HISD to Launch Future 2 Schools, Ushering in a Paradigm Shift for the AI Era

Houston ISD is preparing what Superintendent Mike Miles calls “the next stage in changing the American public education system” with the launch of two Future 2 schools. Beginning in the 2026-27 school year, C. Martinez and Gregg elementary schools will convert to pre-K-8 schools with a new curriculum model.

“Schools must shift focus from ‘what to know’ to ‘how to think,’” Miles said. “What is our competitive advantage in an AI-enabled world?”

The answer is human-centered skills. Amid consulting firm McKinsey and Company’s projection that 57% of jobs could be automated by 2030, the curriculum prioritizes interpersonal skills and real-world experiences alongside core academics to prepare students for work technology can’t replace. 

Leveraging “Human Advantage” with Experiences 

Miles said Future 2 is a departure from traditional education by incorporating critical thinking into core instruction rather than treating it as an add-on.

“The notion of students having experiences to build their knowledge is as old as Plato,” he said. “In American public education, it’s new because we don’t think in terms like that.”

Miles said that the human advantage in tomorrow’s workforce will lie in values-based judgment, moral reasoning, empathy, collaboration, and leadership. At the center of the curriculum are district-developed "experiences" that provide students with durable skills that will remain useful across any discipline.

Students participate in immersive experiences — from local projects to international travel — lasting one day to six weeks and culminating in a performance-based assessment emphasizing problem-solving, collaboration, and ethical reasoning.

Raising the Bar with a Dual-Track Academic Model

The first four hours of school follow the standard NES curriculum across the district to include reading, writing, math, science and Art of Thinking core subjects.

To increase academic rigor, students among the top percentile on Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) tests will have the option to follow an accelerated, AI-driven learning platform for their reading and math courses. 

While advanced math and reading coursework is voluntary, Miles said the objective is to ensure that advanced students are being challenged. 

“The way to close the achievement gap is not to bring down our higher performing students but to grow our lower performing students faster,” Miles said. 

A New Kind of School Day 

The curriculum separates the day into three parts, operating from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with the option for students to continue programming time until 6:00 p.m. 

After completing core courses within their grade-level classes, students will be grouped into a dyad, or two-year learning sequence, that will set benchmarks for completion in order for students to be promoted to the next sequence. 

The daily schedule makes time for the following learning blocks: 

• Coursework (one hour), with a focus on AI literacy and design thinking courses
• Experiences (110 minutes), with the goal of human-centric competencies which includes local, domestic, and international travel experiences  
• Workshop (90 minutes), to be completed in or out of school, for specialized or physical skills, including musical instrument learning and team sports 

Students cannot be promoted to the next dyad unless they complete a set sequence of coursework, experiences, and workshops on a daily basis over the two-year sequence. 

In addition to completing the dyad requirements, students must have accomplished the following:  

• Over a 93% attendance rate 
• Score in at least the 40th percentile nationally on Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) scores or accomplish “meets or exceeds grade level” scores on State of Texas Assessment for Academic Readiness (STAAR) for the reading and math exams

In the case that a student no longer wants to continue the dyad model, they can continue their grade-level progress at another HISD campus given they meet the state’s promotion standards. 

Staffing Model 

While coursework and experiences will be led by teachers with the assistance of district-written curricula, workshops will be taught by community member professionals with specialized knowledge that falls outside of traditional teaching expertise. 

Teachers and administrators hired for the role would be comfortable personalizing learning and supporting students as they navigate AI-powered platforms, according to Deputy Chief of Staff Dr. Nici Esch.

“You need to want to shape the future of public education, " she said. “This is not regular school.” 

Future 2 instructors will undergo a specialized training to incorporate AI tools in the classroom in addition to the district-required professional development during the summer with ongoing training during the academic year, Esch said. 

How to Apply? 

Students from any campus within the district may apply to enroll at a Future 2 school.  

The online application is now open and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Families will receive confirmation of their student’s seat for Future 2 on a rolling basis until seats for each grade level are full. By accepting a seat in Future 2, the student will not be eligible to enroll at another HISD campus outside of their zoned school.

There will be no academic requirements for admission, and the program will accommodate as many students as the building can hold, Esch said. 

While C. Martinez and Gregg elementary school students will already be enrolled for the 2026-27 school year, families will have the option to opt-out of the program and attend a nearby elementary school instead. 

Families can visit the Future 2 webpage or to learn more about the pilot program.