Houston ISD didn’t notify Worthing High School families about its finding that an employee sexually harassed a student. Should it have told them?
Asher Lehrer-Small
Asher Lehrer-Small is an education reporter covering Houston ISD for the Houston Landing. His work focuses on helping families understand how HISD policies and practices impact their children, holding district leaders accountable for providing a high-quality education and giving students a voice in their school experience. He previously spent three years covering schools for The 74, a nonprofit education news outlet, where he was recognized by the Education Writers Association as one of the top three education beat reporters in the nation working at a small newsroom. His work has appeared in The Boston Globe, Fast Company, The Guardian and other outlets. He graduated from Brown University after studying education policy, and he worked as a summer school math teacher in Providence, Rhode Island. Off the clock, you can find him tending to houseplants or frying up homemade donuts for a crowd.
Posted inEducation
From minimal English to class valedictorian: Half of top HISD grads start as English learners
Nearly half of Houston ISD’s valedictorians from the past decade began as English language learners. How five of them say they beat the odds to top their class.
Posted inEducation
Mike Miles: HISD to launch ‘largest pay-for-performance plan in the nation’ in fall 2026
HISD teacher salaries could soon range from $64,000 to $101,000 per year, depending largely on test scores and administrator evaluations.
Posted inEducation
‘Want to see more growth’: Some HISD hubs for food, clothing, support attract few families
Four of Houston ISD’s seven Sunrise Centers served just a handful of families on an average day in fall 2024, even after Mike Miles’ wraparound cuts.
Posted inEducation
When could the state takeover of HISD end? Mike Miles teases return of an elected board.
Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles suggested a possible 2026 return of some elected trustees, but no decision on the process has been made.
Posted inEducation
Q&A: Nearly half of HISD high schoolers could earn college credit this year. Here’s how.
Two Houston ISD leaders discuss their work to identify more high schoolers who are ready for advanced courses and help them each college credit.
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HISD slashed staff helping students in need. Are kids ‘slipping through the cracks?’
Houston ISD data point to less help for students with non-academic needs. District leaders say kids are still getting similar levels of support.
Posted inEducation
House Republicans’ bill would let educators suspend Texas’ homeless students more often
House Republicans argue educators need more authority to suspend misbehaving students. Critics fear the bill could harm vulnerable children.
Posted inEducation
Learning Curve: The data behind Houston ISD’s shrinking schools as closures loom
The average number of students enrolled in district schools stands at a 20-year low, according to a Houston Landing analysis.
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Q&A: How a 30-year-old Houston nonprofit plugs students into afterschool, summer programs
Breakthrough Houston Executive Director Angie Wedlick details the organization’s work to keep hundreds of students engaged outside of the classroom and on a path to a degree.