2017-2022 District of Innovation Plan

Introduction

House Bill 1842, Section 4, passed during the 84th Texas Legislative Session, allows Texas public school districts to modify certain state requirements at the local level to better meet the needs of the students they serve. By allowing school districts this opportunity, districts can develop strategic plans that are unique and tailored to their community and students they serve. As a District of Innovation, Splendora ISD will be able to implement the Board’s vision of developing and providing an educational setting where every student is empowered to be self-motivated, confident, adaptable in learning, critical-thinking, and a productive citizen.

Term

The District of Innovation Plan (DOI) will become effective in August 2017 and will remain in effect for five years, through August 2022, unless terminated or amended earlier by the Board of Trustees in accordance with the law. Any amendment to the DOI must follow the same process as the plan development. The District Advisory Committee would consider any proposed amendment. Any amendment would require majority approval of the District Advisory Committee, a majority approval of the DEIC, and posting on the district website for 30 days. Approval by the Board of Trustees would be required for final approval of any amendment.

Vision

The Splendora ISD vision is to provide an educational setting where every student is empowered to be self-motivated, confident, adaptable in learning, critical-thinking, and a productive citizen.

Beliefs

• We believe in providing curriculum and instruction that is student centered.
• We believe in setting high standards of learning for all students.
• We believe that all stakeholders actively participate as a community of learners in the continuous improvement model.
• We believe that educators adapt to embrace new technologies as potential for learning.
• We believe that parent and community involvement enriches student success.
• We believe that character education supports the development of a well-rounded student.

Comprehensive Educational Program

The District Improvement Plan includes three core guiding principles.

1. To provide and education as individual as your child.
2. To maximize student achievement with available funding.
3. To provide facilities that ensure student success.

Texas Education Code §11.252 states each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.  The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Sections 39.053(c)(1) -(4). Texas Education Code §11.253 states that each school district shall maintain current policies and procedures to ensure that effective planning and site-based decision-making occur at each campus to direct and support the improvement of student performance for all students.

Currently, a long list of compliance measures outlined in TEC §11.252 and TEC §11.253 has removed meaning and relevance from the district and campus level decision-making process. The requirements in content and format of the district and campus improvement plans have shifted an otherwise important planning process into a bureaucratic process that detracts from the importance of thoughtful planning and implementation.

Proposed

SISD district and campus-level strategic planning committees will be established as outlined in TEC §11.251 to review, learn, study, and analyze multiple data sources regarding the success of all aspects of district operations, most importantly students’ success. The committee will meet at least two times per year and generate a strategic plan for district resources and efforts. Under the DOI, the prescriptive list of requirements in the District and Campus Improvement Plans will be replaced with a Strategic Planning process. Compliant items listed in the TEC §11.252 & TEC §11.253  will be replaced by relevant strategic plan components that will directly address the unique needs, talents, and interests of SISD’s community and staff with a targeted focus on the Board of Trustees vision and mission.

Rationale

Using a systematic SISD’s strategic planning process will eliminate the use of prescriptive requirements and allow the district and campuses to develop meaningful strategic plans that include goals, objectives, and action steps that address the unique needs, talents, and interests of our perspective stakeholders to empower and impact achievement.