Transforming MISD: Inside Dr. Stephanie Howard’s Strategic Plan for Change

Transforming MISD: Inside Dr. Stephanie Howard’s Strategic Plan for Change

MISD sees continued success as school improvement efforts impact all campuses

August 15, 2025 – Following this morning’s release of the 2025 Accountability Ratings, Midland ISD is highlighting the significant academic gains achieved over the past two years. When Dr. Stephanie D. Howard stepped into her role as Midland ISD superintendent in January 2023, she entered a district hungry for stability, credibility, and change. Student achievement had dropped. Facilities were aging. Finances were stretched. And trust in the system had eroded.

But rather than deliver quick fixes or chase headlines, Howard and her team set a deliberate course—quiet, focused, and unapologetically student-centered. Now, the results of the work are both visible and measurable.

A Turnaround in Academic Performance

Perhaps the most striking achievement under Dr. Howard’s leadership is the district’s academic turnaround. In just two years, Midland ISD reduced the number of F rated campuses from nine to one, a remarkable feat in the state’s accountability system. These gains reflect more than compliance; they show a commitment to instructional consistency, high-quality leadership, and a belief that all students can grow when expectations are matched with support.

At the same time, the number of A and B rated campuses doubled from seven to fourteen, evidence that success is not only about avoiding failure but about building excellence. Howard credits this momentum to a districtwide culture shift, one that embraces high expectations while ensuring educators have the tools, resources, support, and coaching they need to deliver quality instruction.

Student Achievement on the Rise

The academic progress MISD students are making under Howard and her team’s leadership is substantial and broad-based. Early literacy scores have increased from 56% to 65% proficiency. Sixty five percent of campuses maintained or improved their Overall Rating Score when comparing 2025 Accountability Ratings to those from 2023. Students are excelling in advanced academics as well, with 344 AP Scholars in the most recent year and 47% of AP testers earning a score of 3 or higher, a notable improvement. The district also celebrated 10 National Merit Scholars, including three finalists for the Class of 2025. The district had not seen any National Merit Finalists since 2020 and had not seen more than one since 2015.

Career and College Readiness Indicators are also trending in the right direction. The number of students earning a Level I College Certificate has risen to 256, nearly doubling from just two years prior. The percentage of graduates classified as level one completers has increased from 8.5% to 14%. Meanwhile, the district anticipates that 90% of the Class of 2025 met College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) indicators, and recent high school graduates earned a record-breaking $16.8 million in scholarships, up from just $4.6 million the year before.

Reorganizing for Success

Dr. Howard led a strategic reorganization of district departments to strengthen alignment across all initiatives, with a clear focus on improving instructional practices and driving school improvement. She restructured leadership roles to ensure that instructional priorities were embedded in every department’s work, breaking down silos and fostering cross-collaboration. As part of this effort, she brought back content coordinators to provide targeted, curriculum-specific support to teachers, ensuring consistent, high-quality instruction across all campuses.

A key element of the reorganization was also redefining the role of principal supervisors, positioning them as instructional leaders and coaches who work side-by-side with campus principals to analyze data, monitor progress, and implement effective teaching strategies. By streamlining operations and ensuring that both central office leadership and content experts were directly tied to classroom impact, Dr. Howard and her team created a cohesive system where every department works together to accelerate student achievement.

Success Beyond the Classroom

Student success under Howard’s leadership isn’t limited to academics. Participation in fine arts programs has increased by 20%, with 125 students being named as regional qualifiers and 33 being state qualifiers. One state qualifier was even named a Gold Seal Artist. The district’s robotics program now reaches students from fourth through twelfth grade, with teams competing at high levels.

In athletics, 34 student-athletes signed letters of intent to compete at the collegiate level, and the district saw 122 regional qualifiers and 53 state qualifiers. 86 student-athletes were named Academic All-State.



Perhaps most importantly, campus climate and student behavior have improved. Reports of mutual combat (fights between students) have declined by 45%, thanks to stronger systems of student support, clearer expectations, a renewed focus on positive relationships, and administrative and school board support for high expectations.

Building Educator Pipelines and Raising the Bar

MISD has also transformed how the district supports and develops its educators. Through a combination of Opportunity Culture, an educational staffing model designed to extend the reach of highly effective teachers to more students, and through the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA), 64 teachers are earning more than $100,000 annually. 

Professional pipelines have also been strengthened. Over the past two years, five Principal Fellows have completed their training and now serve in campus leadership roles while 28 teacher apprentices are developing their skills across the district. In a bold step toward sustainability, 22 students from the Class of 2025, in the district’s Education and Training program, have already committed to return to Midland ISD as future teachers after graduation and completion of certification requirements.

$1.4 Billion Bond: A Commitment to Long Term Improvements

In November 2023, voters approved the largest bond package in Midland ISD’s history—a $1.4 billion investment in new schools, safety upgrades, and academic opportunity through grade reconfiguration. The successful passage marked a sharp reversal from multiple failed bond attempts over the past decade. It was also a referendum on leadership—specifically, the transparency and trust Dr. Howard worked to build during months of public meetings, clear communication, and consistent engagement.



The bond will fund the construction of two new comprehensive high schools. It will reconfigure middle school campuses to better serve students and support smoother transitions. Pre-K capacity will expand dramatically after sixth grade students move to middle school campuses, increasing kindergarten readiness throughout the community. Every campus will receive upgraded safety features, and a full-time police officer will be placed on each campus. The bond also includes enhancements to facilities supporting fine arts, STEM instruction, and career and technical education. Dr. Howard is committed to ensuring successful implementation of the projects. The district has already seen three bond projects achieve completion– the most recent being the new Lone Star Trails Elementary School (Bond Package 01) in north Midland. Package 06, focused on improved safety features, was completed in April of this year while Package 07, focused on site improvements to Midland Freshman High School, was completed in May.

From $42.5 Million Deficit to Improved Financial Stability

While leading the most ambitious capital investment in the district’s history, in collaboration with the Board of Trustees, Dr. Howard and her team also tackled one of the most serious operational issues: a structural budget deficit that had ballooned to $42.5 million. Instead of relying on short-term cuts, she and her team led a disciplined, year-long review of expenditures, staffing models, and service contracts.

The result was a 2025–26 budget that brought the deficit down to just $7.89 million, with a clear plan to eliminate it entirely by the following year. Throughout the process, the district prioritized investments in the classroom and avoided mass layoffs. Central office spending and staffing were reduced, and resources were aligned to student outcomes.

Community Confidence Rebuilt

Parent and community engagement has grown alongside student achievement. With 38 active PTAs and over 6,500 members, family involvement has never been higher. Surveys show that 87% of parents report improved communication with their child’s school. These gains reflect a district culture that values transparency, partnership, and trust, key principles Howard brought with her and has modeled every step of the way.



Dr. Stephanie Howard doesn’t lead with flash; she leads with relentless focus. Her style is steady, data-informed, and deeply rooted in data driven decision making. Under her leadership, Midland ISD has become a model for how a district can stabilize, improve, and inspire in a short period of time- without shortcuts.

As she often says, “We are not where we want to be, but we are certainly not where we were in 2023.”

The Midland ISD Board of Trustees adopted new Board Goals focused on students outcomes, accountability, and talent in May of 2025. The district has aligned its work to those goals for the coming year, ensuring success continues.

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Media Contact:

Jasmine Huerta

Communications Specialist

jasmine.huerta@midlandisd.net

All students will graduate college, career, or military ready.

Midland ISD | 615 W. Missouri Avenue | Midland, TX 79701 US