HOUSTON – A final report from the Texas Education Agency issued Wednesday again recommends replacing the Houston Independent School District’s board of trustees with a panel of state managers.
John Hewitt, of the agency’s special investigations unit, said in his conclusion that HISD’s board has “demonstrated inability to appropriately govern, inability to operate within the scope of their authority by circumventing the authority of the superintendent and inability to ensure proper contract procurement laws are followed.”
READ: Final report from TEA about HISD investigation
The conclusion recounts many of the allegations laid out in a preliminary report from the agency that was issued in August. That report also recommended the board of the state’s largest school district be replaced.
HISD responded to the August report by filing a lawsuit accusing the TEA of trying to “punish” the district.
Diana Dávila, president of the HISD board, issued the following statement about Wednesday's report:
"TEA came into HISD with the intent of taking over the district and stripping voters' rights away. This is also no surprise since historically TEA final reports don’t change."
The recommendation by the TEA does not make a takeover certain.