District of Innovation Renewal

A District of Innovation (DOI) is a concept passed by the 84 Legislative Session in House Bill 1842. The objective of the bill is to provide traditional school districts, like CFBISD, with the tools that are provided to charter schools.
Using a District of Innovation distinction, a school district can pursue innovations in curriculum, instruction, parent or community involvement, school calendar, and budgeting. An innovation plan also allows school districts to gain exemption from a limited number of Texas Education Code Requirements. Exemptions afford districts greater local control.
The DOI plan is in effect for five years and must be renewed at the end of the 5-year period, or the plan expires. The current plan was approved in 2018 and therefore expires this year. The desire is to request a renewal of the following innovations:

1st Day of Instruction
What?
Exemption from Texas Education Code §25.0811: A school district may not begin instruction for students before the fourth Monday in August. (Board Policy: EB (Legal) School Year)

Why?
Affords local determination & flexibility of the 1st day of instruction to optimize and have a positive impact on student achievement, facility, safety and security of staff and students, and the social and emotional health of all students and staff. The District will determine an appropriate start date annually and will continue to consider stakeholder input as required by Board policy ED (Local).

Teacher Evaluations TEC §21.351
What?
The appraisal system must be based on observable, job-related behavior, including: 1) teachers’ implementation of discipline management procedures; and 2) the performance of teachers’ students (SLOs - Student Learning Objectives).

Why?
By continuing to focus on PLCs (knowing students by name and by need) along with our extensive MAP testing, teachers monitor the progress of ALL students - not limited to the four students identified on SLOs/SGGs.

Class Size Requirement TEC §25.112
What?
Remove the mandatory reporting structure that is in place.

Why?
Allows local control of class size ratios; however, this does not disregard the intent of the state’s ratio requirements.

Probationary Contracts §21.102 (b)
What?
Teachers with 5 of 8 years of experience will move to two years probationary status from the current one year.

Why?
Allows administrators enough time to evaluate the full range of their skills and abilities effectively.

Certification
What?
Exemption from Texas Education Code §21.003(a): A person may not be employed as a teacher…by a school district unless the person holds an appropriate certificate or permit as provided by Subchapter B: & 21.0031 (a) (Board Policy Ref: DBA Employment Requirements and Restrictions: Credentials and Records) Extend local certification issuance to hard to fill positions, including, but not limited to, TEA approved shortage areas.

Why?
Traditional certification requirements are not aligned with the realities of the current educational environment and the need to hire industry experts to teach many of the “hard to fill” course offerings such as career and technology, world
languages, and other subject areas as determined by the District. Change allows the District the ability to issue local certifications and fill positions that would otherwise be unfilled.

The above-listed innovations will be presented to the Board of Trustees on June 1st for their consideration.