Tag: Government Accountability
Houston ISD trustee Larry Marshall held fundraiser on Rep. Borris Miles-arranged Costa Rica trip; see photo and source documents
by Lynn Walsh on Jul.24, 2011, under Investigations, What's New
A story written for Texas Watchdog:
Houston ISD trustee Larry Marshall held fundraiser on Rep. Borris Miles-arranged Costa Rica trip; see photo and source documents
Friday, Jun 17, 2011, 10:50AM CST
By Lynn Walsh and Jennifer PeeblesHouston Independent School District trustee Larry Marshall took up state Rep. Borris Miles’ offer of free trips to Costa Rica and travelled to the Central American nation twice, Marshall told the Houston Chronicle yesterday.
Meanwhile, campaign finance disclosures show that Marshall held a fundraising dinner for campaign donors — in Costa Rica — around the time he told Mellon he was in that country on a trip arranged by Miles, who does business with HISD.
Houston ISD leaders won’t criticize trustees president Paula Harris for voting on contracts that included work for close friend’s firm
by Lynn Walsh on Jul.24, 2011, under Investigations, Multimedia, Video, What's New
A story written for Texas Watchdog:
Houston ISD leaders won’t criticize trustees president Paula Harris for voting on contracts that included work for close friend’s firm
Thursday, Jun 16, 2011, 09:30AM CST
By Lynn WalshThe leadership of the Houston Independent School District hasn’t said in so many words that it’s entirely appropriate for HISD trustees president Paula Harris to vote on contracts that included work for a company owned and run by one of Harris’ closest friends.
But they certainly aren’t condemning her for it.
(See the orignal Texas Watchdog story by clicking here.)
Trustee Carol Mims Galloway said she didn’t know whether the votes presented a conflict of interest. Trustee Manuel Rodriguez said it was a personal decision, Greg Meyers said it was “up to the individual board member,” and Harvin Moore said it was a “judgment call.” HISD Superintendent Terry Grier said through a spokesman that he would not voice an opinion on the matter. And the school system’s spokesman criticized Texas Watchdog for characterizing Harris’ votes as a potential conflict of interest.
Texas Watchdog probes Houston ISD’s business ties to friend of trustees’ president
by Lynn Walsh on Jul.24, 2011, under In the News, What's New
A story produced for Texas Watchdog:
Texas Watchdog probes Houston ISD’s business ties to friend of trustees’ president
Friday, Jun 10, 2011, 10:25AM CST
By Jennifer PeeblesAs part of its ongoing look at potential conflicts of interest for people in government, you may have seen that yesterday Texas Watchdog took a closer look the Houston school system’s business relationship with a close friend of the president of the school district’s trustees.
Some Houston ISD trustees question cost of proposed ‘career academies’
by Lynn Walsh on Jul.24, 2011, under Video, What's New
A story produced for Texas Watchdog:
Some Houston ISD trustees question cost of proposed ‘career academies’
Friday, May 20, 2011, 10:56AM CST
By Lynn WalshSome Houston school district trustees are questioning whether the time is right to spend $1.6 million on proposed “career academies” at four high schools that would allow students to earn both their high school diploma and an associate’s degree in just five years.
As the Houston Independent School District prepares to lose $160 million in state funding next year, the school district is also proposing to launch the career academies at Furr, Sterling, Kashmere and Scarborough high schools through a partnership with Houston Community College.
Neighbors fear ‘eyesores’ if HISD closes four schools; old Bastian Elementary to be bulldozed
by Lynn Walsh on Jul.24, 2011, under Multimedia, Video, What's New
A story written for Texas Watchdog:
Neighbors fear ‘eyesores’ if HISD closes four schools; old Bastian Elementary to be bulldozed
Thursday, May 12, 2011, 11:30AM CST
By Lynn WalshThe proposed closures of four Houston elementary schools could leave those neighborhoods with more eyesores and create safe havens for illegal activity, some neighbors have said — but school district administrators said they’re taking steps to prevent that from happening.
As Houston Independent School District trustees consider closing four elementary schools, community members are reminding them of the forlorn condition of another campus, the old Bastian Elementary building on Calhoun Road.
“The fact that an unoccupied, unused, raggedy, unmonitored, closed school … sits within 1.3 miles of Grimes Elementary School and only 3 miles away from Rhoads Elementary School is very unsettling,” Tristan Washington told HISD Superintendent Terry Grier and trustees in an e-mail. “We don’t need another school closure which results in another ‘old Bastian Elementary’ situation.”
Test scores show improvements at Apollo 20 middle schools, Houston ISD says
by Lynn Walsh on Jul.24, 2011, under Multimedia, What's New
A story written for Texas Watchdog:
Test scores show improvements at Apollo 20 middle schools, Houston ISD says
Friday, Apr 29, 2011, 01:36PM CST
By Lynn WalshThe percentage of students passing a state-sanctioned math test on the first try went up at three of the five Houston middle schools in the Apollo 20 turnaround program, and two schools saw increases on the reading test, district data shows.
Overall, the Houston Independent School District says the percentage of eighth graders passing the TAKS math test increased by two percentage points, from 76% last year to 78% this year. The overall percentage of HISD eighth graders passing the reading portion of the TAKS test decreased by one point, from 88% last year to 87% this year.
Only two middle schools that are a part of HISD’s academic turn-around program saw increases in the percentage of students who passed both the math and reading tests — Dowling and Key.
City of Pearland, education nonprofit settle dispute for $2,500; conflict of interest questions raised
by Lynn Walsh on Jul.24, 2011, under Investigations, What's New
A story written for Texas Watchdog:
City of Pearland, education nonprofit settle dispute for $2,500; conflict of interest questions raised
Wednesday, Apr 27, 2011, 02:44PM CST
By Lynn WalshWhen a marriage ends in divorce, often times, neither side walks away happy.
And so it is in the Houston suburb of Pearland, where an unusual marriage between a handful of local government agencies — including the City of Pearland and the Pearland Independent School District — has ended in a messy divorce. And no one seems to be walking away happy.
At issue is a nonprofit called the Northern Brazoria County Education Alliance, which, among other things, aims to improve local workers’ skillsets and help with local job placement.
The nonprofit brought about an unusual intermarriage of the city and the school system that some in Pearland defend and some have criticized. Long story short: Its work was largely funded by city tax dollars, but its employees were technically on the school system’s payroll.
Seventeen HISD schools eyed for closure, consolidation in latest round of ‘right-sizing,’ budget discussions
by Lynn Walsh on Jul.24, 2011, under Investigations, Multimedia, What's New
A story produced for Texas Watchdog:
Seventeen HISD schools eyed for closure, consolidation in latest round of ‘right-sizing,’ budget discussions
Tuesday, Apr 12, 2011, 05:51PM CST
By Lynn WalshMany of the 17 Houston elementary and middle schools now being considered for possible closure or consolidation next year have had steep drop-offs in enrollment in the past decade, school system data shows.
The Houston Independent School District has been discussing whether or not to close some of its smallest schools since last year. HISD trustees have seen the list of possible schools go from 66 in December to 37 in March.
HISD trustees were set to vote on the possible closure of four elementary schools this week. But the district has put that decision on hold and is once again widening the pool of schools it will consider for closure or consolidation.
Fewer students predicted for HISD elementary schools facing the ax
by Lynn Walsh on Jul.21, 2011, under What's New
A story written for Texas Watchdog:
Fewer students predicted for HISD elementary schools facing the ax
Wednesday, Apr 06, 2011, 11:48AM CST
By Lynn WalshThree of four Houston elementary schools facing the chopping block are seeing fewer and fewer students over the years, a trend the school system predicts will continue at least for the next decade.
From now until the 2019-20 school year, enrollment is expected to decline at Love, Grimes and Rhoads elementaries, the Houston Independent School District says.
And while enrollment at McDade Elementary is expected to increase slightly over the next decade, the school is predicted in 2020 to have only half the students it had in the year 2000, data show.
The 50-year-old school building in the Kashmere Gardens neighborhood was built to hold almost 900 kids. If HISD’s predictions are correct, it will be running at just one-third of its capacity by 2020.
Representation balanced for schools, trustee districts on Houston ISD budget advisory committee
by Lynn Walsh on Mar.26, 2011, under Investigations, What's New
A story written for Texas Watchdog:
Representation balanced for schools, trustee districts on Houston ISD budget advisory committee
Wednesday, Mar 23, 2011, 03:14PM CST
By Lynn Walsh
Most of the people who sit on an advisory committee for the Houston school system’s budget are school system employees, documents show, but representation on that committee seems pretty balanced between schools and trustee districts.
Each of the nine school board trustees have a teacher or principal representative from a school in their district on the 32-person advisory committee — except for school trustees president Paula Harris. However, Harris said one of the advisory committee members, the Rev. Leslie Smith, is someone she knows personally and serves as her appointment to the Superintendent’s Public Engagement Committee.
Members of the advisory committee weren’t chosen with regard to ensuring that every trustee district had a representative, HISD spokesman Jason Spencer said.
Trustees Manuel Rodriguez, Harvin Moore and Anna Eastman each have two schools represented, and Juliet Stipeche has three.
Westside, Chavez and Lamar high schools are represented by principals or teachers, as are Marshall, McReynolds, Stevenson, Project Chrysalis and T.H. Rogers middle schools. One early childhood center, Martin Luther King, is represented, as are four elementary schools: Janowski, West University, Cage and Felix Cook.
In December, HISD employees provided the district with suggestions on how it could save money. Some ideas included cutting district travel, eliminating breakfast in the classroom, reducing magnet funding and turning off lights at night. (To submit a suggestion, send an e-mail to CFOcomments@houstonisd.org.)
To see a map of the trustees throughout the district click here.
The suggestions and the budget advisory committee’s work are intended to help the nation’s seventh-largest school system prepare for state funding cuts that could range from $203 million to $348 million next year, according to HISD. State law requires the district to approve a budget by June 30.
HISD also recently considering revamping its $17 million-a-year magnet program. Superintendent Terry Grier put those proposed changes on hold earlier this month.
HISD is also looking at the $10 million it will spend this year to help dozens of low-enrollment schools offer the same programs and services as larger ones. Part of the recommendations include possible closures or consolidations at four elementaries: Love, McDade, Grims and Rhoads.
More than half of the campuses with representation on the advisory committee have magnet programs. McReynolds and Project Chrysalis middle schools, Janowski and Cage elementaries and Martin Luther King early childhood center do not.
Of the eight campuses that do have magnets, five were recommended for removal by an outside consultant: Westside, Chavez and Lamar high schools, T.H. Rogers Middle and Cook and West University elementary schools. The consultant recommended keeping the magnet programs at both Marshall and Stevenson middle schools.
Only one of the schools represented on the committee, McReynolds, near the Denver Harbor/Port Houston neighborhood, is on HISD’s “small school” list (schools that are under-enrolled and at the center of closing/consolidation talks in December). The middle school has just over 635 students at the campus, below the 750 the district would like each middle school to have.
