Texas will take over Houston's public school district, one of the largest in the U.S.

Texas officials announced on Wednesday that they would be taking over Houston's public school district, which is the eighth-largest in the U.S., deepening existing tensions between local Democratic leaders and the Republican majority-held statehouse.

In a letter sent to the superintendent and board members of the Houston Independent School District (HISD), Education Commissioner Mike Morath said that the recipients of the letter would be replaced with a new superintendent and board of managers chosen by the Texas Education Authority (TEA), and who will be officially instated on June 1.

Morath alleges that the board failed to improve student performance in Houston, citing Wheatley High School, which received a failing grade from the TEA in 2019, as an example. Additionally, Morath accuses the board of holding "chaotic board meetings marred by infighting," adding that an investigation revealed "multiple violations of law in the district."