HOUSTON — As a part of the Texas Education Agency's takeover of Houston ISD, a new board of managers has been appointed to run the district.
The appointed board members are taking the place of the elected board of trustees but said they expect the same level of accountability from the public.
KHOU 11's Jason Miles got the chance to speak with some of the new board members who said they're on the same page when it comes to what lies ahead, at least for now.
“We are not naïve – we know we have to earn the community’s trust and get out with the community and invite the community in," said new board member Angela Lemond Flowers, an experienced educator who started her teaching career at HISD.
Lemond Flowers is also a single mother of four - including kids with special needs. She said she applied, in part, because of her experience dealing with the district.
"So, like many, many other families in the district - at times, when it's already a struggle, partnering with the school district sometimes is a beast," she said.
Among the new board's priorities is addressing deficiencies in service and support, as is partnering with the newly appointed superintendent to try and improve academic achievement.
"You should judge us by our actions," said new board member Audrey Momanaee, an experienced litigator and a native Houstonian. "At the core, our goal is to serve all HISD kids and make sure that they all have an opportunity to learn and grow and become productive members of the community and the world."
Camden Property Trust CEO Ric Campo applied for the board of managers just one day before the deadline after hearing a challenge by TEA Commissioner Mike Morath during a luncheon.
He said the new board may not be elected, but defended the process in which they were selected after the district had spent several years below state standards.
"When you think about it, it is a Democratic process," Campo said. "HISD was put on notice, the elected officials were put on notice and they did not comply with that law. And therefore, the broader Democratic process that happened in Austin took over and we're part of that process."
A process they said they hope will end with the district in better shape than when it began.
Like elected trustees, members of the board of managers do not get a salary.
The three Jason Miles spoke with said the onboarding process included rigorous training and education. Their first public meeting is scheduled for June 8.