District News

What does it take to be ready for an AP exam? HISD NOW asked Westbury students who earned at least a 3 out of 5 on their most recent AP test to share what they learned—and their advice for students preparing to take one.

What might have seemed like a moonshot to reverse a nearly two-decade trend of academic underperformance was within reach for the Alumni who remember Wheatley as the “finest” Black school in the South. 

In just three years, North Forest High School has begun to change the narrative that had followed it for decades. In 2026, the campus received an A rating from the Texas Education Agency (TEA)—a three letter jump from 2023.

HISD’s ratings have improved since 2023 as more students are now meeting state standards on test scores, narrowing campus achievement gaps, as well as preparedness for college, career, or military after graduation. 

As a result, there is a shrinking relationship between the average socioeconomic makeup of a student body and their academic performance. 

After three years of development and implementation, Houston ISD is ushering in a new era of educator compensation with its Pay-for-Performance (PFP) model, becoming the largest district in the country to adopt this comprehensive approach.