What this is
The HISD Board of Managers sets policy for one of the largest school districts in the country, overseeing over 190,000 students across hundreds of campuses.
The basics
Houston ISD is the largest school district in Texas and the 8th largest in the United States — about 187,000 students across nearly 280 schools. Since June 2023, HISD has been under state-appointed management. The elected Board of Trustees was replaced by an appointed Board of Managers by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
How HISD is governed right now
Superintendent: Appointed by TEA, not by the Board. The Superintendent runs all day-to-day operations.
Board of Managers: Appointed by TEA to replace the elected Board. They approve budgets, major contracts, and policy changes. Their meetings are public.
What changed: Before the state takeover, HISD had 9 elected trustees (each representing a geographic district). Those seats are currently empty. The timeline for restoring elected governance depends on TEA decisions and potential legal challenges.
Board of Managers meetings
When: 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month, 5:00 PM.
Where: Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center, 4400 West 18th Street, Houston, TX 77092.
Public comment: Available at each meeting. Sign up in advance through the HISD website or in person before the meeting. You get 3 minutes.
What the Board oversees
Read full text
Livestream: Meetings are streamed at houstonisd.org.
Annual budget — approximately $4 billion
School openings, closings, and consolidations
Curriculum standards (within Texas state framework)
Staff hiring and firing policies
Facility construction and maintenance
Partnerships with charter operators (under the current administration, some HISD campuses have been turned over to charter management organizations)
How to engage with HISD
Attend Board meetings: Even under appointed management, public comment still happens. Show up.
Contact the Superintendent's office: 713-556-6000
Join your school's PTO or parent advisory committee. Campus-level participation is the most direct way to influence your child's school.
Monitor your campus: Texas Academic Performance Reports (school report cards) are published annually by TEA at tea.texas.gov.
Know your rights: Parents have the right to inspect curriculum materials, attend campus governance meetings, and request meetings with principals and teachers.
What other school districts cover Houston
HISD does not cover all of Houston. Parts of the city fall under:
Alief ISD, Spring Branch ISD, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Fort Bend ISD, Aldine ISD, Galena Park ISD, Pasadena ISD, Humble ISD, Katy ISD, Klein ISD, and others.
Enter your address at TEA's School District Locator to find which district serves your home.
Key contacts
HISD main line: 713-556-6000
HISD website: houstonisd.org
Texas Education Agency: 512-463-9734 | tea.texas.gov
Why it matters
This is part of Our Voice — civic life, elections, and accountability.
How to dig in
- 1Start with the snapshot above to know what this is in a glance.
- 2Read through to understand how it connects to the bigger picture.
- 3Get the guide using the button above.
By the numbers
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Counted from the Community Exchange connection graph.