Parents Criticize HISD for Lack of Transparency in Funding Decisions and Communication Efforts

HISD’s $2 Million Communication Platform Raises Transparency Concerns Among Parents

Houston Independent School District plans to invest $2 million in its in-house communications platform, HISD Now, according to the district’s 2025-26 improvement plan. The initiative aims to combat misinformation, but parents and education advocates question whether the expense addresses ongoing communication gaps between the district and its stakeholders.

The communication challenges became particularly evident when HISD announced potential consolidation plans affecting 12 schools, including Port Houston Elementary. Local parent Deysy Areano expressed shock at the announcement, saying it “came out of nowhere” and was “really unexpected,” leaving families blindsided by the significant decision.

Areano’s frustration only deepened after attending an informational meeting hosted by district managers, which she described as a brief 20-minute session offering little clarity. “They were trying to keep us not talking at all,” she recounted. “The moment I stood up and told her ‘no, this is what we are feeling, these are our ideas,’ they were trying to tell us to calm down and write it on a piece of paper they had on the chairs.”

The improvement plan outlines ambitious goals for HISD Now, including prioritizing it within the communications budget, hiring a news crew capable of covering breaking news live, and marketing the platform beyond district boundaries. The document specifically cites challenges in the current media landscape, stating, “Our efforts to persuade and inform in this type of media environment have suffered from the immediacy of misinformation and entertaining social content.”

The timing of this investment comes as Texas’s largest school district undergoes significant transformation under state intervention. HISD has faced numerous controversies over operational changes, leadership decisions, and resource allocation during this transition period, making effective communication with the community particularly critical.

Critics argue that the substantial investment doesn’t address fundamental transparency issues. Corian Ortiz, Chief of Staff for the Houston Federation of Teachers Union, believes the district’s approach misses the mark on genuine engagement. “If there would have been actual true transparency, they would have brought in all those stakeholders—you would have brought in the community, you would have brought in the parents, you would have brought in the unions,” Ortiz said.

Financial documents show HISD has allocated nearly $6.5 million for media services in the approved 2025-26 school budget, raising questions about how the $2 million for HISD Now fits into this larger communications strategy. When questioned about these figures, district officials responded that the improvement plan document was drafted before HISD Now launched and that department goals could change. They also clarified that the $2 million represents potential costs over multiple years, not a single-year expenditure.

The district’s communication platform comes at a time when school systems nationwide are grappling with how to effectively communicate in an increasingly fragmented media environment. Many districts have expanded their in-house media capabilities to directly reach stakeholders, though few at the scale HISD proposes.

Education policy experts note that while districts benefit from controlling their messaging, the effectiveness of such platforms ultimately depends on whether they facilitate genuine two-way communication or simply serve as promotional vehicles. The critical test will be whether HISD Now addresses the communication gaps that parents like Areano have experienced.

When ABC13, which originally reported this story, requested an on-camera interview with district representatives to discuss these concerns, their request was not acknowledged, potentially reinforcing the perception of limited accessibility that has frustrated community members.

As HISD moves forward with its communication initiatives, the district faces the challenge of demonstrating that investments in HISD Now will genuinely improve transparency and meaningful engagement with the families and communities it serves, rather than simply amplifying district messaging.