District of Innovation
The District of Innovation concept was passed into law by the 84th Legislative Session in House Bill 1842, which created Texas Education Code chapter 12A. To access these flexibilities, a school district must adopt an innovation plan, as set forth in Chapter 12A and their most recent academic performance rating must be at least acceptable.
A local school district may want to pursue specific innovations in curriculum, instruction, governance, parent or community involvement, school calendar, budgeting or other ideas. An innovation plan also allows a school district to gain exemption from many Texas Education Code requirements. Essentially, innovation plans will be about local control. Community members should note that each innovation plan will be unique to the local school district and no two plans may look the same.
A District of Innovation may adopt a plan that includes exemptions from most of the same state laws that are not applicable to open enrollment school districts.
These laws could include:
• Site-based decision making processes (to the extent required by state law)
• Uniform school start date
• Minimum minutes of instruction
• Class size ratio
• The 90 percent attendance rule (but compulsory attendance still applies)
• Student discipline provisions (with some key exceptions, like the requirement to have a code of conduct and restrictions on restraint and seclusion)
• Teacher certification (except as required by federal law)
• Teacher contracts
• Teacher benefits, including state minimum salary schedule, duty-free lunch, and planning periods
• Teacher appraisal system
TASB Process
Education Code Chapter 12A
Commissioner’s Rules
The Process
- 9/12/16 FISD Board to consider to Adopt a Resolution
- 10/10/16 Public Hearing - Board adopts a resolution to study becoming a District of Innovation and appoint a committee.
- 10/12/16 – 1st Committee Meeting
- 10/27/16 – 2nd Committee Meeting
- 11/9/16 – 3rd Committee Meeting
- 12/7/16 – 4th Committee Meeting
- 1/4/17 – 5th Committee Meeting
- 1/4/17 – DOI Proposed Plan
- 1/5/17 – Final Proposed Plan Posted
- 1/10/17 – Intent to adopt to Commissioner
- 1/19/17 – FEIC / DOI Public meeting
- 2/13/17 – Present to Board for approval
2017 Team
1. Trish Hanks | Superintendent |
2. Thad Roher | Deputy Superintendent |
3. Lynn Hobratschk | Asst. Superintendent |
4. Diane Myers | Asst. Superintendent |
5. Mark Griffon | Principal |
6. Dana Drew | Principal |
7. JT Patton | Principal |
8. Barry Clifford | Principal |
9. Kristen Moffitt | Principal |
10. Nelda Guerra | Principal |
11. Stacy Daugherty | Director of Testing |
12. Albert Cipolla | Community |
13. Andrea Niles | Community |
14. Annetta Dinjar | Asst. Principal |
15. Barsa Harclerode | Community |
16. Delaney Lyon | Asst. Principal |
17. Diane Jones | Asst. Principal |
18. Donna Stokes | Community |
19. Emily Ford | Community |
20. Jann Davies | Teacher |
21. Jenny Wiest | Community |
22. Karen Hillier | Teacher |
23. Kim Cole | Asst. Principal |
24. Kristen Westerfield | Community |
25. Kristi Carpenter | Community |
26. Kristin Hamon | Community |
27. Kristin James | Community |
28. Lauren Durso | Community |
29. Lauren Malone | Community |
30. Marinne Harner | Teacher |
31. Mary Beth Hillenburg | Community |
32. Mary Guynes | Teacher |
33. Nicholle Sutton | Community |
34. Nicole Ferro | Teacher |
35. Shawna Lewis | Teacher |
36. Tammy Lewis | Community |
37. Tawni Slaughter | Community |
38. Connie Morgenroth | CFO |
39. Leah Tunnell | Human Resource Director |
40. Dayna Owen | Communication |
41. Susan Kirkpatrick | STEM Director |