The HISD PowerUp Initiative, which began implementation in the summer of 2013, will reach a dramatic milestone in January. The three-prong initiative is intended to improve learning through technology by improving access to linked learning, creating a comprehensive web portal as a resource for students, and, most impressively, by makingRead More

Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in Thesis Magazine opinion pieces are those of the author and should not be seen to represent the publication as a whole. Have you ever taken a moment just to think about all of the opportunities Houston provides for top-notch K-12 education? For lifelongRead More

Yesterday, we posted an article about holiday volunteering opportunities that students can use to earn service hours and give back to the community. But of course, volunteering isn’t just for students – many parents give of their time in serving their children’s schools and the greater community. If you’re lookingRead More

To most of us who aren’t computer scientists, programming seems like a daunting prospect. We know that our computers, tablets, and phones could not function without vast quantities of code, but we couldn’t write that code ourselves – we couldn’t even make sense of it if we read it. WithRead More

Exhausted teenagers may soon see their dreams come true at a later morning hour. The school start time debate has shifted as proponents of later school start times now have greater scientific evidence to back up their claims. In August of this year, the American Academy of Pediatricians recommended thatRead More

HISD superintendent Terry Grier has held his position since September of 2009 – five years. In that time, he has implemented the Apollo 20 program to help the district’s lowest performing schools; he has implemented stricter regulations on magnet status eligibility for schools; and he has presided over considerable upgradesRead More

Under the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), all students are required to be taught music, theater, and the visual arts. It is not mandated that all of these be taught by specialists; in some cases, it is acceptable to integrate them into standard classroom instruction. Many Houston-area school districtsRead More

In last night’s meeting, in addition to approving the plan for the Arabic immersion magnet school, the HISD board also addressed a proposal that could impact students across the district. The board voted 7-0 to recognize a group called the HISD Student Congress as a representation of the voice ofRead More

Perhaps the biggest trend in K-12 ed tech right now is the movement toward providing students with tablets and/or laptops for use in their schoolwork. Many of Houston’s best private schools provide this technology for their students, and under HISD’s PowerUp Initiative, Windows laptops will be made available on aRead More

UPDATE: As of 11/14/2014, HISD is officially moving forward on plans for an Arabic immersion magnet school. The Houston Chronicle has more. HISD is well-established as a hotspot for excellent programs in world languages. A combined total of 11 languages are offered in HISD schools, starting as early as PreKRead More

On Saturday, HISD administrators and officials ceremonially broke ground on the construction of the new Condit Elementary. The new Condit school building, to be constructed adjacent to the old building at 7000 South Third St. in Bellaire, is being paid for with funds from the $1.89 billion 2012 HISD bond.Read More

It’s that time of year again. This Saturday, November 1, is the open date for the HISD magnet application. Before the application period ends on December 19, parents will submit tens of thousands of applications to HISD’s selective magnet schools. If you are one of those parents – and especiallyRead More

On Thursday, HISD Superintendent Terry Grier was given the 2014 Green-Garner Award for outstanding contributions in public education. This award is presented annually by the Council of Great City Schools to a superintendent or school board member from a Council school district; there are 67 member districts, and Grier wasRead More

UPDATE: After appeals from the affected schools, only one program has been slated for closure and eight programs – including those at Twain and Roberts – are still on probation. The Houston Chronicle has more. At last night’s school board meeting, a preliminary plan was announced under which 15 HISDRead More

Over the next two weeks, HISD will hold community meetings (see schedule below) to discuss design concepts and progress for 5 district schools which are being rebuilt on new campuses. HSPVA, Condit Elementary School, Lee High School, and DeBakey High School are among the 40 HISD schools being upgraded withRead More

            The Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions, the prestigious HISD magnet ranked 33rd in the nation, will be moving into a new downtown facility in the fall of 2016. Last night, the HISD Board of Trustees officially voted to accept the TexasRead More