HOUSTON – KPRC 2 has embedded itself within HISD’s Fleming Middle School for this school year. It’s one of the 28 New Education System (NES) schools labeled as ‘high-priority’ campuses by State-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles. We’ve chosen to “Focus on Fleming” due to its unique demographics, and the fact that its students frequently transition to Wheatley, one of the district’s lowest-performing high schools. Our mission is to document the effects of NES school reforms on students, teachers, families, and the entire community.
This week, KPRC 2 reporter Candace Burns spoke to an HISD parent and two HISD students, asking them questions about the district and their school and also asking them to grade the changes.
Lanice Mixon is a mother of three students who attend New Education System-aligned campuses in HISD.
“I feel like the fun was kind of taken out of school,” she said.
Mixon’s children all attend different NES schools, which gives her insight into the changes being made at various levels.
“This is their second year in HISD. The second year is a little rough. I feel like the first year, things were going a lot smoother,” she said.
KPRC 2 asked Lanice and her daughter to grade HISD’s new changes based on their personal experiences. Here’s what they gave the district.
Jurnee Merchant is an 8th-grade student at Fleming Middle School.
“I don’t like how different it is,” she said when questioned about the changes at her school.
KPRC 2 asked Merchant to grade HISD’s new changes based on her personal experience. Here’s what she gave the district.
What’s most challenging?
Jurnee and the Mixon’s all agreed that the most challenging aspect of NES has been the presence of cameras in the classroom.
“All the recording… It’s just a lot to take in,” said Jurnee.
Reduced teacher-student interaction this school year has also been a concern for Lanice and Jurnee.
“I don’t feel like there is really one-on-one interaction with the kids and the teachers,” said Lanice.
“When my teacher is teaching, and I don’t catch on that fast, they can’t really go back because they have to keep hurrying up and do it so that we can get done with our DOLs,” added Jurnee.
DOL, which stands for Demonstration of Learning, represents the objectives students should be able to explain and perform by the end of the class.
“When I get home, and I go back to school, and they say review and all of that… I feel like I’m not learning at all,” said Jurnee.
However, Jurnee did mention that she enjoys the new Team Centers at her school, which allow her to study more advanced work after grasping the daily lesson.
Another concern raised was the new bathroom policy, which both Lanice and Jurnee found worrisome.
What did Lanice and Jurnee thing about the new NES system?
When we asked Lanice, she held up the letter card D.
“I feel like they did not consider parents and teachers,” she said.
She said the changes being made are so severe, that she’s considering taking her children out of the district.
“I would say for high school, definitely,” she said.
And Jurnee? She said she believes there’s a possibility for improvement with NES this school year.
“I don’t think so. I just see how everyone is unhappy, and it’s on both sides. I’ve heard from other parents, and we’ve gotten feedback from other teachers. I think they are just unhappy, and I don’t see that changing, honestly,” she said.
If you want to learn more about our Focus on Fleming series or the HISD takeover, text the word FLEMIN’ to 1-866-996-5772, and you’ll receive a link directly to your phone.
More Focus on Fleming stories:
Focus on Fleming: HISD looks to reduce achievement gap between students
Focus on Fleming Middle School: What campus life is like under state takeover
Inside Fleming Middle School: Who is Devin Adams?
First look inside Fleming Middle School, the HISD campus KPRC 2 will spend a year chronicling