More than 80 percent of Houston ISD students qualify for free or reduced lunch. The numbers have grown and keep growing each year. HISD says they will spend more, but will save an estimated $2 million by increasing their free breakfast program. First Class Breakfast, currently being offered in 37 campuses across the district, will be expanded to over 220 campuses beginning February 2, 2010, with 10 campus implementations each week through the end of the school year. All 220 elementary and middle school campuses are expected to offer First Class Breakfast by fall 2010.
New teacher evaluations
The process to evaluate new teachers will change. HISD will create a new strategic plan for teacher and principal evaluation that will be tied to student test scores. Dr. Grier says he won't re-assign principals and teachers who don't pass evaluation.
HISD also won't pay higher salaries for those getting higher degrees without better test scores. The program will be paid for by grants and federal funding.
HISD has this new evaluation on the school board agenda for this Thursday. The new evaluation results would be added to the existing evaluation criteria.
New central campus shakeup
HISD will be moving away from the existing hierarchy of six regional superintendents to just three administrators to be called chief school officers. Existing superintendents have been asked to apply, however only three will be hired. Under them will be school improvement officers, which will replace executive principals.
