A statement from the Houston Independent School District's board of education reads:

"HID has received official notice that the Texas Education Agency intends to replace Houston ISD’s superintendent and elected trustees of the Board of Education with an appointed superintendent and board of managers in the next few months. The Board is reviewing this notice to determine next steps. In the meantime, our great schools remain open and committed to providing a meaningful educational experience for all students. The District’s top priority is, and will continue to be, student outcomes. The Board hopes that TEA has a clear and transparent process for this announced transition tat is communicated to the community and the District. The Board, in partnership with District Administration, will work with the Commissioner of Education to create a smooth transition for the sake of all HISD students, staff, and families."

HISD Superintendent Millard House II said in a statement he stepped into his role understanding a potential takeover was looming, but he remained focused on building a framework that prioritized high-quality educational experience for its students through the teachers hired."I am proud to say, in the lst 19 months, we have already seen vast improvements," House continued. "Because of the hard work of our students, teachers, and staff, we have lifted 40 of 50 schools off the D or F TEA accountability ratings list. Together, with our parents, community members and leaders, we developed the district's first comprehensive five-year strategic plan to build a better HISD. Today’s announcement does not discount the gains we have made district-wide. I am confident our educators and staff will continue to do the necessary work to ensure positive student outcomes at every level. For our students and families, it is education as usual, and the school year continues as normal. As we wrap up this school year, my focus will be on working with our Board of Trustees and the TEA to ensure a smooth transition without disruption to our core mission of providing an exceptional educational experience for all students."

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said in March 15 statements to the media: “This process has been without community engagement or any transparency. It's disheartening that the Texas Education Agency has yet to speak directly to parents or the children, and this announcement is happening during their spring break."

"Under this superintendent and new school board, significant progress has been made in HISD. Forty of 50 former D or F schools are in a much better status today. I give great credit to the teachers and students at Wheatley High School. You don't reward success by penalizing by not just that school but by taking over more than 200 other HISD schools."

“This takeover is not about the quality of education. If you look at the Texas Legislature, several bills have been filed to pre-empt the authority of the city of Houston and other local jurisdictions. HISD happens to be one of those local jurisdictions."

"There is no example of a successful takeover by the state of a local school the size of HISD. A report by the Kinder Institute said the school district's status is worse after a school takeover. So, by what standard should we measure TEA? Is the agency saying to teachers and parents that after this takeover, there will be no failing schools in HISD, none.”

Greater Houston Partnership President and CEO Bob Harvey stated:

"Now that TEA has announced their intent to intervene as expected, we encourage individuals with an unrelenting commitment to ensuring every student has the opportunity to reach their true potential to apply to serve on the board. The business community of Houston stands ready to support the new leaders of HISD as they develop district-wide and campus-specific improvement plans for the school year 2023-2024. All Houstonians should get behind this program to improve student academic performance throughout the district. This is about providing opportunity for all of Houston’s children. Our future as a great, diverse city rests on this moment."

U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Houston, also expressed her disappointment in the TEA's process and decision. Her statement reads in part:

"Educating our children is vital for their futures, and for the future of our city, our state, and our country. With past and present challenges in mind, Houstonians—as teachers, staff, students, parents, and voters—have worked to improve HISD for all students and have addressed the specific ratings issues at Wheatley High School. Indeed, the Commissioner’s letter acknowledges the gains the district has made and the student-focused commitment of its recently appointed superintendent, who is widely respected in the community. It is anti-democratic for an appointed commissioner to take over an elected school board, and it is an affront to Houston voters. To do so based on a set of facts that has entirely changed raises several issues that must be addressed to protect our children, our communities, and our schools."

State Sen. Borris L. Miles, D-Houston, said in a statement:

“This is a terrible day for our public education system. I have been voicing my unwavering opposition to a state takeover of Houston ISD for years. The fact of the matter is that state takeovers of school districts do not work. After a state takes over a school district, the schools do not improve. In fact, they get worse as test scores drop and don’t return to pre-takeover levels until five years later. How many generations of students in the largest school district in Texas will suffer under this disastrous takeover? State takeovers of school districts do more harm than good and they come with a hefty price tag in terms of money, resources and staffing. How does our state’s leadership plan to pay for this incredibly expensive takeover? Is this part of the governor’s presidential campaign to turn our public schools into charter schools, paid for by vouchers? This is not over. I will continue fighting for our kids, our hard-working teachers and support staff and the families who will be impacted by this radical change.”

A statement from the Texas Legislative Black Caucus (TxLBC) reads in part:

"We are incredibly disappointed with this outcome despite all the evidence showing HISD’s improvement in performance. With that being said, we want to ensure the people that we will not give up so easily and that we will continue to pursue all options at this time, including legislation. HB 3780 by Rep. Alma Allen will aim to prevent TEA from being able to so quickly move to take over a school district in the future, and we urge the Texas Legislature to quickly pass this bill to bring accountability to the agency."

A statement from TxLBC Chairman Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, reads in part:

"We are disappointed to learn that TEA will be moving forward with taking over HISD, a move that will affect over 194,000 students at 276 campuses across the district. If TEA can take over the 7th largest school district in the nation as a result of one underperforming school, who is to say other districts within the state of Texas won’t be next? Ultimately, we need to be focusing on the best ways to help serve our students and teachers, and a takeover of the school district, which we know has not worked in the past, is not the way to move forward. Research has shown that districts perform worse with test scores and student performance after the takeover of school districts. I invite my colleagues to support HB 3780 and to restore accountability when it comes to the TEA’s ability to take over school districts, because they deserve better, and frankly, the people deserve better."

Houston Federation of Teachers President Jackie Anderson said at a press conference:

"Schools should be run by our locally elected school board. As far as I'm concerned, this is a hostile takeover. It was done to Houston families, not with them. There was no transparency, no attempt to hear from the Houston community, and this is outrageous."

A statement from Houston Community Voices for Public Education reads in part:

“The takeover of the largest school district in Texas is a politically motivated, irresponsible experiment that will worsen inequities and disenfranchise Houston voters. Takeovers have failed around the country and will cause skyrocketing teacher turnover, more school closures in Black and Brown neighborhoods, profit-seeking charter expansion that purposefully under-enroll students with disabilities to inflate their accountability ratings, and endless STAAR prep.”

Danielle Keys Bess, a candidate for Houston City Council at-large position 2, said in a statement:

"I am completely disheartened to hear that the Texas Education Agency will move forward with the hostile takeover of the Houston Independent School District. This act, despite community resistance, stands to disproportionately impact communities of color. Ironically, it was on this day 58 years ago that President Lyndon B. Johnson addressed Congress urging them to pass legislation that guaranteed voting rights for all. LBJ, in his address, intentionally used the phrase 'WE shall overcome,' which was inspired by African American leaders in the Civil Rights Movement. Unfortunately, we are still fighting for equality today. History has shown us that if WE do not stand together, WE are destined to fall. Our children deserve better. Our children deserve to be protected. Our children deserve leaders accountable to them. WE. SHALL. OVERCOME."