District officials are expected to direct their focus to improving student performance, increasing attendance rates and supporting disadvantaged students in the coming school year.
McKinney ISD trustees approved the District and Campus Improvement Plan for the 2026-27 school year at an Oct. 19 meeting.
The overview
Jennifer Akins, McKinney ISD’s chief school improvement and federal programs officer, gave a presentation at the meeting outlining the district’s goals and the strategies district staff plan to implement.
The process begins with district officials conducting a needs assessment to identify strengths and weaknesses, Akins said. The process also includes gathering input from teachers, parents and community members. The plan is then reviewed throughout the school year, Akins said.
“In simple terms, these plan[s] explain what we intend to improve, what actions we’ll take and how we’ll know whether those actions are working,” she said.
The specifics
A few of MISD’s goals for the 2026-27 school year are to:
Increase the percentage of 3rd grade students who score “meets grade level” or higher on the reading STAAR exam from 62% to 70%
Increase the percentage of 3rd grade students who score “meets grade level” or higher on the math STAAR exam from 52% to 60%
Have 90% of graduating students meet one measure of college, career or military readiness
Increase district-wide attendance from 95% to 96%
Reduce time students spend out of the classroom due to discipline by 10%
“By focusing on common priorities, we can better coordinate district support while allowing campuses to address their individual needs,” she said.
The District Improvement Plan outlines various strategies to achieve these goals, such as setting high expectations, monitoring student learning, providing timely intervention and targeted support, creating positive school cultures and expanding equitable access to advanced programs, per Akins’s presentation.
One of the most important strategies is strengthening classroom instruction through teacher training, curriculum reviews and support from instructional specialists, Akins said.
Also of note
The district also has two additional student support plans. The 2026-27 Talent Plan focuses on supporting economically disadvantaged students through recruiting and training staff who can support these students’ needs, Akins said. The 2026-27 Student Support Plan focuses on serving students who are learning English as a second language through an emphasis on language development and monitoring student progress, she said.
“A district leadership team reviews these plans and their results as part of our ongoing accountability and improvement efforts,” Akins said.
