HOUSTON, Texas – Has the Houston Independent School District’s New Education System worked at Fleming Middle School thus far?
KPRC 2′s Candace Burns sat down with Superintendent Mike Miles to discuss that exact question.
As part of KPRC2′s ongoing Focus on Fleming series, the station is embedded at Fleming to document the changes under NES and how they are impacting students, teachers, and the community.
While some view the NES as a model for improving schools, others worry that its “one-size-fits-all” approach may not work for every student.
Miles said Fleming Middle School is an example of how the NES model can turn schools around.
“Fleming is a good example of a school that embraced NES, the principal, the teachers, but also the community,” Miles said.
Under the NES model, Fleming, which has previously been an F-rated campus, is now seeing significant improvements, according to district data. Miles noted that since the campus took on the NES, its F-rating has jumped to a B.
While Fleming has benefited from the NES, Miles said the system wouldn’t work on every HISD campus.
“This is not the right model for all schools, but it’s certainly a model for Fleming and many schools that had previously not received all the resources or the training, the professional development, or the leadership that is needed for a school to really improve,” Miles said, emphasizing that the district does not plan to expand the system to all 274 schools.
This reassurance may bring relief to some teachers and parents, but concerns about the system remain among many community members.
The rigorous demands of the NES model have caused anxiety for many teachers, something Miles recognizes.
“Whenever you raise expectations and you raise accountability, it causes anxiety,” Miles stated.
To help manage this, Miles pointed to the importance of leadership and how principals play a key role in supporting their staff. But he was also candid about the system’s impact on teachers, saying, “Some teachers will not make it. Not everybody is an effective teacher. I’m sorry.”
For students at Fleming Middle School, adjusting to the fast-paced environment of NES has been challenging.
“My experience is that kids will rise to the level of expectation. We don’t need to dumb it down. We don’t need to slow it down,” Miles said.
As HISD’s New Education System continues to be closely watched, Fleming Middle School serves as an example of its potential successes and challenges.
To stay updated on HISD’s New Education System and its impact, be sure to follow KPRC 2′s ongoing Focus on Fleming coverage.