HOUSTON – In February, 2 Investigates reported that the Houston Independent School District allocated $2 million in taxpayer dollars for “Key Action 2” in the district’s 2024-2025 Adopted Budget Book.
These public funds were earmarked to “support” the district’s efforts to “ask voters for a bond election in November 2024.” The action item outlined the costs associated with developing the plan and hiring a consulting group.
Legal experts raised concerns about whether the district was engaging in electioneering. 2 Investigates Mario Diaz later learned that Attorney General Ken Paxton also expressed concerns about electioneering in the days leading up to early voting last October.
Since then, we have continued our investigation, and now a whistleblower has revealed a secret focus group funded by you the taxpayer.
“I don’t want my children or my children’s schools to face any repercussions for the fact that I am speaking out,” the whistleblower, a parent in the district, said to 2 Investigates.
We disguised the whistleblower’s voice and identity, as she said allows her to feel safe talking about HISD and the $4.4 billion bond package that voters shot down last November.
“The information that we were shown was very clearly part of a bond campaign,” said the whistleblower we call Ellen.
She said that seven months before the election, she took part in what she described as a secret focus group, and it required her to sign a “confidentiality agreement.”
“I feel what happened in the group was a violation, and therefore I am speaking as a whistleblower,” Ellen said.
In exchange for her participation, Ellen tells us she was offered a $150 gift card.
She expected the focus group to focus on Houstonians and teachers.
“I was not planning on feedback for the bond campaign,” said Ellen, who saw the district’s messaging again a few weeks later in a public setting.
“I was not expected to be tested with a message, and I say tested, because when I would go to other community meetings, I saw 70% of what we were shown in that focus group,” she adds.
Texas electioneering law prohibits the unlawful use of public funds for political advertising but allows factual advertising that does not advocate for or against a measure.
In January, HISD Superintendent Mike Miles did not respond to questions about hiring a “consulting group to support” the district’s bond plan.
Ultimately, Outreach Strategists, a Houston-based political and strategic communications firm, was selected by the district.
Invoices obtained by 2 Investigates show that Outreach Strategists billed the district $85,000 for 10 focus groups in April 2024.
Ellen claims that April was the month her group met to discuss bond messaging.
“That is very troubling to see,” said Texas Senator Mayes Middleton, a member of the Senate’s Education Committee representing portions of Galveston, Brazoria and Harris Counties.
Middleton said after our initial report that he believed the district was engaging in electioneering by using the phrase “RENEW HISD” in social media videos for the bond campaign.
In a recent interview at the capitol, Middleton reiterated that “electioneering is serious.”
In fact, it can lead to significant consequences, as it is classified as a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and/or a fine of up to $4,000.
A deeper look at the contract between HISD and Outreach Strategists shows both sides agreed to identify “expert validators,” using them as “validators for the bond,” and even controlling how they act with the media.
”It sounds like validators is another word for supporters,” said Senator Middleton.
Aside from speaking to us, Ellen said she took matters into her own hands.
“I provided all of these emails to the DA as part of my complaint,” she said, in reference to emails tied to the secret focus groups.
While Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare and his office are criminally investigating the district after nine parents filed sworn criminal complaints, the Texas Education Agency has also launched an investigation.
“What I can tell you is that we, as an organization, have opened an active complaint investigation on the issue,” said Commissioner Mike Morath to 2 Investigates Mario Diaz.
When we asked Morath what his reaction to the Attorney General’s concerns dealing with HISD and the bond, the commissioner did not hesitate.
“We, much like the Attorney General, do not think any public sector entity should be using public sector money to influence electoral outcomes,” said Morath.
Since February 28, 2 Investigates has emailed HISD six times inquiring whether the district or its contractor, Outreach Strategists, participated in or led any focus groups. HISD and its communications team have not responded.
We also reached out to Outreach Strategists, but they stated they would not comment on the record.
While investigations are ongoing, neither HISD nor Outreach Strategists have been linked to any criminal or professional wrongdoing.
We will continue to seek answers and monitor the status of the investigations by both the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and the Texas Education Agency into one of the nation’s largest school districts.
See our full reports:
