Houston schools rebound dramatically under new superintendent's reforms

The Houston Independent School District, once saddled with 121 D or F schools, now reports only 17 D-rated institutions and zero F-rated schools, marking an unprecedented improvement. Superintendent Mike Miles, installed by Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath after the state intervened in the district, credited aggressive reforms for the shift, tackling chronic teacher absenteeism and fiscal chaos. Miles, who released a book on school transformation in July, highlighted rising student performance in reading and math.

Despite the gains, teachers unions have resisted the changes and refuse to acknowledge the progress. The district’s revival is presented as a rare success story in American public education.