The District of Innovation concept, passed by the 84th Legislative Session in House Bill 1842, gives traditional independent school districts flexibility through a customized plan. The WOCCISD District of Innovation Plan was shared with the Commissioner of Education. Additionally, a public hearing was held during the spring on the proposal.
The West Orange - Cove Board of Trustees approved the plan to become a District of Innovation on May 22, 2017.
District of Innovation Plan
“Empowering Lives Through Excellence Everyday”
“Empowering Lives Through Excellence Everyday”
Strategic Plan Goal 1: Enhance programs to meet individualized student needs
Class Size and Student/Teacher Ratio
Statutes:
§TEC 25.112 – Class Size
§TEC 25.113 – Notification of Waiver
Currently:
§25.112 addresses the number of students that may be in a single kindergarten, first, second, third, or
fourth grade class and limits that number to 22. The intent of this statute was to ensure that classrooms
maintained a small teacher/student ratio under the belief that smaller classes led to improved
achievement for students who benefited from more individualized teacher attention. While a state waiver
may address the maximum number of students in K-4 classrooms, these waivers are rarely rejected by
TEA; therefore, it represents an unnecessary bureaucratic step. In addition, a letter is required to inform
parents of the waiver. In many cases, the class has returned to a smaller student to teacher ratio before
the waiver is even approved negating the need for this correspondence. Moreover, hiring staff mid-year
disrupts the rapport and relationships built, makesit difficult to find highly qualified teachers, and changes
the dynamics of the learners. The statute does not take into consideration the impact of transferring
students to new classrooms in the middle of the school year.
Proposed:
It is the philosophy of West Orange-Cove CISD that lower class sizes have a positive impact on
Kindergarten -4th grade students; therefore, the district will stay true to the intent of the 22:1 ratio. We
believe, however, that appropriate class sizes can be monitored and maintained at the local level
without the necessity of waivers from the Texas Education Agency.
Staffing decisions and teacher needs will be based on projected 22:1 ratios in K-4
th grade. West
Orange-Cove CISD will continue to begin each school year with enough teachers to establish a
homeroom student to teacher ratio of 22:1 per Kindergarten-4
th grade class.
In the event that two or more core classrooms in a K-4
th grade reaches 24:1 during the first
grading period of the year, the District will actively seek an additional teacher.
By seeking an exception from §25.112 the District would have flexibility for all campuses and classrooms
for the duration of the District of Innovation Designation and would not be required to seek waivers
annually.
School Start Date
Statute:
§TEC 25.0811 – First Day of Instruction
Currently:
A district may not begin instruction for students for a school year before the fourth Monday in August
unless the district operates a year-round system. A district may not receive a waiver of this requirement.
Using this year’s calendar with August 1, 2017 being a Tuesday, the start date would not occur for students
until August 28. Teachers would be able to start August 21.
Proposed:
Implementation of this statute as is will result in the loss of 5 days of instruction in the first semester.
Starting one week earlier in August allows for more instructional time prior to semester exams and more
instructional time overall prior to state exams. With the approval of this District of Innovation process we
request approval to start sooner than the fourth Monday in August.
Strategic Plan Goal 4: Maintain a quality staff
Certification Required
Statutes:
§TEC 21.003, DK Local, DK Legal, DK Exhibit
Currently:
In the event a district cannot locate a certified teacher for a position or a teacher is teaching a subject
outside of their certification, the district must submit a request to the Texas Education Agency. TEA then
approves or denies this request.
Proposed:
The district will continue to make every attempt to hire individuals with appropriate certification;
however, the district may locally grant exceptions to certification requirements in order to best meet the
needs of WOCCISD students. For example, but not limited to, an individual with experience in a CTE field
could be eligible to teach an industry recognized skill or course through a local teaching certificate. The
principal will submit the request to the superintendent with all the individual’s credentials. The
superintendent will then approve the request if they feel the individual could be an asset to students.
Probationary Contract
Statute:
§21.102 Teacher Employment Contracts
Currently:
Experienced teachers new to the district have a probationary period that may not exceed one year if the
person has been employed as a teacher in public education in Texas for at least five of the previous eight
years. This time period is not sufficient to evaluate an employee’s effectiveness.
Proposed:
All contract employees new to WOCCISD that have been employed in public education in Texas for at
least five of the eight previous years, may be issued a probationary contract for up to two full school
years from the date of district employment. This will allow the district more time to evaluate a staff
member’s effectiveness prior to offering a term contract.
Local Role (Appraisal Process)
Statute:
§TEC 21.352
Currently:
Each school district shall use the appraisal process developed by the commissioner of education (T-TESS)
or an appraisal process and performance criteria developed by the district and approved by the
commissioner.
Proposed:
The performance of certain certified positions are difficult to fairly evaluate using the current evaluation
system (T-TESS). Therefore, a district committee of teachers and administrators will develop alternate
appraisals for teachers/certified personnel in West Orange-Cove CISD where the adopted teacher
evaluation instrument might not appropriately gauge the effectiveness of the employee.
The appraisal instrument used for evaluation of certified personnel will not include a growth measure.
Strategic Plan Goal 5: Promote a positive image
Campus Behavior Coordinator
Statute:
§TEC 37.0012 – Designation of Campus Behavior Coordinator
Currently:
Senate Bill 107 requires the designation of a campus behavior coordinator on each campus.
(a). A person at each campus must be designated to serve as the campus behavior
coordinator. The person designated may be the principal of the campus or any other campus
administrator selected by the principal.
(b). The campus behavior coordinator is primarily responsible for maintaining student discipline
and the implementation of this subchapter.
Proposed:
The proposal for WOCCISD is to seek exemption from the statute requiring each school to have a
designated campus behavior coordinator. The relationships that are established between the campus
administrator, student and parent are the foundation for promoting and maintaining positive behavior.
Utilizing a local process allows the administrator who currently has a relationship with the parent and
student to be the person to make parental contact. The administrator notifies the parent of discipline or
behavioral concerns, rather than having contact made by a designated behavior coordinator, who may or
may not know all the students, providing a more individual and personalized approach.
Class Size and Student/Teacher Ratio
Statutes:
§TEC 25.112 – Class Size
§TEC 25.113 – Notification of Waiver
Currently:
§25.112 addresses the number of students that may be in a single kindergarten, first, second, third, or
fourth grade class and limits that number to 22. The intent of this statute was to ensure that classrooms
maintained a small teacher/student ratio under the belief that smaller classes led to improved
achievement for students who benefited from more individualized teacher attention. While a state waiver
may address the maximum number of students in K-4 classrooms, these waivers are rarely rejected by
TEA; therefore, it represents an unnecessary bureaucratic step. In addition, a letter is required to inform
parents of the waiver. In many cases, the class has returned to a smaller student to teacher ratio before
the waiver is even approved negating the need for this correspondence. Moreover, hiring staff mid-year
disrupts the rapport and relationships built, makesit difficult to find highly qualified teachers, and changes
the dynamics of the learners. The statute does not take into consideration the impact of transferring
students to new classrooms in the middle of the school year.
Proposed:
It is the philosophy of West Orange-Cove CISD that lower class sizes have a positive impact on
Kindergarten -4th grade students; therefore, the district will stay true to the intent of the 22:1 ratio. We
believe, however, that appropriate class sizes can be monitored and maintained at the local level
without the necessity of waivers from the Texas Education Agency.
Staffing decisions and teacher needs will be based on projected 22:1 ratios in K-4
th grade. West
Orange-Cove CISD will continue to begin each school year with enough teachers to establish a
homeroom student to teacher ratio of 22:1 per Kindergarten-4
th grade class.
In the event that two or more core classrooms in a K-4
th grade reaches 24:1 during the first
grading period of the year, the District will actively seek an additional teacher.
By seeking an exception from §25.112 the District would have flexibility for all campuses and classrooms
for the duration of the District of Innovation Designation and would not be required to seek waivers
annually.
School Start Date
Statute:
§TEC 25.0811 – First Day of Instruction
Currently:
A district may not begin instruction for students for a school year before the fourth Monday in August
unless the district operates a year-round system. A district may not receive a waiver of this requirement.
Using this year’s calendar with August 1, 2017 being a Tuesday, the start date would not occur for students
until August 28. Teachers would be able to start August 21.
Proposed:
Implementation of this statute as is will result in the loss of 5 days of instruction in the first semester.
Starting one week earlier in August allows for more instructional time prior to semester exams and more
instructional time overall prior to state exams. With the approval of this District of Innovation process we
request approval to start sooner than the fourth Monday in August.
Strategic Plan Goal 4: Maintain a quality staff
Certification Required
Statutes:
§TEC 21.003, DK Local, DK Legal, DK Exhibit
Currently:
In the event a district cannot locate a certified teacher for a position or a teacher is teaching a subject
outside of their certification, the district must submit a request to the Texas Education Agency. TEA then
approves or denies this request.
Proposed:
The district will continue to make every attempt to hire individuals with appropriate certification;
however, the district may locally grant exceptions to certification requirements in order to best meet the
needs of WOCCISD students. For example, but not limited to, an individual with experience in a CTE field
could be eligible to teach an industry recognized skill or course through a local teaching certificate. The
principal will submit the request to the superintendent with all the individual’s credentials. The
superintendent will then approve the request if they feel the individual could be an asset to students.
Probationary Contract
Statute:
§21.102 Teacher Employment Contracts
Currently:
Experienced teachers new to the district have a probationary period that may not exceed one year if the
person has been employed as a teacher in public education in Texas for at least five of the previous eight
years. This time period is not sufficient to evaluate an employee’s effectiveness.
Proposed:
All contract employees new to WOCCISD that have been employed in public education in Texas for at
least five of the eight previous years, may be issued a probationary contract for up to two full school
years from the date of district employment. This will allow the district more time to evaluate a staff
member’s effectiveness prior to offering a term contract.
Local Role (Appraisal Process)
Statute:
§TEC 21.352
Currently:
Each school district shall use the appraisal process developed by the commissioner of education (T-TESS)
or an appraisal process and performance criteria developed by the district and approved by the
commissioner.
Proposed:
The performance of certain certified positions are difficult to fairly evaluate using the current evaluation
system (T-TESS). Therefore, a district committee of teachers and administrators will develop alternate
appraisals for teachers/certified personnel in West Orange-Cove CISD where the adopted teacher
evaluation instrument might not appropriately gauge the effectiveness of the employee.
The appraisal instrument used for evaluation of certified personnel will not include a growth measure.
Strategic Plan Goal 5: Promote a positive image
Campus Behavior Coordinator
Statute:
§TEC 37.0012 – Designation of Campus Behavior Coordinator
Currently:
Senate Bill 107 requires the designation of a campus behavior coordinator on each campus.
(a). A person at each campus must be designated to serve as the campus behavior
coordinator. The person designated may be the principal of the campus or any other campus
administrator selected by the principal.
(b). The campus behavior coordinator is primarily responsible for maintaining student discipline
and the implementation of this subchapter.
Proposed:
The proposal for WOCCISD is to seek exemption from the statute requiring each school to have a
designated campus behavior coordinator. The relationships that are established between the campus
administrator, student and parent are the foundation for promoting and maintaining positive behavior.
Utilizing a local process allows the administrator who currently has a relationship with the parent and
student to be the person to make parental contact. The administrator notifies the parent of discipline or
behavioral concerns, rather than having contact made by a designated behavior coordinator, who may or
may not know all the students, providing a more individual and personalized approach.