Despite academic reforms and boosts in standardized testing, Houston ISD faces massive enrollment decline—7,400 fewer students in 2024–25 and another estimated drop of 6,800—triggering a $2.25 million marketing campaign.
But critics say the real issue is broken trust, not branding. Investigating how top-down decisions—like library overhauls and discipline shifts—have impacted neighborhood confidence will resonate deeply with families and community advocates.