HISD’s Top High Schools to Operate With Greater Autonomy Under New Partnership

Houston ISD will grant four of its highest-performing high school campuses increased autonomy, allowing the experienced principals the ability to exercise more control of innovative programs under the guidance of a nonprofit board and accountability of the district. 

The move is part of the district’s use of Senate Bill 1882, passed by the Texas Legislature in 2017, which allows schools to be managed in collaboration with external partners to expand academic programming and access additional funding.

District officials say the selected campuses met specific criteria, including strong academic performance, stable enrollment, and sound financial management. Through these partnerships, the schools will gain greater control over key areas such as curriculum, staffing, and scheduling, while remaining part of the district and subject to academic and financial accountability requirements.

“The question is: If we get out of the way, can these schools go further, faster?” HISD Chief of Strategic Initiatives Orlando Riddick said. “This is about giving schools the autonomy to do what they believe they can do better.”

Why These Schools? 

Currently, the schools are operating under HISD’s fourth level of autonomy, having the highest control of its curriculum, with each campus attracting students from across the district for its specialized academic programming. 

These schools also report lower achievement gaps between Hispanic and white students or Black and white students in reading and math than the district average, with demographic profiles that closely reflect the district overall.

“These schools are representative of our district and do a good job of having equitable practices,” Riddick said. 

 

Additionally, these campuses are each led by leaders with two decades or more of experience within the district, with their tenure serving as performance evidence for earned autonomy. While the principal will continue to oversee the management of the school, their decisions will be approved by the nonprofit’s board to ensure accountability.

“It’s not about replacing the district—it’s about adding another layer of support and accountability,” Riddick said. “The goal is not separation; the partnership continues between the campus and the nonprofit.”

Who are the partners?

Each partnership school will be overseen by its nonprofit’s board of professionals, made up of attorneys, financial advisors, and education experts to support and hold accountable the work of the principal. This board will undergo board training, hold open meetings and allow for public comment, and post agendas in advance.

In the case of Energy Institute and HSPVA, the partner organizations have a history of supporting programming through major fundraising. Under the partnership, these organizations will grow to manage state funding on top of its already-established fundraising capabilities, Riddick said.

“Foundations have historically funded enrichment—now schools can build that into their core programming,” Riddick said.

Marcus Jauregui, voice chair at HSPVA, said the hiring of expert consultants, guest artists-in-residencies, student scholarships to study at top universities, and over 15 adjunct faculty—all features that set the school apart from the district—would be “impossible” without the fundraising of HSPVA Friends, the foundation affiliated with the campus.

“As chair, I am trusted by our principal to craft a four-year vocal curriculum and trusted by [HSVPA] Friends to use the funding we received to bring our curriculum to life,” he said. “The work we do with and for our students would be impossible without our existing partnership.”

HSPVA Music Director Rodolfo Morales said that among his colleagues, HSPVA Friends has a “100% approval” due to the long-lasting relationship that challenges staff to think about how to provide the best education for their students.

“HSPVA Friends is our community's natural answer to the perennial question: how do we make this round peg fit that square hole?” he said. “We need a partner as innovative as the brilliant students who walk through our doors.”

HSPVA Friends board chair Janis Jarosz said the 13-member board is ready to assume the governance and accountability responsibilities under the 1882 partnership.

“We are committed to preserving everything that already makes HSPVA extraordinary and to helping it grow to meet the needs of future generations of young artists… while remaining an HISD public school serving a diverse student population,” she said.

Meanwhile, Friends of Energy Institute has provided project materials, specialty teaching tools and professional development courses for Energy Institute since 2020, which students and staff said is essential for the school’s project-based learning model that develops real-world products through research, prototyping, and collaboration with industry partners.

“As Friends of Energy Institute continues to emerge, I would like to see it become even more of a career pipeline, and I see as Friends of Energy Institute definitely gets more resources from our partnership, I think that it's really going to be beneficial because they'll be able to pivot and really pay more attention to a pipeline that we could provide for kids,” Principal Lori Lambropoulos said.

Kathy Kahanek, acting chair of the Friends of Energy Institute board, emphasized the organization’s readiness to serve as a governing partner.

“Friends of Energy Institute exists for one reason — to ensure that Energy continues to thrive as an innovative, student-centered public school,” Kahanek said. “We believe an 1882 partnership positions Friends as a trusted and capable governing partner.”

Friends of ECHS and Friends of HAIS are newly formed nonprofits through the state of Texas, and they are awaiting their federal tax-exempt approval, Riddick said, noting that the campus leaders who recruited the board advisors were intentional about selecting a cohort of advisors that could guide the school’s early college focus.

Board members include Dr. Brenda Rangel, assistant dean for the Rice Center for Education, at Friends of Houston Academy of International Studies and Houston City College Southwest President Mike Webster at Friends of Challenge ECHS.

“They’ve been very smart about how they curate who should be sitting at their table,” he said. “You don’t want a board that wants to run the school—you want a board that supports and holds you accountable.”

Terms of Contract

Riddick said the relationship between HISD and its nonprofit partners is governed by a five-year performance contract, which outlines permissions including: 

• Management over the school’s curriculum, academic calendar, and student assessments
• Implementation of its own employee evaluation and pay system, potentially offering more competitive salaries to attract specialized staff, though all employees will remain HISD staff 
• The authority to hire its own specialized staff, such as accountants, payroll clerks, contractors, and academic staff to manage the school's specific needs and academic programming

In order to maintain the partnership, the school must maintain an “A” rating and lower its current achievement gaps between black and white and Hispanic and white students in math and reading, which are already below the district average. 

When it comes to admissions, Riddick said the schools are currently using the Houston ISD School Choice process which are aligned to the percentage of students who are in the district, including those in special education and bilingual programs. 

“They won't create a system that excludes certain groups of students,” Riddick said. “The expectation is to serve all students — not to curate who gets access.”

The nonprofits will also be subject to monthly district financial audits, in which the district employs a dedicated accountant to oversee state and federal compliance, and yearly audits that will be conducted by independent, third-party auditors. The findings from the yearly audit will be made publicly available, Riddick said. 

Riddick said the district reserves the right to place the operating partner on probation or not renew the contract under conditions including: 

• Drops in academic performance or increases in demographic achievement gaps 
• Violation of financial accounting standards, whether district-wide, state, or federal 

Hear from the Stakeholders

Supporters of the 1882 partnerships said the most immediate impact will be expanded opportunities for students, driven by greater flexibility in how schools design curriculum, schedules, and real-world learning experiences.

Community members at Energy Institute said the added autonomy would allow the school to preserve the time, industry connections, and specialized equipment needed for those experiences, which supporters say are difficult to maintain under traditional district structures.

At the March 19 board meeting, Energy Institute community members highlighted work such as designing a programmable camera gantry and integrated sensor system for a smart greenhouse with a local hydroponic farm, building garden infrastructure to address food insecurity, and creating products like a safety storage device for hot hair tools—projects they said would be protected and expanded under an 1882 partnership.

“This doesn't happen by accident… It happens because our school has the flexibility to design interdisciplinary projects, partner with industry and respond to student interests and needs while being centered on learning,” Energy Institute parent Pam Shefman said. 

At HSPVA, the proposed changes center on flexibility—particularly in scheduling and curriculum—to better meet the needs of students balancing rigorous academics with intensive arts training, including prestigious summer programs that might conflict with the district calendar. 

“The 1882 partnership will allow for adaptable scheduling, expanded opportunities and additional resources to retain what makes HSPVA so special, a diverse public school accessible to students from all across Houston,” student Bella Kalra said. 

HAIS has incorporated partnerships into its model since it opened in 2006, Principal Melissa Jacobs said. From the beginning, the school has worked with organizations such as the Asia Society’s International School Network, the Annenberg Foundation, and Houston City College to support its academic programs and student opportunities. 

These partnerships contribute to elements like college coursework, mentorship programs, and international experiences. Jacobs said that as the school continues to develop, it is expected to build on this approach by maintaining existing collaborations and forming new ones that expand available pathways for students.

“We started with a foundation in innovation and a foundation of partnering with other entities to create a bigger idea,” she said.“Some things where budget may have been a barrier… we could actually get more experiences for students.”

CECHS, which alongside HAIS also employs early college models in partnership with HCC, is poised to evolve as new programs emerge in fields like cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and advanced technologies. Principal Jose Santos said students may soon graduate not only with associate degrees but with specialized concentrations that position them competitively for future careers. 

“The future for Challenge looks very promising… especially with the partnership that we have with Houston City College,” Santos said. 

Moving forward 

In addition to the four selected campuses, Eastwood Academy, Carnegie Vanguard High School, and DeBakey High School for Health Professions meet the criteria and opted for an additional planning year before applying for the partnership in the 2027-28 school year, Riddick said. 

Miles said the success of HISD’s 1882 partnerships will hinge on whether increased autonomy can translate into measurable gains for all students — not just in academic performance, but in access, equity, and long-term opportunity. 

“If we can empower our highest-performing schools to innovate while holding firm to our responsibility to every student, we’re redefining what’s possible in HISD,” Miles said. “These partnerships will help our kids continue to thrive, and it will give our schools even more opportunity to change with the changing world.”