Tag: Houston Federation of Teachers

Houston Matters

What Makes a Great Teacher?

Posted on · The website Niche has published its rankings of the Houston metro area high schools with the best teachers. But how do you evaluate such a thing? What makes a teacher great? We talk with Mark Tressler, vice president of product for Niche about how the site established its evaluation. Then, we turn to a parent, a teacher’s union […]

Houston Matters

Should Police, Teachers and Others Be Paid More to Live in the Areas They Serve?

Posted on · Recently, the Houston City Council contemplated whether to pay police officers more money to live in the city and closer to the communities they serve. Council members shelved the topic after struggling to find common ground. It’s not a new concept, and not unique to law enforcement. Some propose it’s beneficial for educators to live where […]

Houston Matters

HISD School Construction and Renovation Project Faces $200 Million Shortfall

Posted on · In 2012, Houston voters approved a $1.9 billion bond program to rebuild and renovate 40 schools. Now, district administrators say they are $200 million short due to construction market inflation; a teachers union rep and a school board member want an outside audit. We examine this budget battle over school construction. We talk with HISD […]

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School Construction and LibroFEST: Thursday’s Show (October 1, 2015)

Posted on · In 2012, Houston voters approved a $1.9 billion bond program to rebuild and renovate 40 schools. Now, district administrators say they are $200 million short due to construction market inflation; a teachers union rep and a school board member want an outside audit. On this edition of Houston Matters, we examine this budget battle over […]

Houston Matters

From Reduced Testing to Teacher Bonuses: What Changes Are in Store for HISD?

Posted on · In the past few weeks, the Houston Independent School District’s administration has announced some planned changes, including scaling back student testing next year. HISD Superintendent Terry Grier also initially proposed to end the district’s controversial performance bonus system, but he went back on that proposal earlier this week. Next week, the HISD board will review and vote […]

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HISD Proposals and William Fitzsimmons: Friday’s Show (June 12, 2015)

Posted on · In the past few weeks, the Houston Independent School District’s administration has announced some planned changes, including scaling back student testing next year. HISD Superintendent Terry Grier also initially proposed to end the district’s controversial performance bonus system, but he went back on that proposal earlier this week. Next week, the HISD board will review and vote […]

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Houston’s Cold Snap, Teacher Supply & Demand, Sports Monday: Houston Matters for Monday, January 6, 2014

Posted on · You may have heard – it’s cold out there in Houston today. We’re not expected to rise above forty degrees, and we can expect another bitterly cold night. On this edition of Houston Matters, we’ll welcome your questions about Houston’s coldest days, and all other things meteorological in nature for Frank Billingsley, KPRC’s Chief Meteorologist. […]