From The Conversation · Daniel H. Robinson · · 1m 30s
Texas school takeovers cost students, teachers
Texas state takeovers of struggling school districts hurt students and teachers, with little success.
In brief
Texas state takeovers of struggling school districts hurt students and teachers, with little success. Texas state takeovers of school districts lead to declining enrollment, teacher turnover, and poor student outcomes. Originally reported by The Conversation.
Texas school takeovers
Texas temporarily took over Houston’s school district in 2023 after student performance concerns.
State takeover process
State appoints replacement school boards and superintendents instead of local elections.
Texas takeover frequency
Texas has taken over eight school districts since 2015, with 14 more at risk.
Fort Worth district impact
Fort Worth’s school district had over 1,000 teachers resign after state takeover, up 58% from previous year.
Teacher recruitment costs
Recruiting and training new teachers costs $11,000 to $20,000 per teacher, excluding salaries.
Poverty and academic performance
Only 12% of Texas schools with high poverty rates achieved A grades, while 67% of low-poverty schools did.
Racial disparities in grades
6% of Black students earned A’s, 16% of Hispanic students did, and 35% of white students did.
Student enrollment decline
Houston lost over 21,000 students in 2026-2027, costing $190 million in state funding.
Teacher attrition
Teacher attrition increased 48% in Houston’s first two years after state takeover.
Principal turnover
Houston saw 177 principal changes across 274 schools since 2024.
Texas education commissioner
Texas Education Commissioner says takeovers improve student outcomes, but evidence shows otherwise.
“In every single intervention, the results were higher, or at least no worse after the board of managers was placed than before”
Research findings
Texas school takeovers show little improvement in student achievement after two years.
What it means
Texas state takeovers of school districts lead to declining enrollment, teacher turnover, and poor student outcomes.
