Commission report: Texas takeover of Houston ISD weakened district, calls for law changes before June 2027 deadline

A 14-member commission of local politicians, educators and Houston ISD parents released a report Oct. 8 concluding that the state takeover of the district has weakened Houston ISD and calling for the Texas Legislature to rewrite the law governing state interventions in public schools.

The Commission on the HISD Takeover said in its final report that the Texas Education Agency's control of the district has narrowed classroom instruction to test preparation, weakened teachers' professional autonomy, taken local representation away from Houston families and produced financial waste. The commission also said new district policies damaged relationships among students, teachers and families.

State Sen. Molly Cook, D-Houston, a co-chair of the commission, said the state's methods are hurting students and that the takeover should end.

"Our kids are being hurt by the state's methods, and it is so far past time to change them," Cook said at the commission's Oct. 8 news conference. "The only path forward for our students, parents and teachers is to end this takeover and rewrite our laws, so no district suffers like this again."

The commission was formed in 2025 in response to TEA's takeover of HISD in June 2023. Its other co-chair is State Rep. Lauren Ashley Simmons, D-Houston. The report reflects feedback gathered during the 2025-26 school year from teachers, students, parents and community members.

The commission recommends raising the threshold for the state to take over a Texas public school district, ending the practice of replacing an elected board of trustees with an appointed board of managers, limiting the power of state-appointed superintendents and boards of managers, and creating more ways to end state intervention rather than leaving the decision solely to the TEA commissioner.

District officials have pointed to academic gains. In June, when TEA released spring 2026 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness results, HISD improved year over year in two-thirds of the exam categories. In August, the district posted its third consecutive year of overall improvement in TEA's statewide accountability ratings.

In an Oct. 13 statement, HISD said its transformation is "about fundamentally changing what is possible for students" and that its work is not finished. The district said it will continue raising expectations, strengthening instruction and preparing every student for the future.

At the same time, the district has lost students since the state took control. A Jan. 15 report found that enrollment decline accelerated after the takeover and that experienced educators are leaving the district at higher rates.

HISD will remain governed by officials appointed by TEA until at least June 2027.