HOUSTON – Election Day votes for the $4.4. billion bond proposal for Houston Independent School District to address school infrastructure needs were still not counted by 10 p.m. but early voting and mail-in ballots showed the proposal failing by a wide margin -- close to 60% voting against -- and the district conceded defeat.
Superintendent Mike Miles sent a letter out late Tuesday night that started with a quote from Nelson Mandela: “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”
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Miles said educators were working hard to improve instruction and that “we as a community let them down.”
“In this instance, the politics of adults beat out the needs of our children. It’s unfortunate and wrong, but I want to assure you that it will not limit our ability to do the things that our students need. I know our most most effective principals and teachers can reach students even in the worst of facilities, because they’ve been doing so for more than a year. Teaching and learning will continue, and we will continue to transform this District for all students.”
The bond was the largest proposal in Texas education history. Money would have funded upgrades to heating, air conditioning, and security systems, and expanded education programs.
While many people supported the approval of the bond, more voters did not.
Several Harris County leaders and state leaders sent out a collection of responses to the failed bond:
“This vote is further proof that Houston parents and teachers do not trust Mike Miles. I applaud Texas AFT, the advocacy groups, the parents, the students, and the volunteers that worked tirelessly to spread the message of ‘no trust, no bond.’ Today, the community decided we cannot hand $4.4 billion dollars to a superintendent and board that does not answer to the people. Today, the families of HISD were heard,” said State Representative Christina Morales.
“This is a clear message to the Republican-controlled, Texas Education Agency-appointed uncertified superintendent, Mike Miles, and his unelected, Republican-leaning board of managers. Houston voters see through the bullying tactics and stand united against this forced agenda. Most of the bond’s proponents were on the payroll or stood to make money off of it. Elections matter, and today’s vote underscores that point,” said State Representative Jolanda Jones.
State Senator Molly Cook added, “The failure of both bonds sends a clear message to Austin and to Governor Abbott that Houston will fight for our public schools and we will not accept taxation without representation. We will continue to trust our teachers, oppose school vouchers, fight to regain elected control of our school system, and advocate for investments with responsible oversight for our public schools.”
According to Texas Education Agency-appointed superintendent Mike Miles, who conducted multiple independent assessments, the district has determined it needs $10 billion for repairs and improvements. Still, the bond was set at $4.4 billion to keep it within what the community can manage.
“We’ve had five different groups assess the state of our facilities and infrastructure... The need is $10 billion, but we had to choose an amount the community could afford,” said Miles.
To ensure accountability, Miles set up an oversight committee that will be responsible for the distribution of the funds.
The bond, which was called “Renew HISD,” was set for rebuilding or renovating existing elementary and middle schools.
About $1.3 billion was going towards “investing in every school” such as updating HVAC systems, which has been an issue that forced the closure of several schools in May following severe thunderstorms.
Another billion dollars would have been set for career and technical education, including expanding the district’s early childhood pre-k program.
Mike Miles’ full statement on bond failure:
“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” ―Nelson Mandela
Dear HISD Community:
As you know, HISD voters did not vote to approve the bond proposal.
As the results came in on Tuesday, I kept thinking about a conversation I had with the Principal at Bonham Elementary School last week. She relayed how hopeful her community was – parents and staff – that the bond would pass. Their crumbling temporary buildings would finally be replaced with a safer, more appropriate facility. Bonham serves some of the highest need students in our community. They’re doing the hard work to improve instruction, and we as a community let them down.
For other families with students in crumbling buildings, I don’t need to tell you how badly we needed this bond. These investments should have been made years ago. In fact, we had not planned to advance a bond at all, but once we saw for ourselves the unspeakable conditions at many schools, it became obvious we could not fully transform this District without addressing our failing facilities.
In this instance, the politics of adults beat out the needs of our children. It’s unfortunate and wrong, but I want to assure you that it will not limit our ability to do the things that our students need. I know our most effective principals and teachers can reach students even in the worst of facilities, because they’ve been doing so for more than a year. Teaching and learning will continue, and we will continue to transform this District for all students.
I cannot promise our aging facilities and systems will never be a barrier to student learning. We will do our best to keep long expired heating and cooling systems running, but on very hot or very cold days, we are likely going to have to close campuses to keep students safe. More frequently, students are going to be forced to learn in conditions that are not ideal, in classrooms that are either too hot or too cold to learn comfortably.
Keeping schools safe will remain our top priority. The HISD Police Department and our Facilities and Maintenance Operations team is constantly searching for grant money, and we will be looking to the State of Texas to provide additional resources for school security. We will make these investments as soon as funds become available.
I will acknowledge, I was very optimistic about this bond proposal. There was a window of time before the board vote when we could have done what prior elected boards and administrations have done – which is to avoid hard choices and hope the future would take care of itself. We chose to go forward, because the conditions in our schools made it obvious – our kids cannot wait.
I believed this bond was a unique opportunity for this community to come together on behalf of its children. I’m sure many of you felt the same and are very disappointed in the result. I share your disappointment, but I also hope you will remain optimistic. Our accomplishments far outweigh our setbacks, and most importantly, we have and will continue to put the needs of our students first.
HISD’s proposal: