Why School Takeovers Harm Communities

I strongly oppose state takeovers of local school districts and campuses, and I believe this practice represents a serious overreach of state authority that harms, rather than helps, students and communities. A single test-based accountability rating should not be used as justification for stripping a district of its locally elected leadership. Communities deserve a voice in how their schools are run, and takeovers silence parents, teachers, and students while concentrating power in the hands of an unelected commissioner.

State takeovers have consistently failed to produce meaningful or lasting improvements. In many cases, they lead to an overreliance on test preparation, narrow curricula, harsh discipline policies, and instability for both students and educators. They undermine special education services and teacher working conditions, and they erode trust between schools and the communities they serve. Rather than supporting improvement, takeovers often deepen inequities and stigmatize the very neighborhoods that need the most investment.

I am particularly opposed to proposals that would create a statewide state-managed district or expand the commissioner’s power to impose sanctions without meaningful oversight or the ability for districts to appeal in court. Such proposals strip away transparency and accountability and put our public education system at the mercy of political appointees rather than local voters. Likewise, I do not support arrangements that allow private charter operators or education management organizations to take over public campuses—whether through partnerships or commissioner appointment. These arrangements divert funds away from public districts, reduce community control, and allow private entities to operate schools without the same public accountability requirements.

Instead of punitive measures and privatization schemes, the state should provide targeted support, adequate funding, and collaborative improvement strategies that respect local governance. Our focus should be on strengthening public schools instead of taking them over, handing them to private actors, or governing them from Austin. Strong schools grow from local leadership, community investment, and evidence-based support, not coercion.

➡️ Read more about my position on Texas education issues: https://www.victorsampson.org/issues-and-positions

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