HISD Opens Sunrise Center at Worthing High
The new center on the Sunnyside campus offers food, health screenings, counseling and other services to students and families.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Houston Independent School District opened a new Sunrise Center on the Worthing High School campus in Sunnyside. The center provides access to food, clothing, case management, health screenings, counseling, after-school programs and adult education.
Why it matters
The center was created after community feedback about challenges affecting student attendance and academic performance in Sunnyside. It replaces wraparound services that HISD scaled back when federal pandemic relief funding expired.
HISD cut wraparound specialists from 280 to 60 in June 2024 amid a projected $450 million budget deficit. A Rice University study found a 33-percent improvement in attendance or behavior among students whose families visited a Sunrise Center, though the district's long-term funding for the centers remains unaddressed in the source.
The players
Houston Independent School District
The largest public school district in Texas, serving the city of Houston and operating dozens of campuses across its boundaries.
Mike Miles
The superintendent of Houston Independent School District, who has led the district's budget and reform efforts since 2023.
The details
The Sunrise Center offers rent and utility assistance along with physical and mental health services. Houston Independent School District partners with the Houston Food Bank and Second Servings of Houston to supply food to families.
Timeline
Fall 2023: The first Sunrise Centers were established.
June 2024: HISD cut wraparound specialists from 280 to 60.
April 2025: HISD ended its wraparound services department and moved most services to Sunrise Centers.
November 11, 2026: The Sunnyside Sunrise Center opened at Worthing High School.
Education Trends
The Sunrise Center extends a model that replaced federally funded pandemic-era wraparound specialists with community-based services after the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funding expired. It reflects a broader shift among large urban districts toward integrating health, food and family support into school campuses.
Families in the Sunnyside area can now access food, health screenings, counseling and adult education services at the Worthing High School campus. Students whose attendance or behavior has been affected may be able to receive support through the center rather than through the discontinued wraparound specialist program.
The takeaway
Support services on school campuses can address attendance and academic barriers that go beyond the classroom. Families seeking help can contact their child's school to learn which Sunrise Center services are available to them.
Further reading
For related coverage, see Secondary Education in Houston.
Source note: This article includes information reported by DefenderNetwork.
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