H.B. 1842 (84th Session of the Texas Legislature) in part amended Chapter 12 of the Texas Education Code (TEC) to create Districts of Innovations.
Districts are eligible for designation if certain performance requirements are met and the district follows certain procedures for adoption as outlined in the Statute. The designation provides the district will be exempt from certain sections of the TEC that inhibit the goals of the district as outlined in the locally adopted Innovation Plan.
The term of the designation as a district of innovation may not exceed 5 years.
Information
TIMELINE
After Nacogdoches ISD Board of Trustee action taken Dec. 15, 2022, planning for District of Innovation went to the District Advisory Committee. From there, two subcommittees were formed – one to work out a plan for an academic calendar for the 2023-24 school year and one to go over HR-related topics, such as certification of teachers. The subcommittees were made up of campus and district personnel, including teachers from each school, and NISD stakeholders and parents.
Calendar and HR committee meetings were held in January and February of 2023. The final proposals were presented in March to the NISD Board of Trustees for adoption. Trustees approved the committees' recommendations on March 23, 2023.
WHAT IS DISTRICT OF INNOVATION?
Becoming a District of Innovation provides public schools with accessibility to more local control. The option of becoming a District of Innovation has been around since 2015 and was created by the Texas Legislature to provide public school districts with similar opportunities as charter schools.
CLICK HERE for more information on District of Innovation from TEA’s website.
WHAT FLEXIBILITIES IS NISD LOOKING FOR?
NISD is interested in exploring three areas where being a District of Innovation would allow more options: hiring and keeping staff for difficult-to-fill positions in the high school’s career and technical department; local control over start and end times on the district’s academic calendar; and flexibility on the timeframe for when NISD’s business office seeks bids for the district depository.
The areas of interest and related Texas Education Code:
Human Resources
21.003 Certification Required
21.0031 Failure to Obtain Certification; Contract Void
21.102 Probationary Contracts
Calendar
25.0811 First Day of Instruction
35.0812 Last Day of Instruction
Finance
45.205 Term Contract
45.206 Bid or Request for Proposal Notices; Bid and Proposal Forms
AMENDING OR CHANGING OF DISTRICT OF INNOVATION PLANS
The District of Innovation plan can only be amended by:
A majority vote of the District Advisory Committee (or comparable committee if district is exempt), and
A two-thirds majority vote of the board of trustees, and
Notice to TEA
District of Innovation is NOT permanent: ALL districts MUST reapply prior to the fifth year of the approved plan to continue as a District of Innovation.
CONTACT
Executive Director of Campus Safety, Student Management & Operations
(936) 569-5000, ext. 8810