A Houston High School’s Transformation

Laura Isensee of Houston Public Media discusses Furr High School, which recently received a $10 million grant to help it reinvent what, when, and how students learn. The changes are already underway: a veteran principal was lured out of retirement to take the helm; students are able dig into their own areas of interest during regular periods of “Genius Time”; and even the hiring process for teachers and staff has taken some innovative turns. What’s been the response of the school community to these new developments? How will the success of this experiment be measured? And what happens when students are given more of a say in how their school is designed? Plus, Isensee – an EWA Reporting Fellow — discusses the challenges and opportunities that come with embedding in a school, including tips for how to build trust with students.