Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

Mike Miles (school superintendent)

Miles in 2023

F. Mike Miles is the current superintendent of Houston Independent School District. He previously served as the superintendent of the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) from July 1, 2012 to June 25, 2015,[1] and previously in Colorado Springs.

Miles was a ranger in the United States Army and worked in the U.S. State Department.[2] In his educational career he served as a superintendent for Harrison School District 2 in Colorado Springs.[3] Miles operated an educational consulting firm called Focal Point while in that position. The business wound down after he became Dallas ISD superintendent as his contract for DISD restricted his outside activities.[4] In Colorado Springs he tied teacher and principal pay to gains in student achievement.[3]

Dallas Independent School District

Miles created the reform effort Destination 2020 which asked for improvements to be made by 2013 and 2015.[5] Another plan, Accelerating Campus Excellence" (ACE) involved moving new principals and teachers into campuses and attracting high-performing teachers to needy campuses.[6]

Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price criticized Miles and called for his ouster.[5]

In 2013 the school board voted on whether to remove Miles from his position. Five members voted against and three voted for.[7] Miles' family initially moved from Colorado Springs to Dallas, but they returned to Colorado Springs in 2013 as a result of media attention on Miles' career.[8]

In 2014 Miles expressed a desire to get additional compensation in his contract.[9] Miles attempted to get amendments to his Dallas ISD contract but the board did not approve them. Miles resigned from Dallas ISD in 2015.[10]

Post-Dallas ISD

Third Future Schools

After Miles resigned from Dallas ISD, he founded a new chain of charter schools based in Colorado called Third Future Schools. Third Future Schools consists of 11 public charter schools in Colorado, Texas, Louisiana, and Tennessee.[11][12] In 2024, Spectrum News reported that Miles funneled millions of dollars of Texas public school funding to his Colorado-based charter school network, prompting an investigation by the Texas Education Agency.[13][12] With no physical space, Colorado staffers as bank account signatories, and substantial administrative leadership coming from Colorado, the nonprofit entity Third Future Schools-Texas formed in 2020 was described as a possible shell corporation.[12] More than $2 million was sent from Third Future Schools-Texas to offset deficits in Colorado.[13][14] Mike Morath, who appointed Miles as superintendent of HISD, explained that Third Future Schools is not considered a Texas charter school and receives funding through performance contracts with school districts.[14] The Texas Education Agency ruled that Third Future Schools did not violate any applicable Texas laws by sending money to Colorado and chose to take no action.[13]

Third Future Schools’ 2023 audit shows of the $25 million public tax dollars being spent on Miles’ three Texas schools, $15 million was spent on teachers and supplies. The other $10 million, about 40% of the budget, was spent on unspecified administrative costs and services.[8]

Houston Independent School District

On June 1, 2023, Miles was appointed superintendent of Houston ISD, replacing Millard House II as part of the Houston Independent School District takeover by the Texas Education Agency.[15][6]

Miles had a controversial first term as superintendent. Issues protested included a lack of autonomy with teacher observations, pushing to convert libraries into discipline areas,[16] HISD employee terminations, and accusations of misuse of funds. Protests occurred at Houston City Hall and multiple HISD schools. [17][18] HISD has seen significant staff turnover since Miles' appointment, with more than 10,000 employees leaving as of June 2024.[19][20] In August 2023, his administration sought various policy changes to increase Miles' authority, including an increase in the purchasing threshold requiring board approval from $100,000 to $2 million.[21] In response to significant pushback, the approval threshold was reduced to $1 million and approved by the board of managers.[22][23] In January 2025, HISD revealed that the administration made $870 million in purchases between August 2023 and December 2024 without seeking proper board approval.[24]

References

  1. ^ "DISD superintendents in the modern era". The Dallas Morning News. 2015-06-24. Retrieved 2019-10-22. at Pressreader.com, covers Warren T. White until Mike Miles and includes interim superintendents.
  2. ^ "F. MIKE MILES, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS". Houston ISD. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  3. ^ a b "Disruption, scandals, clashes had dogged Dallas ISD's Mike Miles". The Dallas Morning News. 2015-06-24. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  4. ^ "Dallas ISD chief Mike Miles announces resignation after contract changes rejected". The Dallas Morning News. 2015-06-24.
  5. ^ a b "Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles calls tough year a success". The Dallas Morning News. 2013-06-30. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  6. ^ a b Haag, Matthew (2015-04-12). "Mike Miles promises significant academic gains in 'ACE' schools by December". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  7. ^ "Vote to fire Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles fails". The Dallas Morning News. 2013-10-01. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  8. ^ a b "Wife and son of Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles to move back to Colorado". The Dallas Morning News. 2013-08-06. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  9. ^ "Dallas ISD's Mike Miles seeks contract extension with new perks". The Dallas Morning News. 2014-06-25. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  10. ^ "Ex-DISD Superintendent Mike Miles under fire in Houston ISD after mass layoffs, reforms". The Dallas Morning News. 2024-05-24. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  11. ^ Holmes-Brown, Shaniece (2023-06-03). "HISD superintendent Mike Miles announces plans for his charter school chain, Third Future Schools". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  12. ^ a b c Lee, Josephine (2024-07-16). "Mike Miles Moved Texas School Funds to Colorado Through a Possible Shell Corporation Without a Paper Trail". The Texas Observer. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  13. ^ a b c Shipp, Brett (May 14, 2024). "Disappearing Dollars: Texas public schools are missing millions". spectrumlocalnews.com. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
  14. ^ a b Banks, Nina (2024-05-15). "Houston ISD superintendent accused of funneling tax dollars out of state". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
  15. ^ Zuvanich, Adam (2023-06-07). "Ex-Houston ISD superintendent Millard House II lands similar job in Washington D.C. area". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  16. ^ "Houston school libraries turned into 'discipline centers' in 'hostile takeover' by state". MSNBC.com. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  17. ^ Hobbs, Tawnell D. (2024-05-25). "Hundreds protest Mike Miles, Houston ISD leadership at City Hall". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  18. ^ Willis, Kara D. (2024-05-16). "Community protests continue against HISD's Mike Miles and Board of Managers". The CW. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  19. ^ Goodwin, Anastasia; Mizan, Nusaiba (August 5, 2024). "HISD saw record turnover in June". Houston Chronicle.
  20. ^ "Houston ISD teacher resignations spike in first six weeks of the year amid district overhaul". 3 November 2023.
  21. ^ Menchaca, Megan (August 4, 2023). "HISD seeks to increase purchase limit requiring board approval: 'Unheard of and obscene'". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  22. ^ Gardner, Wesley (2023-08-11). "Houston ISD approves flurry of measures increasing superintendent's power". Community Impact. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
  23. ^ Menchaca, Megan (August 11, 2023). "'A $1 million power grab': Houston ISD board votes to remove several limits on superintendent Miles' power". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  24. ^ Lehrer-Small, Asher (2025-01-13). "HISD leaders failed to get board approval for up to $870 million in spending, records show". Houston Landing. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
Educational offices
Preceded by
Millard House
Houston Independent School District
superintendent

2023-
Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
Alan King (interim)
Dallas Independent School District
superintendent

2012-2015
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Victor J. Meyers
Harrison School District 2
superintendent

2006-2012
Succeeded by
Andre Spencer