Education Commissioner Mike Morath had until June 1 to decide next steps for the state鈥檚 largest school district, whose former superintendent and elected school board members were ousted and replaced in 2023 due to years of poor academic outcomes at a single campus and allegations of leadership misconduct.

Since then, state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles has , a controversial figure in Houston who has ushered improvements on state exams while struggling to win over community support.

Still, Morath decided to extend the intervention until June 1, 2027, applauding the district for its improvements but citing the need for more progress. That progress, he said, will have to include no school campuses with failing accountability scores across multiple years, compliance with special education requirements and improved school board governance.

Morath on Monday also announced the appointment of four new school board members, replacing four he selected in 2023.

鈥淲ith the changes made in the last two years, Houston ISD is well on its way to being a district where all of its schools provide students with the educational opportunities that will allow them to access the American Dream,鈥� the commissioner said in a statement. 鈥淯ltimately, two years has not been enough time to fix district systems that were broken for decades. The extension of this intervention will allow the district to build on its progress and achieve lasting success for students once the board transitions back to elected leadership.鈥�

The Houston Chronicle the extension of the takeover.

Under Miles鈥� leadership, the district has experienced and. Miles, who inherited a district that for years ran an overall well-performing school system, has faced accusations of shepherding a militaristic educational environment where teachers have limited freedom to teach in ways they see fit and children are exhausted and disengaged from learning.

Miles, on the other hand, has touted on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR test, and progress in the district鈥檚 A-F accountability ratings as proof that his model is effective, an achievement that Morath and state lawmakers have publicly commended.

During the November election, Houston voters shot down a plan to approve in academic and infrastructure improvements for the school district 鈥� the largest proposal of its kind in state history 鈥� which many saw as a litmus test for Miles鈥� support.

This article originally appeared in at . The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.

From purchasing alarm clocks, donating Uber gift cards, showing up on families鈥� doorsteps and even attempting to help parents plan their vacations, Clear Creek ISD employees are exhausting their options to get students to show up to school.

In the roughly 40,000-student district southeast of Houston, 17 percent of students were considered 鈥渃hronically absent鈥� during the 2022-23 school year 鈥� meaning they missed at least 18 school days. That鈥檚 up nearly double from five years ago.

The issue is not unique to Clear Creek ISD. Mirroring a nationwide, persistent trend, rates of chronically absent Houston-area students exploded after the pandemic. It鈥檚 a phenomenon that leaves many wondering why kids aren鈥檛 coming to school like they used to 鈥� and what it will take to fix that.

Houston’s other largest districts did not make administrators available for an interview for this story.

School leaders and education experts say high absenteeism has devastating ripple effects on students鈥� academic performance, school district funding and society鈥檚 overall perceived importance of the classroom. Yet there is no clear solution, causing schools to scramble to improve attendance habits.

鈥淭here did become the feeling of, 鈥業s schooling optional?鈥欌�� said Holly Hughes, Clear Creek ISD鈥檚 assistant superintendent of elementary education. 鈥淲e know that the habits start in pre-K, in our earliest years, with parents understanding the value and the intention. It鈥檚 a lot to get our students to school in the morning.鈥�

When schools returned in-person after the pandemic sent classes online, most large Houston districts saw their chronic absenteeism rates double. Those rates decreased in the 2022-23 school year 鈥� the most recently available state data 鈥� but still remain much higher than pre-pandemic levels.

鈥楧o we even need the school?鈥�

The pandemic shattered the routine of going to school each morning, and once students returned, the lingering option of remote learning was largely seen as an acceptable alternative for when students don鈥檛 show up in person.

鈥淧eople became comfortable staying home and not going to school, where they could dial in or not dial in,鈥� said Kevin Brown, executive director of the Texas Association of School Administrators. 鈥淭here wasn鈥檛 anybody there to enforce that.鈥�

That鈥檚 created an issue larger than anyone knows how to fix, let alone any one district, says Joshua Childs, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin鈥檚 College of Education. To him, it signals to him a shift in the culture of American schooling.

鈥淎t this moment, we are wrestling, as a country, as a state, in terms of what we value when it comes to educating the kids under the age of 18,鈥� Childs said. 鈥淟ike, what’s the value of education, and what’s the purpose of the school itself? And do we even need the school?鈥�

School leaders and education experts agree that a student鈥檚 attendance has major impacts on their academic achievement. The Texas Education Agency that chronically absent students are more likely to perform poorly on standardized tests, and they鈥檙e less likely to attend or complete college.

In a late June State Board of Education meeting, TEA commissioner Mike Morath hypothesized that increased absences could be a reason why studentg across Texas.

鈥淥ur broad hypothesis of this is that Covid caused much higher absenteeism from instruction, and as a result, much more mathematics gaps,鈥� Morath said. 鈥淭he linear nature of mathematics as a discipline is such that if a student misses little chunks of that discipline along the way, that may or may not cause them immediate problems, but it will certainly, at some point in time, prevent them from achieving higher levels of mathematics.鈥�

But the problem lies in getting students and families to understand these stakes.

鈥淥ne of the things that the pandemic 鈥� maybe raised more questions around, is, 鈥榃hat’s actually the purpose of schooling? If I can do it through my phone. I can learn through TikTok. I can learn through using technology in different ways, and arriving in a building every single day may not be what’s best for my kids or myself,鈥欌�� Childs said. 鈥淚t has big impacts, as far as academic outcomes, employment, post-secondary opportunities, social, mental, physical health outcomes. All of that is impacted based on a child鈥檚 attendance.鈥�

Across-the-board issue

Chronic absenteeism affects students across different demographics 鈥� campus-level data shows that in some Houston districts, schools in both affluent and underserved communities post similarly high rates of absenteeism.

Students in underserved areas may miss school because they lack necessities like transportation, or because they have a job to support their families. Meanwhile, students from more affluent families may miss class to take regular vacations or visit colleges. Across the board, it鈥檚 easier to keep kids at home because parents are increasingly able to work remotely.

With no simple root cause, there鈥檚 no crystal-clear solution to keeping kids in the classroom.

Hughes, the Clear Creek administrator, said she found it isn’t as simple as providing more 鈥渨raparound鈥� resources such as clothing and transportation. They鈥檝e had to urge families to schedule doctor appointments and college visits on staff professional development days, supply suggested dates for vacations, and try to communicate the overall importance of the in-person school routine.

鈥淚t’s important to start those traditions, those expectations and those structures in the home early,鈥� Hughes said. 鈥淕oing to school on a daily basis and committing to that follow through every day, it takes a lot on a family unit. 鈥� I think it became hard for parents.鈥�

A pricey problem

Brown said declining attendance is a circular issue 鈥� the more kids miss school, the less money districts have to rectify low attendance.

The Texas government funds schools based on their average daily attendance, meaning total attendance counts for the year are divided by the number of instructional days to produce the number of students a district is funded for.

Proponents of attendance-based funding say it provides incentive for improving attendance, while critics have long argued it more heavily penalizes schools with students dealing with socioeconomic factors that drive absenteeism.

Many school districts across Texas have outlined multimillion-dollar budget deficits this year, and several Houston-area school boards have pointed to declining attendance rates as a factor contributing to their financial woes.

鈥淪chools are working really hard to try to get the kids in but it takes the parents and the kids, as well, to get them into school,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淪chools can’t do much on attendance, other than encourage and try to build an environment where kids want to be there.鈥�

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Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles will require roughly two dozen schools to cut 12 percent of their budgets next year, initiating a painful but expected process meant to bring campus-level spending in line with declining enrollments.

The cuts will target schools not participating in Miles鈥� 鈥淣ew Education System鈥� next year, whose budgets are managed by campus principals. HISD manages the budgets of schools in the NES program and funds them at a significantly higher level than other schools.

On Tuesday, HISD provided half of the district鈥檚 principals with preliminary information about their campus budgets for next year and plans to provide information to the other half Wednesday. Most of HISD鈥檚 roughly 140 non-NES principals will have to make cuts in their spending, capped at a 12 percent reduction, due to decreases in the number of students attending their schools.

Roughly 25 schools will have to slash the maximum 12 percent, while about 35 schools will see increases to their budgets, Miles estimated in a Monday interview with the Houston Landing. That leaves dozens more schools to reduce spending between 1 and 12 percent. HISD declined to say which schools will be subject to the steepest cuts.

The tough financial pill stems from a decision by Miles to end HISD鈥檚 pandemic-era policy to insulate schools from budget cuts, even when their enrollment and attendance decline. With pandemic relief money set to soon run out and with HISD expected to run a this year, Miles said it is time to bring spending in line with student counts.

鈥淧eople have known this is coming,鈥� Miles said. 鈥淚f they’ve lost 100 kids, they are going to have to cut some staff. At some point, we do have to stop paying for kids who actually aren’t there.鈥�

In recent years, HISD has lost about 32,000 students, . Since the policy of not reducing schools鈥� budgets based on attendance went into effect, more than 150 schools have lost 12 percent or more of their student enrollments, including more than 60 non-NES schools.

In total, the cuts will save about $15 million across the district, Miles said. The savings represent a of Miles has said he plans to make next year. However, they represent the first time Miles has outlined plans likely to result in widespread staffing reductions at the campus level.

Due to a in 2024-25 and a dramatic increase in the number of overhauled schools paying teachers salaries $10,000 to $20,000 above their typical rates, HISD plans to spend an additional $114 million on staff next year, including $74 million at NES schools, according to Chief of Human Resources Jessica Neyman. Miles has said he plans to present a draft budget proposal for next year鈥檚 spending to HISD鈥檚 board of managers in May.

Schools undergoing Miles鈥� transformation, which typically have a quarter to a third more employees than other HISD schools, also will be subject to limited staffing cuts if they have lost students, Miles said. He estimated  NES schools could lose one to two non-teaching roles.

Former Love Elementary Principal Sean Tellez, who resigned in early March, said he thinks the cuts fall unfairly on schools not participating in Miles鈥� overhaul program. The end of the policy insulating campuses from attendance-related budget cuts did not surprise him, because former HISD Superintendent Millard House鈥檚 administration had warned it was coming. However, he thought the whole district would be subject to the painful spending decisions, rather than just the half not participating in Miles鈥� NES program.

As a principal, Tellez had to make budget cuts, including last year reducing the work hours of the Love Elementary nurse and librarian, eliminating a technology role and cutting a front office worker. If he were forced to eliminate 12 percent of his spending, he would have to cut at least one teacher and it would be 鈥渧irtually impossible鈥� to keep students from feeling the losses, he said.

鈥淭he overwhelming vibe, or feeling, amongst the non-NES principals has been, because we鈥檙e not NES, we鈥檙e going to have to bear the burden of this increased budget for NES schools and we’re going to be on our own,鈥� Tellez said.

Researcher Chad Aldeman, who previously served as policy director at Georgetown University鈥檚 Edunomics Lab and now runs the organization , studies school enrollment and staffing trends nationwide. Across the country, most school districts have seen increasing numbers of staff-per-student ratios since the pandemic, mostly due to student headcounts falling faster than staffing levels, he said, creating looming budgetary difficulties.

However, while making cuts to balance staffing levels may be necessary in many instances, it rarely is straightforward, Aldeman explained.

鈥淟et’s say you lose 20 students across an elementary, they’re not going to be all in one grade. 鈥� So, you might lose two students or two-and-a-half students from every grade, and you can’t just reduce your staff by one fourth-grade teacher,鈥� Aldeman said. 鈥淣one of these things are fun. They鈥檙e not good for kids.鈥�

Miles said he empathizes with principals now facing dreaded decisions, but said he had no other choice. HISD is easing the process for principals by covering certain expenses, such as approved curricular materials, he said.

鈥淚鈥檝e been a principal, I鈥檝e been a charter school principal, and I know what it is to have to do a budget and I know what a cut looks like, even a 10 percent cut,鈥� Miles said. 鈥溾�嬧�婭f I can protect the classroom from any cut, that’s what we’re going to do. But we do have to live within our means now.鈥�

This first appeared on and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mike Miles, the superintendent appointed by the state in the summer to turn around the Houston Independent School District, said Saturday he would need the next four to five years to put it on the right path.

鈥淲e have to build a culture of high performance,鈥� he said during a Texas Tribune Festival panel. 鈥淭his is a long-term proposition to change culture. Culture is changed over time.鈥�

He presented himself as single-minded in his goal to improve educational outcomes in Houston ISD, saying he鈥檚 acting quickly so students don鈥檛 lose more time and he can bring back the democratically-elected school board.

鈥淚’m trying to do this as fast as we can, but I’m not sure we can do it overnight,鈥� he said.

During the event, Miles said he expects about 70 schools to receive a D or F in the state鈥檚 accountability system from an A-F scale, which takes into account state test scores. One of his main tasks at the district’s helm will be to change that: He’s required to ensure none of the schools receive a failing grade in multiple consecutive years.

He also gave himself a deadline to start producing results.

鈥淚f we don’t start to see the needle move in two years, you should fire me,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat’s accountability.鈥�

Miles said lack of accountability is a problem in the educator profession. One of the ways he wants to hold educators accountable is by tying compensation to classroom outcomes. Teacher unions say that’s an unfair and ineffective way to gauge teacher performance since test scores are just a snapshot of what children learn throughout the year and may not reflect their true academic achievement.

Several Houston ISD teachers and community members have criticized him for his 鈥渕y way or the highway鈥� approach. He doubled down Saturday, saying those working in the district who don鈥檛 like his changes can choose to leave.

鈥淚f they don’t want to work in that kind of culture, they need to make the decisions that’s right for them,鈥� he said.

Miles has been at the helm of Houston ISD for four months and has wasted no time implementing his vision, facing criticism for the abruptness and rigidity of his plan. Since taking over in June, more than 80 campuses have been placed under his so-called 鈥�,鈥� which he describes as an 鈥渋nnovative staffing model that puts the focus on classroom instruction and improved student outcomes.鈥�

The state鈥檚 takeover of Houston ISD was in response to years of poor academic outcomes at a single campus in the district, Phillis Wheatley High School; allegations of misconduct against school board members; and the ongoing presence of a conservator who鈥檚 been overseeing the district for years. Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath has said state law required his agency to respond by either closing Wheatley or appointing a new board to oversee the district.

Many parents and teachers have criticized the system as a one-size-fits-all approach that doesn鈥檛 bode well for students who learn differently. Educators are tasked with following a strict teaching schedule prepared by district leadership in an effort to save them time they usually spend preparing curriculum. Teachers say the district鈥檚 plans limit their ability to adapt their lessons and often need to be corrected.

Miles also converted some of Houston ISD鈥檚 libraries to discipline areas and reassigned librarians, which drew the ire of several panel attendees who defended libraries as an important part of a child’s development.

But Miles said the bad experiences some attendees described were purely anecdotal and framed them as examples of the 鈥渟tatus quo鈥� thinking prevalent in the state鈥檚 education system.

鈥淲e can’t keep doing the same things,鈥� he said.

This article originally appeared in ,聽a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.

More than 500 positions will be cut from Houston Independent School District鈥檚 central office staff, the first round of staff downsizing that will further clear the way for new Superintendent Mike Miles鈥� plan to overhaul campuses across the district.

Miles has been vocal about trimming a central office he described as 鈥渂loated鈥� and 鈥渁morphous鈥� upon his appointment last month to run Houston ISD by Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath. But Friday鈥檚 announcement offered the first glimpse into which departments will be impacted by his plans.

Miles said about 500 to 600 positions will be cut from academics-related departments, along with 40 from human resources. More departments will be affected in the coming weeks, he said.

Miles estimated the cuts from academic departments total 30% of current positions, about 3% of which were already vacant.

鈥淩eorganizations are hard. There are real people behind the numbers,鈥� Miles said Friday. 鈥淲e want to make sure that we do this in a way that鈥檚 respectful but also in enough time for people to apply for other jobs.鈥�

Houston ISD had about 3,600 staff members classified as part of 鈥減rofessional support鈥� or 鈥渃entral administration鈥� in 2021-22, the most recent year with available state data. The district reported about 23,700 employees across Houston ISD.

District officials have begun notifying those affected by the first round of dismissals, which is expected to be complete by July 17, Miles said. More job cuts will impact communications, school leadership, operations, finance and professional development departments throughout the year.

鈥淭hose we didn鈥檛 want to disturb right now, because we鈥檙e actually in the middle of transporting kids [to] summer school and nutrition services,鈥� Miles said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e larger organizations and it takes more time to make sure we do it in a way that is sound.鈥�

For the initial round of cuts, department chiefs first assessed the feasibility of cutting vacant positions before moving to those filled. Employees affected by cuts can apply for vacant positions that have been retained, Miles said.

Members of Houston ISD鈥檚 newly appointed board voted unanimously last month to cut $30 million from the central office budget, which will help fund Miles鈥� plans for reshaping schools in the district. He , including 28 campuses 鈥� coined the 鈥淣ew Education System,鈥� or NES, schools 鈥� primarily located in the city鈥檚 low-income neighborhoods that will see immediate changes ahead of the next school year.

Miles鈥� plan for NES schools involves using large pay increases and stipends to attract highly rated teachers to low-performing schools. In addition, several principals have been replaced and job responsibilities will be restructured ahead of the school year.

Morath tapped Miles and nine new board members on June 1 and ousted the elected board. The punishment was largely tied to chronically poor academic ratings at Wheatley High School. Many community members and teachers and

But dozens of principals have signaled their interest in joining Miles鈥� plans ahead of schedule. Those who choose to of the NES program in the upcoming school year will see a more standardized curriculum, potential cuts to non-teaching staff and new employee evaluation systems at their campuses. Principals must decide by Monday whether to voluntarily join.

The decision to cut employees is a 鈥減eople process,鈥� Miles said Friday, and one that he recognizes will be nerve-wracking for affected staff and their families.

鈥淭his, by no means, means that people haven鈥檛 been working hard or that people aren鈥檛 doing the job that they were assigned to do,鈥� Miles said. 鈥淭his is about making sure we right-size central office, and also work most efficiently.鈥�

This article originally appeared in .

The delay is significant, experts say, because points to a direct correlation between the closures and lost learning.

Of the nation鈥檚 25 largest districts, those that were in remote learning for at least half of the 2020-21 school year have spent an average of roughly 15% of their relief funds from the American Rescue Plan. 

compiled by the Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University shows that Los Angeles Unified, where schools stayed closed until April 2021, didn鈥檛 start spending any of its $2.5 billion until this fall. And the Chicago Public Schools, which reopened the same month, has spent just over 6% of almost $1.8 billion.

鈥淲hat opportunities might we be missing for kids to catch up?鈥� asked Jana Wilcox Lavin, CEO of Opportunity 180 in Las Vegas, where the Clark County School District never fully reopened that year. The nonprofit helped gather ideas from the community on how to use the funds, but the district has so far spent less than a quarter of it. Parents, she said, 鈥渃an鈥檛 point to where they see that money showing up in the classroom.鈥�

The dire consequences of school closures were reinforced last week when the National Assessment of Educational Progress revealed sharp declines for 9-year-olds in reading and math since 2020.

From the moment the U.S. Department of Education began distributing $122 billion in relief funds in March 2021, officials emphasized the need to act swiftly to help students make up lost ground.

“It’s hard to argue with the importance of addressing lost instructional time for all students,” Roberto Rodriguez, the department’s assistant secretary for planning, evaluation and policy development, told 蜜桃影视. “We want to see these dollars put to work now.”

But some districts haven鈥檛 spent the first dollar, much less the minimum 20% specifically spelled out for academic recovery.

The sluggish pace has caught the attention of House Republicans, who last month sent Education Secretary Miguel Cardona asking how districts are using the funds to 鈥渞emedy the acute learning losses brought on by prolonged school closures.鈥� Experts expect the tempo to pick up this fall, but education groups are with the department to stretch the to the end of 2026.

The disconnect is frustrating for parents and local politicians seeking evidence the money is being used to boost student performance.

The reopened on time in the fall of 2020. But as in many urban districts, high percentages of Black and Hispanic families So far, the district has spent just 6.8% of its $804 million.

鈥淲e’re going to get to the end of the next two years and nothing is going to look different for the school system,鈥� said Sue Deigaard, a Houston school board member. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not, so far, demonstrating consistency of any result, nor do I even see the dollars being spent in a way that looks particularly strategic and targeted.鈥�

She points to from the 2021-22 school year showing that third graders not only didn鈥檛 reach the district鈥檚 literacy goal, but performance actually dropped between winter and spring.

District leaders insist they鈥檙e not just sitting on their hands. Projects have been bogged down in supply chain delays and staff vacancies have been difficult to fill. Changes in leadership have also taken a toll: Among the 25 largest districts, 16 have lost at least one superintendent during the pandemic.

While superintendent turnover might not change a district鈥檚 spending plan, it can have a 鈥渃ascading impact,鈥� said David Rosenberg, a partner at Education Resource Strategies, which advises districts on budget issues. 

Staff vacancies and burnout can drag down even the 鈥渉ighest-functioning and most stable district teams,鈥� he said. 鈥淟ayer in superintendent turnover and potential turnover at the level below them and the work gets even more complicated.鈥�

Houston, which superintendent Millard House II has led for about a year, is one district experiencing such churn. 

Click here to view full chart.

August Hamilton, special assistant to House, said he鈥檚 grateful for the federal funds. But he doesn鈥檛 hold out much hope students will make rapid gains.

鈥淚 think we have to understand that you have first graders who never went to pre-K, never went to kindergarten 鈥� a first grader who’s now being asked to take a [state] test in 3rd grade,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat is going to be the challenge of this work. It鈥檚 a long time to have virtual instruction.鈥�

That鈥檚 one reason, he said, why the district moved $6.1 million in relief funds to aid the academic recovery of its neediest students this year. Officials said they no longer needed that money for masks and other COVID mitigation strategies.

鈥楤ackfilling鈥� budgets

To pinpoint spending patterns, 蜜桃影视 reviewed relief fund data from the and checked it against state figures. Districts provided details on when they fully reopened five days a week in 2020-21 鈥� if they did. And the , led by Brown University economist Emily Oster, offered additional data on the extent to which districts remained open, closed or in hybrid mode.

Districts generally haven鈥檛 made it easy to track how the money is being spent. Some states, like California,  how their districts are spending the 20% targeted specifically for learning loss. But most do not. 

New York state doesn鈥檛 post any information on relief fund spending. The Georgetown lab had to use a public records request to get any data, according to director Marguerite Roza. That showed that New York City, the nation’s largest school system, had spent none of its $4.8 billion. A spokesman for the district, which is tied up in  over its budget, declined to give an actual figure and called it a 鈥渕oving number.鈥� 

The halting pace ignores what researchers say is needed to lift performance in high-poverty districts that spent most of 2020-21 online. The authors of a May said districts need to spend all of their American Rescue Plan funds on extra instruction to help students recover 鈥� not just the 20% the law requires. The longer they wait, the authors wrote, the greater the 鈥渋mplications for future earnings, racial equity and income inequality.鈥�

Districts closed the longest have also seen the most enrollment loss. On average, enrollment in those districts has fallen by 4.4%, according to from the conservative American Enterprise Institute. Because state funding is tied to enrollment, some are now 鈥渂ackfilling鈥� budgets with relief dollars to make up for the losses, said Roza. In fact, she expects spending partly for that reason. 

鈥淚n the ones that were closed longer, it鈥檚 been harder to get kids to come back,鈥� she told 蜜桃影视. She points to districts such as the Seattle Public Schools, which plugged federal funds into its last year, and the , which described its use of relief dollars as an effort to 鈥渆nsure continuity of existing programs and services.鈥� 

In Los Angeles, enrollment fell almost 6% this year and is expected to drop below a year from now. The district waited to dip into its $2.5 billion because it still all it received from the first two rounds of federal aid, said board member Tanya Ortiz-Franklin. 

Statewide, California schools were among the last to bring students back in person. Unlike some governors, California鈥檚 Gavin Newsom didn鈥檛 order schools to reopen. 

Click here to view full chart.

Several districts in the state never resumed in-person instruction that spring, and some have yet to spend any of their funds from the March 2021 bill. They include the Simi Valley Unified School District, where Ron Todo, associate superintendent of business and facilities, said the district is hanging on to its $13.8 million for now. The deadlines to spend the earlier relief funds are more pressing, and the newest grant, he said, has a 鈥渓onger shelf life.鈥� 

Roza has heard such explanations before. But Congress designed the third round of funding to be different from earlier relief bills: It appropriated almost twice as much as the other packages combined and specifically required districts to address learning loss.

Districts 鈥渟hould be well into鈥� spending it by now, she said.

Under the legislation, districts have to obligate the funds by September 2024, and have through March 2026 to spend them. But Roza asked, 鈥淚f the money was intended to get kids back on track, why wait two years?鈥�

Education advocacy groups, like AASA, the School Superintendents Association, want the department to extend that deadline until the end of 2026. 

鈥淚 definitely have concerns about spending it all in time 鈥� not just for the practicality of getting it done,鈥� Ortiz-Franklin said, 鈥渂ut also strategically to best serve our students鈥� short- and long-term academic and social-emotional recovery.鈥�

Extending the timeline has political ramifications, Roza said during a recent .

鈥淭he accusation will be that we didn’t really need it, or at least if you needed it, you’re not even spending it on the kids that were impacted in the pandemic because they got older and they graduated,鈥� she said. 

In Simi Valley, Todo said his district plans to use the funds this school year for additional elementary counselors, social workers and intervention teachers to help students who have fallen behind. But a plan to get math teachers to work an extra class period met with resistance. 

鈥淲e have teachers who have survived the pandemic, and they are too tired to be in the classroom an extra hour,鈥� he said. Despite the exhaustion, Todo added, he sees a benefit to the current spending deadline: 鈥淲hen there is at least a healthy sense of urgency, we push ourselves a little harder.鈥�

鈥淲e need a seat at the table to get into the room where decisions are being made,鈥� Amanda Fernandez, president and CEO of Latinos for Education, said at the organization鈥檚 first national summit, held Wednesday and Thursday. 

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Including Dallas Independent School District Superintendent Michael Hinojosa and Rhode Island Commissioner of Education Angelica Infante-Green, the event was a chance to feature leaders 鈥渨ho showed up for Latinos during the COVID-19 pandemic,鈥� said Feliza Ortiz-Licon, the group鈥檚 chief policy and advocacy officer. 鈥�We want people to see that we are not alone in our fight for educational equity.鈥�

The virtual conversations, including regional events in Massachusetts and Texas, focused on the barriers that families face in accessing quality education opportunities for their children as well as the contributions Latino educators make in their school communities. 

鈥淭eachers want to work in a place where their voice is valued,鈥� said Infante-Green, noting her state鈥檚 efforts to pay signing bonuses to bilingual teachers and to place them in schools together so they don鈥檛 feel isolated. 

The State of Latino Education event comes after a period in which Latinos 鈥渄idn鈥檛 have a voice or representation at the federal level,鈥� Fernandez said, referring to the Trump administration. In addition, the pandemic has disproportionately impacted the Latino community and pulled back 鈥渢his rug where we used to sweep all the inequities,鈥� Infante-Green added. Along with the national and state-level summits, the organization released outlining multiple obstacles facing Latino students from early childhood through the post-secondary years. The findings, based on results from focus groups, point to poor access to quality early learning for young children, limited college advising and support services for high school students and what Ortiz-Licon called the 鈥渃hronic underrepresentation of Latino educators.鈥�

More than a quarter of the nation鈥檚 public school students are Latino, but Latino teachers make up less than 10 percent of the educator workforce, according to data cited in the report. The same is true for administrators. Roughly half of the focus group participants were Latino teachers, who said they face racism and are often placed in high-needs schools without adequate support. Many are also called upon to provide translation services.

鈥淭hey are not compensated, not even acknowledged for all the roles they play,鈥� Ortiz-Licon said.

Hinojosa spoke of his district鈥檚 efforts to recruit excellent teachers and principals and pay them well 鈥� an initiative the community through tax increases. In a district where 48 percent of students are English learners, Latino students are not really a 鈥渟ubgroup,鈥� he said.

鈥淚f we don鈥檛 do well with this population we鈥檙e not doing well at all,鈥� he said, highlighting initiatives such as business-industry partnerships allowing students to earn associate degrees along with their high school diplomas. 鈥淲e just need the community to believe in us.鈥�

Others emphasized the value of programs that make students feel connected to school, such as clubs and cultural events, as well as nonacademic services to address hunger, housing and mental health. The Houston Independent School District is using federal relief funds to staff schools with resource specialists.

鈥淚t’s not just about the student; it’s about being able to support our families as well,鈥� said Superintendent Millard House.

Latino families with young children, the organization鈥檚 report said, often don鈥檛 understand the difference between child care and early education or the benefits for children. While pre-K and kindergarten overall during the pandemic, the authors note that it has declined particularly among Black and Latino children and by more than half among those from low-income families. 

But Miriam Calderon, who leads early childhood work at the U.S. Department of Education, pointed to President Joe Biden鈥檚 child care and universal pre-K proposals, which include pay increases for teachers, as a move toward treating education for young children as a 鈥減ublic good.鈥�

鈥淭he failure to see early-childhood education as essential is shifting,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat makes me hopeful.鈥�