Mike Miles on Houston School Reform: Urgency, Outcomes, and Tackling the Tyranny of the 5 Percent

In this episode, Iranetta Rayborn Wright sits down with Mike Miles, Superintendent of Houston ISD, for an unfiltered conversation about wholesale school reform and bold leadership in urban education. Mike Miles shares what he’s most proud of record-setting gains in student achievement, and explains why he believes incremental, piecemeal change has failed American education.Together, they dive into the nuts and bolts of the Houston ISD transformation: from building a new status quo bias to deploying the New Education System (NES), and how strong accountability, high expectations, and real-time feedback drive lasting results. Mike Miles addresses common criticisms, discusses lessons learned from Dallas ISD, and offers insight into the role of governance and the importance of working with urgency in today’s rapidly changing world.Tune in for a candid look at what it takes to reimagine schools for student success, and why outcomes, not just improvement, must be the bar for every child.Key Moments06:22 "Poverty, Mobility, Enrollment Trends"08:29 "Building Lasting Reform Systems"13:17 "Elected School Boards' Challenges"15:18 "The Tyranny of the 5%"19:07 "Exploring NES Classroom Model"24:43 Tracking Student Learning Effectively25:59 "DOL Insights and Remediation"30:29 "Feedback and Coaching Matters"32:19 "Urgency for Future Action"Why You’ll Love This Episode:Discover what it takes to lead one of the most ambitious school reform efforts in the country Mike Miles shares how bold, systemwide change—not incremental fixes—can dramatically improve student outcomes at scaleGet a behind-the-scenes look at the NES model and how consistent, high-quality instruction, real-time feedback, and daily data tracking are transforming classrooms. This episode breaks down what effective teaching and learning actually look like in practice.Gain insight into leadership under pressure, from navigating criticism to driving change with urgency. If you care about results, accountability, and doing what’s best for students despite the noise, this conversation will challenge how you think about school transformation. Connect with Mike Miles LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fmikemiles Website: https://www.houstonisd.org/ Follow Us OnHost LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iranetta-rayborn-wright-00053937 Company LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/institute-for-education-innovation/ Company Website: https://www.instituteforedinnovation.com/ Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to IEI for more powerful conversations on educational leadership, innovation, and the stories shaping our schools.