The Cy-Fair ISD board voted 7-0 to initiate the process to achieve the designation of District of Innovation from the Texas Education Agency on Oct. 9.
The DOI designation allows districts to have flexibility in school calendars, giving them more control over the administration of school operations. The board last discussed pursuing this designation in 2019 but did not move forward with the process.
Diving in deeper
According to the TEA, 968 districts across the state qualify for the designation. Neighboring districts with this designation include Katy, Tomball, Klein and Spring Branch ISDs, among others in the Houston region, according to the TEA’s website.
Districts of Innovation are exempt from the following regulations:
- Uniform school start date
- Class size and 22:1 student/teacher ratio rule
- 90% attendance rule
- Teacher benefits, including state minimum salary schedule, duty-free lunch and planning periods
- Teacher and principal appraisal systems
The DOI designation does not, however, exempt district campuses from the following:
- Elected board of trustees
- Curriculum and graduation requirements
- Bilingual and special education programs
- Financial accountability and reporting duties
- Open meetings and public records
Current situation
While board members agreed in meeting remarks that the district should explore the designation using the Districtwide Educational Improvement Council, voting for the resolution did not necessarily mean they would ultimately vote for the designation.
The DEIC includes teachers, parents, community members and business leaders, and is charged with the responsibility of approving plans, such as the DOI plan, before it would come before the board for approval.
What’s next
District officials presented the timeline for the process to explore the designations to the board Oct. 5.
October:
