Dive Brief:

• Houston Independent School District laid off 160 uncertified teachers and 54 staff members as part of “staff leveling” efforts “to align teachers with student enrollment,” according to a district announcement on Monday. Additionally, 232 teachers were reassigned to unfilled positions.
• The district’s student enrollment data for the 2025-26 school year has yet to be released, though Houston ISD said in a February board meeting that it was conservatively budgeting for a decrease in enrollment of about 8,000 students, which would lead to a loss of $67 million in revenue.
• At the same meeting, the district said it would consider a proposal this fall to close some schools in the 2026-27 school year. It cited a 30,000 student decline in Houston ISD’s enrollment over the last decade.

Dive Insight:

The major staffing shift for Houston ISD “is a standard process that ensures the most effective teachers are leading our classrooms,” said Trey Serna, a district spokesperson, in a Monday video announcement.

When staffing adjustments are needed, Texas’ largest school district primarily considers a teacher’s performance and certification, Serna said. 

The move comes as the district has recently reported early successes during a state takeover aimed at turning around low-performing schools.  Superintendent Mike Miles, who was appointed by the state in June 2023, reported a sharp increase in A- and B-rated schools in the 2024-25 school year and has promised that all Houston ISD schools will fall into A- and B-rated categories by 2027.

Adjustments to budgets and staffing due to enrollment declines are a challenge many public schools are facing nationwide. 

If declining enrollments persist, education economics researchers foresee more layoffs and hiring freezes for districts moving forward. This, they said, could lead to a broad reversal in teacher shortages. 

Education finance experts have suggested that while districts increasingly consider teacher layoffs, they should focus on firing ineffective and uncertified educators first. 

In September, Florida’s Orange County Public Schools announced mass teacher reassignments as it faces a sharp, unexpected decline in enrollment this school year. Because Orange County Public Schools had 157 vacancies due to a hiring freeze, Superintendent Maria Vazquez said she was hopeful the district could retain most of its instructional staff.

Texas’ Austin Independent School District is also moving ahead with plans to consolidate some of its schools amid ongoing enrollment declines. Superintendent Matias Segura said in a Wednesday Instagram video that the district will publish its first draft for consolidation and boundary changes by Friday evening.   

“It won’t be perfect, and it isn’t final,” Segura said of the draft plan. “Our goal is the same one our community shares: every family deserves an excellent neighborhood school that is vibrant, well-resourced, and ready to meet each child’s needs.”

The district plans to collect community feedback and refine the plan before the school board votes on Nov. 20.