HOUSTON – The new HISD Superintendent, Mike Miles, held another community meeting on Thursday night at Sugar Grove Academy, where he discussed his vision for the school district and answered questions. This marks the seventh community meeting he has conducted this year.
Each time, he begins with a presentation highlighting the concerning state of reading proficiency in HISD compared to Texas and the nation. According to the presented numbers, a significant number of 4th and 8th graders in HISD are not reading at their grade level.
The district announced Wednesday that librarian positions at 28 New Education System Schools (NES) would be eliminated and some of the libraries would be utilized for different purposes, including serving as ‘Team Centers” where kids with behavioral issues will be sent.
That caused a lot of concerned educators and parents to express their disappointment.
During Thursday’s meeting, Miles explained more behind the concept, discussing his plan to transform the traditional library system. His primary focus will be on teaching kids how to read and the science behind reading.
“It’s about where you are going to put your priorities, how you are going to work in a different way to get our kids what they need,” Miles said.
The superintendent went on to explain that the NES schools will still have libraries and books available for students, but they will no longer have librarians. Instead, librarians will be able to work in other roles within the district.
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