Rep. Harold Dutton, who wrote the takeover bill, speaks on state taking control of HISD

HOUSTON - As area leaders speak out against the state taking over the Houston Independent School District we’re hearing from the legislator, State Representative Harold Dutton, who wrote the law, making way for a takeover to happen.

"I think I know how David felt against Goliath. I didn’t want to take over either. I wanted them to fix the schools. When I passed this law, I never thought this would happen. I thought they would fix the school," says Rep. Dutton.

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Dutton's law was passed in 2015. "If a school district lets one school, one campus fail for five consecutive school years, the state had two choices. The state could come and take over the district or the state could close the school," he explained.

HISD’s Wheatley High School, for instance, had an F accountability rating for seven straight years. Wheatley now has a C.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner says he pointed that out to Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath, who he says then reminded him of Dutton’s law. "Because of the status of Wheatley in 2019 they can either move and close Wheatley or they can take over the district," explains the mayor who says if the state takes control of HISD it isn’t only bad for the students, but for all of Houston because no one wants to live in a city where their kids will not receive a good education.

HISD Superintendent Millard House II gave this statement at the recent 2021-2022 HISD Annual Report session:

"I would like to take a moment to address the information that has been making the rounds this week regarding a potential intervention by the Texas Education Agency.

As of today, the district has not received any official notice from the TEA. I remain laser-focused on fulfilling my duties as Superintendent alongside our Board of Trustees to provide the best possible educational outcomes for all HISD students. My team and I will continue to implement our community informed strategic plan, which is delivering results for HISD students and families.

The district will provide an update for our students, families, and community as soon as we receive new information from the TEA."

Mayor Turner says he’s told the TEA is planning to take over HISD, the largest school district in Texas, as early as Monday. "We have a wonderful strategic plan in place, and we appreciate you guys continuing to get out the word," HISD Superintendent Millard House said in a brief statement.

The state began talking of taking HISD years ago amid dozens of failing schools mostly in Black and brown neighborhoods, employee corruption allegations, and chaos within the school board.

MORE: HISD Superintendent addresses state plans to take over school district

"I was concerned in 2019, and I was critical of the board in 2019," the mayor admits.

Four years later, under the leadership of a new superintendent, the district has a B+ rating. "And it is scoring higher in every category than Dallas Independent School District. Then I can’t hold on to the same position I had in 2019 when now it’s moving in the right direction," the mayor adds, and he says he told Commissioner Morath there should be a third option, to have a bill filed to take away the mandatory takeover provision.

Would Rep. Dutton consider doing what the mayor is proposing, writing a new law that says it’s not mandatory for the state to take over? "Well, I’d have to think about that. My question is how long are we going to wait until they fix the schools in Northeast Houston? How many generations of children do we have to lose," Dutton asks.

Representative Dutton says he agrees the district has improved, but he says the problems in the failing schools still haven’t been fixed.

The TEA isn’t confirming it's taking over HISD. The state is only saying the option is still being reviewed.

RELATED: Houston ISD parents, teachers nervous about possible TEA takeover

Texas Senator Borris L. Miles released a statement on the TEA's possible takeover of HISD. He stated:

"I have been voicing my unwavering opposition to the potential state takeover of Houston Independent School District (HISD) for years. The situation at HISD that initiated the takeover has changed drastically. From the voters overturning the board of trustees to improving academic performance district-wide, HISD is on a new track of success.

The school that initiated this process, Wheatley High School, has come a long way and is now out of Improvement Required status and has been making strides on student success.

We need to face the facts. Historically, state takeovers have failed to improve school districts financially or academically, and they come with a hefty price in terms of money, resources and staffing. The fact that our public education system isn’t fully funded begs the question, can the state even afford to do this? In addition, the timing of this is also bothersome because a state takeover would mean major disruptions in the middle of a school year as students are preparing for the STAAR Test, not to mention the numerous of other problems that come with a takeover.

I have been working tirelessly to ensure HISD continues down its path of success while working with stakeholders and state and local leaders. The local community changed the leadership at the ballot box, and that leadership set a new direction. Superintendent Millard House II took the helm of HISD in 2021 and has made momentous improvements that have resulted in schools improving and students succeeding. The fact of the matter is that HISD students are scoring as competitively as other students in Texas. HISD’s overall TEA rating score is higher than other large Texas school districts like Dallas ISD, San Antonio ISD and El Paso ISD. Let’s keep this train moving, without costly obstacles to hinder HISD’s progress."