(Texas Scorecard) – Last November, Houston Independent School District proposed the largest bond measure in Texas history—a $4.4 billion initiative that, including interest, would have cost taxpayers nearly $9 billion.
At the center of a growing controversy is a $2 million budget line item in HISD’s 2024–2025 budget, labeled “Key Action 2.” This allocation was designated for developing and promoting the bond proposal, including hiring a consulting firm. As part of that effort, the district’s media kit used branded language like “RENEW HISD” for social media campaigns.
Since the line item came under scrutiny in February, several developments have emerged. In April, it was revealed that Attorney General Ken Paxton sent a preliminary letter to the district in October. The letter stated, “Based on our preliminary investigation, the OAG has reason to believe that the HISD Board of Trustees has engaged in electioneering in favor of the Proposed Bond through Facebook posts.”
Around the same time, at least nine parents reportedly filed criminal complaints with Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare’s office, also citing concerns of electioneering.
This week, KPRC 2’s investigative team interviewed a whistleblower—a parent in the district who chose to remain anonymous for fear of backlash. She claimed that seven months before the bond vote, she participated in a secret focus group related to the bond. She was given a $150 gift card for participating, required to sign a confidentiality agreement, and initially believed the discussion would focus on local education topics like teachers and community issues.
Instead, she said, much of the session centered on the bond campaign itself.
Her account aligns with verifiable records. Outreach Strategists, the consulting firm hired by the district, billed HISD for conducting 10 focus groups during the same month the whistleblower claims to have participated. Documents show the firm was tasked with multiple objectives, including: “Developing the earned media strategy — including the cadence for public events, media engagement, identifying expert validators, and managing their interactions with the media.”
State Sen. Mayes Middleton of Galveston commented on the term “validators,” saying, “It sounds like ‘validators’ is another word for supporters.” Regarding the growing concerns and testimonies, he added, “That is very troubling to see.”
In response to the nine criminal complaints and over 50 parents who have contacted the DA’s office requesting an investigation, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office issued the following statement: “The Harris County District Attorney’s Office has received at least two affidavits from citizens alleging criminal conduct in connection with an election. By law, we are required to investigate these complaints. We do not discuss details about open investigations.”
Despite multiple media requests—via both live appearances and digital correspondence—HISD has so far declined to comment on the electioneering allegations.