The following statement from KPRC 2 was the trigger that made me think that the present unelected school board and appointed superintendent may have intentionally done this.
We were told at least eight classrooms were 82+ degrees, with one staff member writing, “I’m beyond frustrated. There have been major HVAC issues all last year that were not addressed. It’s difficult to focus on instruction with these environmental issues.” Source
From a 2023 article in the Chronicle:
Houston Independent School District alerted some employees last week that they would be cutting their custodial and sanitation services positions in its ongoing effort to reorganize the district while under state operations. Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles and the district board of managers were both selected by Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath in June. Since their appointment, officials have overhauled a few departments in the district, including the central office, and eliminated librarians under the New Education System model. Source