Houston ISD challenges: 12 schools closed, federal investigation into special ed

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(The Center Square) – The largest school district in Texas is still experiencing challenges after being taken over by the state three years ago for systemic failures, fraud and corruption. 

The district continues to lose students, closed 12 schools and is under federal investigation for its special education initiative, including relocating some students.

Systemic failures

Prior to the state takeover in 2023, Houston ISD was plagued for years by corruption, mismanagement of public funds, teachers charged with gang crimes and a certification cheating theft scheme, and former board members and officials convicted of bribery, extortion and kickbacks. As corruption and failing grades continued, HISD increased school property taxes every year with no accountability for misused funds. Voters rejected the latest attempt to increase taxes through an $11 billion bond initiative. 

In 2019, a Texas Education Agency special investigation identified HISD school board misconduct and schools with consecutive years of failing grades. The district fought a school takeover for years and lost in court. The TEA took it over in 2023 and appointed a new superintendent, Mike Miles. 

Within two years, HISD lost more than 13,000 students, many teachers left and 500 administrators were let go.

School closures

Fast forward to this year and HISD closed 12 schools, the largest mass closure of schools in 20 years. Its board unanimously decided to close nine elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school at the end of the 2025-2026 school year, citing declining enrollment and cost factors.

They include Alcott, Briscoe, Burrus, Cage, Franklin, Hobby, N.Q. Henderson, Port Houston and Ross elementary schools; Fleming and McReynolds middle schools, and Middle College High School at HCC Gulfton. The schools have seen enrollment drop by half, HISD said.

Since 2005, HISD has closed at least 60 schools, including at least 15 affiliated charter schools, the Houston Chronicle reported. The last time such a large number of schools was closed was 10 in 2005, also due to declining enrollment. Since the 2016-2017 school year, HISD has lost more than 47,000 students, according to district data.

In the 2025-2026 school year, 168,812 students were enrolled in 272 HISD campuses, representing a decrease of nearly 22% since 2016, according to TEA data. The previous year, 176,039 students were enrolled in 270 schools, TEA says. The majority of HISD students, nearly 62%, are Hispanic; nearly 21% are Black. The majority, nearly 79%, are economically disadvantaged, according to TEA data.

Federal investigation

As schools closed, the U.S. Department of Education also launched an investigation into HISD over its plan to require some students with disabilities to attend new schools in a “contained” setting. HISD says the plan is designed to strengthen special education for the 2026-2027 school year “while keeping all IEP supports in place. Most students will see no changes, and families of students with updates to review will receive clear communication, personalized outreach, and full partnership through the ARD/IEP process,” it says. 

HISD says its “focus remains on providing high-quality instruction, smaller and better-supported classrooms, and learning environments that meet each child’s needs.”

Its plan will centralize special education services, providing small class sizes for disabled students at more than half of HISD campuses. Transportation is also offered, it says.

More than 21,000 HISD students qualify for special education services. Roughly 15,000 are already receiving services in inclusive settings. They will see no changes, HISD said. Roughly 5,000 students receiving special education services in self-contained settings will see changes, HISD said.

The Trump administration’s DOE’s Office of Civil Rights argues the plan potentially violates federal law, which requires disabled students to learn alongside nondisabled students. 

“Schools cannot exclude students with disabilities simply because of their disability status. Placement decisions must be made individually, based on each student’s needs, rather than by blanket policies that segregate students by disability category,” Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said. “The allegations described here are alarming.”

This isn’t the first time the DOE has investigated a special education issue in Texas.  

Ten years ago, the DOE investigated the TEA and found that it violated federal law for failing to ensure disabled students were properly evaluated and provided with adequate public education. TEA was required to take corrective actions, including proving it was properly monitoring special education evaluations by school districts.

Silver lining

Under Miles, HISD academics have improved by historic margins. Last year, for the first time since state ratings began, no HISD campus received an F rating and students at all campuses improved their grades, The Center Square reported. Prior to the takeover, 40% of HISD schools were failing; high school graduation rates were also low. Under Miles, the number of schools that received A and B grades tripled in two years.

Miles also launched a Future 2 Artificial Intelligence pilot school program for the 2026-2027 school year through “Accelerate Houston.” It’s the first program of its kind in the state. Half the day will focus on core learning, the other half on “real world experience,” hands-on workshops and other programs. He argues the approach will further improve outcomes.