Houston ISD is refusing to turn over documents that would help explain how it spent nearly $9 million relating to the development of the district’s massive $4.4 billion bond proposal. The documents would shed light on critical questions unanswered, such as the specifics of the contracts involved and whether the bidding process was competitive.
Earlier this month, the Houston Chronicle published a revealing story about Houston ISD’s pre-bond spending habits. However, the report only highlighted how roughly $700,000 was spent from February to April 2024, though the district has been working on the bond proposal since 2020.
Like the Chronicle, TPPF submitted a public information request (PIR) on the date the bond package was publicly revealed. We received seven invoices totaling more than $709,000 for payments made between February and April to the three firms Outreach Strategists (a Houston-based public relations firm), Kitamba (a self-proclaimed “social impact consulting and products firm), and Rice & Gardner (a Houston-based architecture consulting firm). These figures align with the Chronicle’s report.
The invoices from Rice & Gardner reveal that Houston ISD has authorized $8,855,515 to the firm and already paid out a staggering $8,234,242.32 for bond preparation and planning.
Included in the invoice for Rice & Gardner is an Houston ISD Monthly Subcontractor Payment Report showing $1,298,585 to PBK Architects. PBK Architects funds campaigns to persuade voters to approve bond packages that would likely benefit the firm financially.
These payments reveal Houston ISD has spent more than 10 times the $700,000 included in the few invoices we received from the PIR – all before a single public vote was cast.
So, what did they spend all that other money on? Houston ISD doesn’t want you to know.
TPPF submitted a second public information request for the original bids and contracts. However, Houston ISD responded by claiming that the taxpayer-owned contracts and request for proposals (RFPs) should be exempt from disclosure because it contains “confidential information.” Houston ISD’s legal team issued an appeal to Attorney General Paxton’s office requesting permission to deny taxpayers the right to see the details of public contracts and bids.
Over $9 million of your tax dollars has been spent to plan a bond, and the ISD now claims all of the details are too confidential to share?
This is a blatant attempt to hide their financial dealings from taxpayers. Such actions undermine public trust and raise serious concerns about who truly benefits from these taxpayer-funded expenditures.
The lack of transparency in Houston ISD’s financial operations is unacceptable. Taxpayers have the right to know how their money is being spent and to ensure that it is being used effectively to benefit students, not to line the pockets of consultants and firms with dubious contracts.
This issue is not isolated to Houston ISD. Across Texas, numerous school districts have been found to engage in similar practices, prioritizing payments to consultants, legal firms, and other vendors over direct educational outcomes. These examples reveal a disturbing trend: instead of prioritizing educational outcomes, districts are often misallocating funds to outside profiteers. The focus needs to shift back to ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent directly on improving the quality of education for our students and not lining the pockets of consultants and lobbyists.
The current scenario at Houston ISD is a powerful reminder of the need for greater accountability and transparency in public education. It highlights the importance of scrutinizing where and how districts raise public funds. Houston ISD’s attempt to obscure their financial dealings should be a wake-up call for all of us.
It is time for a change, and it starts with demanding transparency and rooting out those who profit at the expense of our children’s education.