Becoming a District of Innovation (DOI) is a process that involves significant community and staff input before the PfISD Board would make an ultimate decision to proceed.

 

The District of Innovation program is a product of House Bill 1842 from the 84th Legislative Session. DoI status gives traditional school districts most of the flexibilities available to Texas' open enrollment charter schools. To access these flexibilities, a school district must adopt an innovation plan as set forth in Texas Education Code chapter 12A. The plan allows for public school districts to decide which TEA exemptions they would like to pursue as a DOI. Some allowable exemptions include greater flexibility with curriculum, instruction, parent or community involvement, school calendar, budgeting, or other ideas.

 

PfISD could consider options for flexibility in recruiting and retaining career and technical education (CTE) and world language teachers in areas where it struggles to find and keep high quality staff. The district could also consider more school day and calendar flexibility to enrich and enhance instruction.

 

The Board of Trustees took the initial step in that process by approving a resolution to pursue becoming a District of Innovation during its February 16, 2017, regular meeting. A public hearing was held on March 9, and the Board then voted to form a District of Innovation (DOI) committee at its regular meeting on March 23, 2017.

 

“The resolution was the required first step in the process regarding District of Innovation,” said acting Superintendent Gary Patterson in 2017. “We want to make this a transparent process through the DOI committee.”

 

Patterson emphasized now that the committee is formed, the process allows for several points of decision along the way.

 

The scope of the plan is crafted by the DOI committee, reviewed and approved by the District Academic Advisory Council (DAAC), brought before an additional public hearing, and ultimately approved or denied by the PfISD Board.