The Cost of Leadership Instability in HISD: Who Pays the Price?

Under the current HISD administration, our school communities have faced an unprecedented wave of destabilization—and it’s only getting worse.

Last Thursday night, just before a planned Professional Development and no-school Friday, Harvard Elementary and Pershing Middle School parents were blindsided by emails from HISD leadership. Harvard officially lost its leadership team, joining a list of approximately 150 schools affected by the “Miles shake-up.” Pershing received yet another new principal—its third this school year—along with four new assistant principals. Other schools caught in this shuffle include River Oaks, Lanier, Memorial, and Twain, which either lost or gained leaders from Harvard and Pershing.

A Troubling Trend: Tracking Principal Turnover in HISD

The Houston Chronicle HISD principal tracker: Updates on school leadership turnover has been monitoring principal changes across HISD since the Texas Education Agency (TEA) installed Mike Miles as superintendent. Their Principal Tracker documents a staggering 154 principal changes across 141 schools by the start of the 2024-2025 school year. Community groups have since reported additional changes, though the official total remains unknown. This level of disruption is unprecedented and destabilizes the very foundation of our schools.

Research consistently shows that frequent leadership changes undermine the stability essential for effective learning, affecting students, teachers, and the broader community. Here’s what the research reveals about the impact of principal turnover:

1. Impact on Student Achievement: Studies from the Learning Policy Institute and the Brookings Institution show a direct correlation between frequent principal turnover and declines in student achievement, especially in high-poverty schools. Stability in leadership is critical to sustaining academic gains, as new leaders face a learning curve that can slow or disrupt progress in established programs.

2. Teacher Retention and Morale: The National Association of Secondary School Principals found that sudden leadership changes increase teacher turnover and lower morale. Teachers depend on stable, supportive leaders for guidance and professional growth. Without this stability, teachers face uncertainty, leading to higher turnover rates—especially among experienced educators integral to student success.

3. Community Trust and Engagement: The Wallace Foundation highlights that principal turnover undermines community trust and weakens parental involvement. Schools serve as community hubs, and when leaders are removed without community input, it erodes families’ trust in the institution, diminishing parental support and engagement.

4. School Climate and Long-Term Stability: Studies in Education Finance and Policy emphasize that effective principals cultivate a positive school climate over years, creating an environment where students feel secure and supported. Abrupt leadership changes undermine this environment, resulting in a fragmented school culture and impacting students’ sense of belonging.

Rhetoric vs. Reality: What Are The True Motives Behind the Shake-Up?

Following the Thursday leadership changes, an HISD spokesperson defended these actions, stating they were intended to ensure leaders are “beyond reproach.” However, data tells a different story. According to reports from the Supporters for HISD Magnet and Budget Accountability group, as of August 2024, 76% of schools that lost their principals saw an increase in accountability scores from 2023 to 2024.

These metrics reveal that many of the dismissed principals were not only meeting but exceeding performance expectations, suggesting that the shake-up is less about accountability and more about implementing a different agenda.

The Recent Shuffle: Strategic or Unnecessary Disruption?

A November 8th article in the Houston Chronicle Mike Miles shakes up leadership across Houston ISD schools described the latest changes as “musical chairs.” In these puzzling decisions, Assistant Principal Stephanie Howard, after only three months in her assignment, was abruptly moved. Meanwhile, Dr. Alejandra Perez, appointed just a month ago as interim principal at Harvard to maintain continuity after Dr. Shelby Calabrese was placed on leave, was swapped with Memorial’s Assistant Principal, Molly Lashway—a change that deeply upset two communities who had built strong bonds with these leaders. Tyesha Beller, a respected Assistant Principal at Pershing, was reassigned to Lanier. Bryant Johnson, another beloved Assistant Principal, was moved from River Oaks Elementary to Pershing. These moves make it clear that no school is “safe” from district overreach.

Parents took to local news channels and community Facebook groups to express outrage over the sudden loss of their school leaders while simultaneously vouching for them with parents in the receiving schools. Phrases like “please welcome her” and “please treat him well” echoed among hundreds of postings. This exchange of goodwill among parents reflects the deep bonds built with these leaders and the distress caused by their sudden removal.

So, who were assigned as new principals at Harvard and Pershing? Two recent graduates of the 2024-2025 Principal Academy, Ms. Sharon Pe Benito and Ms. Domiana Battah-Miari. What is the Principal Academy? According to HISD, it is a year-long, paid residency program designed to prepare “high-performing instructional leaders” for future principal roles within the district. However, a report from the Houston Chronicle Houston ISD hires 1 in 3 members of principal training program suggests that the academy may be part of a broader effort to replace experienced leaders with new hires loyal to Mike Miles. This clearly isn’t about leadership quality, as experienced principals—who have built trust and achieved tangible improvements—are being removed and replaced by inexperienced ones. This appears to be a calculated move to sever school-community bonds, a tactic referred to as “community-busting” by Community Voices for Public Education Standing Strong Against HISD’s Community-Busting Tactics - Community Voices for Public Education .

The Real Impact on Students, Teachers, and Families: Stability Matters in Education

The rapid turnover of school leaders in HISD has created significant challenges for both teachers and families. Research shows that strong relationships between parents, teachers, and principals are the pillars of effective schools, providing the stability students need to thrive. Yet in HISD, these foundations are being eroded by abrupt, poorly communicated leadership changes.

While Mike Miles claims to prioritize students, his actions undermine the very relationships that sustain school communities. Teachers, parents, and students are left questioning the district’s commitment to stability and partnership, as decisions are made without regard for those most affected.

The data and research are clear: leadership stability is crucial for academic achievement, teacher retention, community trust, and a positive school climate. Disrupting these bonds weakens schools and reduces parental engagement. Is this erosion of community involvement and local trust a deliberate strategy to consolidate control and silence parent voices?

HISD communities deserve better.