SMSD….A District of Innovation

Committee Meeting #1 Agenda Welcome and Introductions “Fill the Tank” Presentation – What is a District of Innovation? Types of Flexibility DOI Calendar Presentation Establish sub-committees (Activity 1) Review Sample DOI Plans (Activity 2) Next Steps & Meeting Date(s) Closing Remarks

Click mouse once to reveal icons and there numbers Fill the Tank Click mouse once to reveal icons and there numbers 1 Mission Statement 2 District Goals 3 Texas Academic Performance Report 1 6 4 Federal and State School Report Cards 8 4 Performance-Based Monitoring System 5 5 3 6 2 Staff, Students, & Parents Input 7 7 Texas Accountability System 8 Formal/Informal Walkthrough Data

What is a District of Innovation? A District of Innovation is a concept passed by the 84th Legislative Session in House Bill 1842, effective immediately, that gives traditional independent school districts most of the flexibilities available to Texas’ open enrollment charter schools. In order for a school district to access those flexibilities, a school district must adopt an innovation plan, as set forth in the TEC Chapter 12A. TASB Legal Services A local innovation plan must be developed that provides for a comprehensive educational program for the district, which may include: Innovative curriculum, instructional methods, and provisions regarding community participation, campus governance and parental involvement; Modifications to the school day or year; Provisions regarding the district budget and sustainable program funding; Accountability and assessment measures that exceed the requirements of state and federal law; and Any innovations prescribed by the Board of Trustees. In addition, it should identify requirements imposed by this code that inhibit the goals of the plan and from which the district should be exempted upon adoption of the plan.

What type of flexibility? The type of flexibility that will: Remove restrictions that stifle innovation Allow SMSD to dream BIG Eliminate barriers to student success Allow SMSD to fulfill its mission

Districts decide which flexibilities best suit their needs Local Control Districts decide which flexibilities best suit their needs Customization Districts can create an innovation plan for a level of school, grade level, or a single campus Autonomy Districts must submit a district of innovation plan to the Commissioner of Education, but approval is not required Flexibility Districts will have the flexibility to implement practices similar to charter schools

Processes & Provisions Planning & Appraisals Start Date Attendance You can add your text information here. Class Size You can add your text information here. Processes & Provisions Planning & Appraisals You can add your text information here.

DOI Calendar Presentation

School District Staff Students Fiscal Management Planning and decision making Staff Appraisals, certification, duties/training and development, benefits Students Attendance, calendar, class size, discipline Fiscal Management Depositories, purchases, misc. Request for flexibility fall into one of four categories

Why is it beneficial for SMSD? Allows us to customize, merge the minds of stakeholders, foster community involvement as schools are transformed, transform schools, opportunity for more data analysis and local control, identify district’s strengths and weaknesses, address barriers that hinder our ability to best serve students

Examples of DOI Exemptions Uniform school start/end date Opting out to balance instructional time in fall and spring semester Creative start date for students transitioning to middle or high school Teacher certification requirements Class size ratio

Examples of DOI Exemptions cont. Minutes of instruction Teacher/Administrator appraisal instruments Minimum attendance (“90% Rule”) Professional Development Planning periods

Activity #1 Choose one of the following areas you would like to explore further and prepare a brief statement as to why you selected this process Identify other committee members who selected the same area and collaborate reasons for selection

Activity #2 Review Sample DOI Plans for other Districts Prepare a list of items you would like to see included in the SMSD DOI Plan

Think Tank Questions 1 Where can I find additional information on DOI? 2 What can I do to prepare for the next DOI meeting? 3 How does this align to our Strategic Plan? ? ? ? 4 How can I stay informed? ? 5 Where is SMSD in the process? ? ? ? 6 ? Does TEA have to approve the plan? 7 Once approved, can the Local Innovation Plan be changed? 8 tasb.org website and smsd website Complete assigned task; review materials; review other DOI plans ??? 4. Follow Board meetings; There will be information on the website; DOI Committee updates and key groups will be provided updates; committee meetings dates and times will be posted on the website October 10, 2016 Adopted Resolution November 12, 2016 - DOI Public Hearing & board appointed a committee to develop a local innovation plan; Meeting 1/10 & 1/25. The plan will be developed as a draft and will be available for public review and voting Prior to the BOT voting on a local innovation plan developed by thte SMSD DOI Committee, the following must occur. The proposed plan must be posted on the website for 30 days. Scheduled to be on the website for public review on or before February 1, 2017. The Board must vote to notify the commissioner of education of its intent to vote on adoption of the proposed plan. Scheduled for February 13th Board meeting. The District Improvement Team must hold a public meeting to consider and vote on proposed plan with majority approval. Scheduled for February 2017 at 4:00 p.m. in the Board Room. The Board vote on the plan requires two-thirds majority to approve. Scheduled for March 20, 2017 Board meeting. In addition, a public forum on the proposed plan has been scheduled for February 2017 at 6 p.m. in the SMSD Board Room. 6. No, but TEA has rulemaking authority regarding the implementation of Districts of Innovation. Those rules were finalized and went into effect on September 13, 2016. The Board must notify the Commissioner of the intent to vote on the proposed plan and after approving the plan, the district must notify the Commissioner of that approval along with a list of approved TEC exemptions by completing a form provided by the Agency. The Commissioner is required to maintain information about the statutory exemptions adopted by districts in their innovation plans and must report to the Legislature about those exemptions. Currently there are over 35 school districts designated as districts of innovation. Several districts across the state are in the process of working toward designation in the next few months. 7. The plan may be amended, rescinded or renewed by a majority vote of the district level committee established under the TEC 11.251 (District Improvement Team) or a comparable committee if the District of Innovation is exempt from that section, along with a two-thirds majority vote of the Board. An amendment to an approved plan does not change the date of the term of designation as an innovation district. Exemptions that were already formally approved are not required to be reviewed. A district must notify the TEA within five business days of rescission of the plan and provide a date at which time it will be in compliance with all sections of the TEC, but no later than the start of the following school year. During renewal, all sections of the plan and exemptions shall be reviewed and the original statutory adoption process must be followed. The district shall notify the Commissioner of any actions taken to amend, rescind or renew along with the associated TEC exemptions and local approval dates. 8. The Board must have notified the commissioner of education of the board’s intention to vote on the adoption of the proposed plan; and The District Improvement Team must have held a public meeting to consider the final version of the proposed plan and have approved the plan by a majority vote of the committee members. Upon adopting the local innovation plan by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the membership of the Board, and notification to TEA, the District is designated as a District of Innovation for no longer than five years from that date. What are the next steps in the process?

We are on the right wave length!! Next Steps and Meeting We are on the right wave length!!