Houston ISD - Texas Urban Council

Quick Facts

195,000 students.

276 campuses.

27,000 team members.

Superintendent
F. Mike Miles

The Houston Independent School District is the largest school district in Texas and the eighth-largest in the United States. It serves over 194,000 students at 276 campuses and is one of the largest employers in Houston, with about 27,000 team members. The district is the two-time winner of the prestigious Broad Prize for Urban Education.

Six assistant superintendents oversee HISD elementary, middle, high and alternative/charter schools (respectively). A total of 30 school-support officers report to the six assistant superintendents. These individuals provide leadership to principals, align resources and support for teachers, and ensure that the district is providing equitable and quality educational opportunities to students. Parent liaisons are available to answer questions and address matters regarding district schools.

HISD’s organization is designed to emphasize teaching and learning, align school goals and programs for sustained improvement, eliminate duplicated services, and provide greater oversight of data and compliance with state laws and regulations.

HISD is a district of choice, meaning that it offers a robust portfolio of schools that allows families to choose the school that best meets their child’s academic needs and interests. Families can choose from strong neighborhood schools, magnet and specialized programs, Montessori, early college high schools, gifted and talented programs, and career and technical academies.

Houston ISD places an emphasis on ensuring our students graduate ready for the world — possessing the characteristics they need to be successful in college and to compete in today’s global workforce.

Superintendent

F. Mike Miles

Mike Miles has dedicated his life to public service – first as a soldier, then as a diplomat, and for the past thirty years as an educator. Most recently, Superintendent Miles served as founder and CEO of Third Future Schools, a school transformation system based on fundamentally different principles of operating schools, and committed to preparing students for a Year 2035 workplace.

Prior to this latest work, Mike served three years as the Superintendent of the Dallas Independent School District and six years as the Superintendent of the Harrison School District in Colorado Springs. Under his leadership, both districts implemented ground-breaking initiatives, established a high-performance culture, and experienced significant growth in student achievement. As an instructional leader and professional developer, Mike has also helped teachers and administrators in school districts across the nation improve instruction and raise achievement.

Superintendent Miles has also served the public interest as a soldier and statesman. He served his country as an officer in the Army’s elite Ranger Battalion and as a Company Commander. Miles then joined the U.S. State Department as a Soviet analyst and member of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research. He then served as a diplomat to Poland and Russia at the end of the Cold War, finishing his service in the State Department as the Special Assistant to the Ambassador to Russia, before returning to the United States with his wife and children.

Superintendent Miles holds degrees from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the University of California at Berkeley, and Columbia University.