How did HISD get taken over by the Texas Education Agency (TEA)?

Read about the takeover here. This HISD Board was appointed during the takeover, and is unelected.

If Harvard was A-rated since the inception of the A-F rating system, why is it rated a B? What does that mean?

Harvard is still, according to Texas School Report Cards, an A-rated school. However, the data they use has not been updated since 2022-23, because TEA has been blocked for 2 school years from releasing STAAR rating A-F grades due to lawsuits from school districts.  HISD released their own internal ratings based on materials received from TEA, rating Harvard a B for the 2024-25 school year.

The A-F school rating from STAAR results is based on three (3) domains;

Domain 1 - Student Achievement

Domain 2 - School Progress

Domain 3 - Closing the Gaps. 

In 2024, Harvard continued to score well in raw test scores, receiving an A rating for domain 1.  Our academic growth remained steady between 2023 and 2024 results but the relative performance when compared to other schools with similar demographics slipped resulting in an overall B rating for domain 2.  A drop in math results when comparing demographic results between white and hispanic students led to a C rating for domain 3.  After the weighted average of the three domain scores, Harvard received a B rating for the 2023-24 school year.

What is the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP)?

The Primary Years Programme (PYP) offers a transdisciplinary, inquiry-based and student-centered education with responsible action at its core, enabling students to learn between, across and beyond traditional subject boundaries.

The framework serves as the curriculum organizer and offers an in-depth guide to achieve authentic conceptual inquiry-based learning that is engaging, significant, challenging and relevant for PYP students.

Through the programme of inquiry and by reflecting on their learning, PYP students develop knowledge, conceptual understandings, skills and the attributes of the IB Learner profile. Informed by constructivist and social-constructivist learning theories, the emphasis on collaborative inquiry and integrative learning honours the curiosity, voice, and contribution of the students.

What does IB Recertification mean?

Every IB school must recertify every 5 years. At the HISD Meeting on 10/14/24, The process for IB recertification was laid out by Sevasti Meloni, detailing the timeline and steps for Harvard’s IB recertification:

• Preliminary review documents are due in June 2025.

• The self-study questionnaire must be submitted by September 2025.

• The official IB evaluation visit will occur between October 2025 and January 2026.

• There will also be two mock evaluation visits to prepare for the official IB evaluation. During these mock visits, parents will be involved in the process, and their feedback will be considered.

More information on the process can be found here.

What is a Lesson Objective (LO)?

Lesson objectives are a key part of lesson planning in the Houston Independent School District (HISD). They define what students should be able to do or know by the end of a lesson. Well-written objectives should be specific, measurable, and observable, and they should focus on the student. 

Here are some tips for writing lesson objectives: 

• Include a measurable verb: Use a verb from the cognitive, affective, or psychomotor domain. 

• State the audience: Make it clear who the objective is for. 

• Describe the circumstances: Provide context for the objective. 

• Describe the degree of performance: Indicate how well students should perform. 

For example, an objective might be "Students will be able to identify and define key words from Unit 1". 

What is a Demonstration of Learning (DOL)?

In Houston Independent School District (HISD), a Demonstration of Learning (DOL) is a 10-minute mini quiz that takes place after a 40–45 minute period of grade-level instruction. The DOL is a way for teachers to assess whether students have grasped the material and if any additional help is needed. 

A demonstration of learning can be a variety of projects, presentations, or products that students use to show what they've learned. It's a way to determine if students have met the learning objectives or standards for a lesson. 

How are Harvard teachers evaluated? What is a “spot form?”

HISD 2023-2024 Teacher Evaluation For Non-NES/A Schools, Sample Spot form on P. 12.

Harvard teachers should also be evaluated using an “IB Addendum” to the HISD Spot form. HISD Admin claims they are. Teachers say they haven’t seen them being used at Harvard since 2022-23 school year.