Friday afternoon, Houston ISD staff, board of trustees, community leaders, and even Curtis James Jackson III, known professionally as 50 Cent, met downtown for HISD's Superintendent Millard House II's first State of Schools address.
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"I am hopeful but clear-eyed," House said. "About what lies ahead. I see our promise, our potential, but it's very clear to me that we must choose where we want to go. We cannot improve if we do not acknowledge the need for improvement."
House said he promises to focus on increasing enrollment and offer incentives to keep and recruit teachers to HISD in his five-year plan for the district.
"We have 24 schools. Unfortunately, that have persistently underperformed for quite some time," House said. "They must improve, or HISD will continue to live under the threat of state intervention, and children will not get the tools they need to be successful in this global economy."
Enrollment at public schools is down statewide. The 13 Investigates team learned that Houston ISD enrollment is down by 18,072 students compared to enrollment before the pandemic, which could significantly impact the district's funding.
House said he hopes to address the declining enrollment numbers by providing equitable opportunities and resources for all HISD students in every school.
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"We must acknowledge that HISD has lost more than 20,000 students in the last several years," House said. "Too many families do not believe the district is the right choice for their children."
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