HOUSTON, Texas – The 2025-2026 school year is fast approaching, bringing with it several changes. The Houston Independent School District, the largest in Texas and the seventh largest in the country, has experienced many shifts over the years.
With the Texas Education Agency taking over oversight, appointing a new superintendent, and implementing the new education system, further changes are expected at both the district and state levels.
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Now, let’s look into what’s changing ahead of this school year.
HISD will now pay its teachers based on performance rather than years of experience. Depending on performance levels, teachers could earn between $64,000 and $101,000.
Teachers will be evaluated in four key areas: Quality of Instruction, Student Academic Outcomes, Planning and Professionalism, and Campus Action Plan.
This school year, Houston ISD is introducing its new FREE partnership with METRO. Eligible students in grades nine through 12 will have the option to use a free METRO bus pass instead of riding a traditional HISD school bus. The district says the partnership will offer more flexibility for families, especially for students who already rely on public transportation.
The district also purchased a $1.25 million new transportation routing system software, aimed at improving its previous system.
HISD has begun restructuring its transportation department for the 2025-26 school year by planning to replace 125 existing central office and terminal positions with 155 new roles, according to Kari Feinberg, the district’s chief of organizational effectiveness. This initiative aims to reduce ride times to a maximum of 50 minutes for zoned students and 80 minutes for magnet students.
In a budget workshop led by state-appointed superintendent Mike Miles earlier this year, we learned that the district could see some school closures next school year due to the district seeing a significant drop in student enrollment. In May, Miles said that in the past 10 years, about 30,000 students have left the district. This decline means that the district has to think carefully about how to use its resources effectively. While no schools will close in the 2025-2026 school year, the district is considering proposing closures for the 2026-2027 school year.
The district is launching a new communication platform called ParentSquare, in which it has invested over $700,000 to improve engagement with parents.
The new platform will be used to send urgent weather alerts and school closures, attendance, and campus-specific messages. The platform will also allow HISD and campuses to create a feed and newsletter, survey families, and share registration forms for parent-teacher conferences, volunteering opportunities, and field trips.
Earlier this summer, the district announced its plans to eliminate its wraparound services department, which provided students in need with food, clothing, supplies, and hygiene. It also supported students who were chronically absent or truant, helping them stay on track.
Sunrise Centers will replace the department that the district described as “wasn’t working.” On Aug. 1, HISD opened its eighth Sunrise Center located in the Marian Park Community Center in Southwest Houston.
Sunrise Centers are the new solution for families in need to access services like free school supplies, clothing, and health services. The district says the facilities will be able to serve 30,000 kids.
In June, Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 1481 into law. The bill, introduced by Rep. Caroline Fairly, prohibits students from using their cell phones during the school day.
The bill allows school districts to decide whether to allow cellphone use during extracurricular activities and whether they want to restrict cellphone use by prohibiting students from bringing their devices to school or designating a “secure storage” space for the devices.
HISD has instructed students to leave their cellphones at home or turn them off while they’re in class and keep them in their backpacks.
The district says students will not be allowed to use their devices for any reason during the instructional day.