March 15, 2023 

Dear College of Education Community, 

As you likely have seen, the Texas Education Agency announced today that it will appoint a board of managers and new superintendent to run the Houston Independent School District on or around June 1. I recognize that many of you will have questions about what this decision means. In the coming weeks, I will work with officials to ensure that accurate and timely information is made available to all impacted.

Our responsibility, now as always, is to remain mission driven. Collaboration with our regional district partners, including HISD as the largest, is essential to meeting our College focus on helping end inequities in education and health. As a professor of higher education and former high school teacher, I understand that we must unequivocally support HISD’s success as foundational to the success of our great city. Students in HISD classrooms today are Houston’s future leaders.

As a Research 1 university, one of our important unique opportunities is to connect sound research to improvements in practice. Scientific evidence tells us that academic success stems from setting rigorous expectations and leaning into the strengths that diverse students and communities offer. We also know that teachers and administrators deserve strong preparation programs as well as support and trust to lead in their classrooms and campuses.

With any dynamic situation comes uncertainty, but the work of educators and others supporting students and schools has never been more important. Our responsibility remains unchanged — to serve the community in ways that improve educational and health outcomes for all children and families.

If you have questions, recommendations, or concerns at this time, please feel free to reach out to me directly.

Sincerely,

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