The Bush Institute Education Newsletter

Welcome to the education newsletter from the George W. Bush Institute. Here, we share the ideas, policies, and voices that we are reading and listening too – and we share new resources from the Bush Institute. This newsletter is a tightly curated monthly snapshot of the policy and people shaping the way we think about education today.

We dig into the big topics that are Bush Institute priorities – like literacy, accountability, student success, and pathways after high school – with the urgency they deserve.

If you’re new to the Bush Institute, we are a nonpartisan institution advancing the timeless values of freedom, accountability, opportunity and compassion. We believe education isn’t just a pathway to opportunity; it’s also the foundation of a strong, free society. When every child has access to a high-quality education, they’re prepared to thrive as citizens and people.

Thanks for reading along – and if this was forwarded to you, please let me know if you would like to be added to our distribution list.

Sincerely,

Robin Berkley
Ann Kimball Johnson Director of Education
George W. Bush Institute

Figure of the Month

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Zero F-Rated Schools in Houston ISD

In one of the most significant academic turnarounds in our nation’s history, Houston ISD (HISD), the largest school district in Texas, has seen extraordinary gains in school performance based on 2025 Texas A-F Accountability Ratings.

Zero campuses received an F rating in 2025, down from 54 campuses in 2023.

190 campuses (75%) earned an A or B rating, more than double the 87 campuses (34%) two years ago.

These gains come in the wake of a 2023 state intervention by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

“ZIP code is no longer destiny in HISD,” HISD Superintendent Mike Miles said.

These improvements show the power of strong accountability systems, strategic investment, and a commitment to results-driven reform. HISD’s success could offer proof points for other states and districts.

Source: Good Reason Houston

Measurement Matters

Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee showed striking gains in the recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data, in what Education Next executive editor Frederick Hess calls the Southern Surge. Hess credits the impressive results to bold reforms passed by the states to improve literacy and teacher support.

It's not just Houston that is posting impressive gains in student performance. The Texas Tribune reported that school ratings improved across the state. The number of schools rated D or F dropped by half to the lowest level since 2019.

In a piece for The 74, I emphasize the importance of upholding the federal requirement for statewide annual assessments. This critical backstop protects states from powerful special-interest groups seeking to eliminate the transparent information about student achievement that state tests provide. Without transparency, parents, teachers, and policymakers won’t be able to see whether students are truly learning.

The Right Kind of Flexibility

On July 29, the U.S. Department of Education released new guidance outlining flexibility options for states under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Dale Chu of the Fordham Institute argues ESEA flexibility should be used to improve how student learning is measured – not as an excuse for states to abolish testing systems. Responding to Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters’ proposal to eliminate statewide reading and math exams, Chu warns that this move would fragment the system by eliminating uniform data within states and reduce transparency for parents and policymakers.

Bush Institute Insights

The Science of Reading works. It’s time we use it.

A strong democracy and a robust economy require that America's children are on track in reading. This was the core message that Anne Wicks, the Don Evans Family Managing Director of Opportunity and Democracy at the Bush Institute, delivered last month in her testimony on literacy before the Senate Subcommittee on Education and the American Family Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP).

In her remarks, Wicks drew on her perspective as both a parent and education advocate to highlight the alarming decline in reading scores across the country and call for the adoption of science-based reading instruction in our schools.

Wicks called on states to anchor their reading policies and practices in the Science of Reading by focusing on five key areas:

Strengthening teacher preparation programs

Providing ongoing training and coaching for current teachers

Ensuring access to high-quality instructional materials

Screening and intervening early for students who need extra support

Monitoring outcomes through comprehensive assessment systems, including statewide summative tests

Wicks also stressed the importance of maintaining federal requirements for annual statewide assessments and state accountability systems both critical for identifying underperforming schools and ensuring all students receive a high-quality education. Finally, she emphasized the need for sustained investment in literacy research to continue improving outcomes for all learners.

Robin Berkley
The Ann Kimball Jonson Director of Education

GEORGE W. BUSH PRESIDENTIAL CENTER
T: (214) 200-4340
E: RBerkley@bushcenter.org

www.bushcenter.org

About the George W. Bush Institute

The George W. Bush Institute is a solution-oriented nonpartisan policy organization focused on ensuring opportunity for all, strengthening democracy, and advancing free societies. Housed within the George W. Bush Presidential Center, the Bush Institute is rooted in compassionate conservative values and committed to creating positive, meaningful, and lasting change at home and abroad. We utilize our unique platform and convening power to advance solutions to national and global issues of the day. Learn more at www.bushcenter.org

George W. Bush Presidential Center
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