HOUSTON (AP) — In four years of Houston schools being under threat of one of the biggest state takeovers ever in the U.S., teacher Arnetta Murray says the district has come a long way.

As Houston braces for a decision from the state on whether it will seize control of public schools in Texas' largest city, Murray thinks the fight isn't just about failing grades.

"I think that we focus on changing the narrative and doing different and sharing that, 'Hey why is Gov. (Greg) Abbott attacking Houston?" said Murray, 57, who teaches special education at a middle school where most students are classif...