION, BUT THIS IS PART OF IT.
YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW OUR CHILDREN ARE EDUCATED IS A BIG PIECE OF THIS.
THESE ARE THE INVESTMENTS THAT WILL ULTIMATELY DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT HOUSTON IS POSITIONED FOR LASTING SUCCESS IN TODAY'S HIGH TECHNOLOGY KNOWLEDGE-BASED GLOBAL ECONOMY.
IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER HOUSTON'S BUSINESS AND CIVIC LEADERS WILL BE ABLE TO BUILD ON THE ATTITUDE SHIFTS REVEALED BY THE ANNUAL KINDER SURVEYS TO UNDERTAKE THE KINDS OF COLLECTIVE AND SUSTAINED INVESTMENTS THAT WILL BE CLEARLY NEEDED FOR BROAD BASED PROSPERITY IN THIS TIME OF ECONOMIC, DEMOGRAPHIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION.
I PERSONALLY AM VERY CONCERNED THAT A STATE TAKEOVER ONLY PUTS US FURTHER BEHIND.
SO WHAT IS THE ANSWER ADEQUATELY? FUNDING OUR SCHOOLS HAS A LOT TO DO WITH IT.
INSTEAD OF A TAKEOVER, THE STATE CERTAINLY COULD STEP IN AND START ADEQUATELY FUNDING PUBLIC EDUCATION IN TEXAS, YOU KNOW, WHERE TEXAS RANKS NEAR THE BOTTOM AND HOUSTON IS EVEN LOWER THAN THAT.
BUT I'VE ALSO HEARD PEOPLE SAY THAT THE REASON THE STATE OF OUR SCHOOLS IS WHERE THEY ARE IS BECAUSE VOTERS DON'T CARE ANYMORE.
A NUMBER OF PEOPLE I RESPECT HAVE TOLD ME THAT IN THE LAST FEW DAYS.
AND I THINK IT'S MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE ALL OVER THE CITY, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES ARE, CARE VERY DEEPLY ABOUT THEIR OWN CHILDREN.
HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE TO CARE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
SO I WANT TO THANK OUR PRESENTERS, UM, THANK ON COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PARTICIPATING, FOR TUNING IN AND FOR LISTENING TO TODAY'S MEETING, TODAY'S PRESENTATION, AS WELL AS THE LAST MEETING AS POSTED ON THE COMMITTEE'S WEBSITE.
[00:50:01]
PLEASE JOIN US FOR NEXT MONTH'S CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH COMMITTEE MEETING ON APRIL 12TH.THIS CONCLUDE TODAY'S SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH COMMITTEE MEETING ADJOURNED.