Inside Spring ISD’s fight to save a high school from takeover
When a school fails to meet state academic standards for multiple years, the consequences can be severe. For Houston ISD’s Wheatley High School, repeated failure led to a state takeover that fundamentally changed the largest school district in Texas. Now, Spring ISD is facing a similar risk if Dekaney High School does not improve its performance.
Dekaney High School has received failing academic accountability scores for four consecutive years. According to a September 3 letter from the Texas Education Agency, the school has not earned an acceptable rating since the 2015–16 school year. If Dekaney receives another failing grade this year, the Texas education commissioner could take over the district, replacing the superintendent and elected school board with a state-appointed administrator and board of managers.
The district has one more school year to improve its score, relying on a state-mandated turnaround plan. Senior Christopher Zetino, 17, has noticed the changes at Dekaney. “Last year, we had at least some freedom, and the teachers had the freedom to make their own lesson plans,” he said. “But nowadays, it just feels like it’s just all micromanagement.”
Dekaney’s leadership hopes the turnaround plan will raise the school’s score to at least a C this year. The focus is on improving end-of-year exam scores, particularly for emergent bilingual and special education students. Principal Connie Smith, who was appointed in July, emphasized the need for a cultural shift. “When you’re working inside of an environment where it’s been failing for a long time, the culture needs a major shift in vision,” she said. “When you’re looking at accountability, it’s more about the responsibility we owe ourselves to give our kids the very best.”
Spring ISD leaders acknowledge that academic performance has stagnated across the district for the past three years. In 2024, only 38% of students met the grade-level standard on the reading STAAR, and math scores remained below 30%. Superintendent Kregg Cuellar called for “exponential growth” to close the gap between Spring ISD and the region and state.
At a recent board meeting, officials linked Dekaney’s low rating to weak math and reading scores, poor college and career readiness, and persistent gaps among students retaking tests. However, assistant superintendent Tracey Walker noted that preliminary data suggested the campus might receive a C rating for last year’s college and career preparedness.
Dekaney’s student population is predominantly Hispanic (just over half) and Black (about 40%). More than 79% of students are economically disadvantaged, and approximately 32% are emergent bilingual students. Toni Templeton, a senior research scientist at the University of Houston Education Research Center, highlighted the school’s low graduation rates. “In 2024, Dekaney had a 76.9% graduation rate for students who finished in four years, compared to the statewide average of 90.7%,” she said.
Michelle Williams, a former teacher and Spring resident, has raised concerns about the district’s autonomy. She believes the first F rating should have triggered immediate action. “The state took over the largest school district in the state of Texas. That should have been urgency enough,” she said.
After three years of failing accountability grades, the TEA requires campuses to implement a turnaround plan. Spring ISD’s plan includes rigorous instruction, new training sessions for administrators, and detailed lesson plans created by district leaders. Exit tickets are used to gauge student understanding, and administrators conduct 10 classroom observations per week.
Data plays a key role in the turnaround effort. In one ninth-grade English class, lesson plans are mapped out minute by minute, and in an algebra class, charts show how many students meet the grade-level standard. LaTracy Harris, assistant superintendent of academics, said daily checks on student work ensure learning stays on track.
However, some students feel the increased oversight is excessive. Zetino described the environment as feeling like a “prison.” “I would go as far as saying we feel like it’s a prison this year,” he said. “It just feels like I’m not really learning, and I’m literally just looking at a screen, writing down notes, almost as if I’m just forced to be there.”
Duncan Klussmann, a University of Houston professor, said districts in this situation must act aggressively. “Their runway is pretty short to be able to do it at this point,” he said. While options like closing the campus or partnering with charter schools exist, Dekaney’s leadership remains optimistic.
Associate Principal Tameka Atlee said the school is “all in” to turn things around. “We have to do things differently,” she said. “And when we talk with the kids, they understood that they needed more in the classroom as well. They are very aware of what it is that they need.”
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