HISD board of managers says transition to local control could begin as soon as mid-January

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Houston ISD board of managers announced Thursday night that the transition to local control could begin as soon as mid-January, accelerating the end of the state takeover.

The board's president, Ric Campo, said the transition could start by mid-January. Earlier this week, the district sent a letter saying it was meeting with elected trustees, but that the meetings were not part of a leadership transition. That appears to have changed with Thursday's announcement.

The shift comes after Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa said during her victory speech on Nov. 3 that her day-one goal was to have Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath removed. Education experts told ABC13 that a new commissioner could change the criteria for ending the takeover and could remove the appointed board and superintendent.

Elected trustees, teachers, students, and community members all asked the board to stop making decisions until the elected trustees take over.

The board also said that in anticipation of their removal, they have stopped voting on some items, specifically policy items, which the district considers to be items that have legal requirements.

But the board did vote Thursday on a $92.4 million agenda item, setting off a major uproar in the room.

The vote approved negotiating a construction contract for a new career and technology center in Sunnyside, on land owned by HISD where Grimes Park once stood. The park was on a piece of land the district had leased to the city for years. The city had recently given it a multi-million-dollar renovation before the park was demolished to make way for the new center.

Elected trustees, who still hold their positions but have no voting power on the board, asked the appointed managers to delay the vote.

Maria Benzon, an elected HISD trustee, warned of the consequences of moving forward.

"If you look at the board agenda, it says they can start negotiating November 13th, and whatever they do to ultimately sign it, they do, and then we are beholden to follow that contract, and if we were to break it, there are ramifications that are probably very financial," Benzon said.

The vote passed. Community members booed, threw up their hands, and walked out once the vote was in.