District of Innovation Plan

 During the 84th Legislative Session, HB 1842 was passed in order to provide more local control in certain areas. HB 1842 allows a traditional public school to utilize the exemptions in Education Law that charter schools currently utilize. We feel this is a great opportunity for our local district to create a plan based on the needs of our students and community that will remain in effect for the next five years (2022-2027).

Jourdanton ISD took the first step in exploring this opportunity when the JISD Board of Trustees approved a resolution initiating the process in February 2017.  The Board then held a public hearing to consider whether the district should develop an innovation plan, at which time the Board decided to move forward in the process.  A committee was appointed to develop an innovation plan.  The committee created a district of innovation plan.  The plan then will be posted on-line for at least 30 days. 

The original Jourdanton ISD Innovation Plan was adopted April 24, 2017 and amended on April 12, 2021. The renewal plan was reviewed and adopted on April 11, 2022, to take affect on April 12, 2022.  The term for this plan is for five years unless amended or terminated earlier by the Board of Trustees in accordance with Texas Law.  In the event Jourdanton ISD feels other exemptions would benefit the district, community, and/or students, the Board of Trustees will follow procedures to amend the plan.

District of Innovation Committee Members:

Sheila Crouch – Parent
Tamara Rodriguez – Parent
Leticia Turner – Parent
Katrina Wiatrek - Parent
Tammy Ducote –Teacher
Michele Benavides – Teacher
Carla Waclawczyk – Teacher
Martha Gonzales – Teacher
Sara Gutierrez – District RN
Nathan Flynt – Assistant Principal
Christina Gallegos – Assistant Principal
Kimberly Camarillo – Principal
Laurie Daughtrey – Principal
Brandy Yarbrough – Technology Director
Theresa McAllister-Superintendent
Pepper Jo Bauerle- Assistant Superintendent

District of Innovation Renewal Timeline:

February 23, 2022 – District of Innovation Committee will meet to review components of the plan.
March 2, 2022 - District of Innovation Committee will meet to review final proposed plan and vote on plan.
March 4, 2022 – Final vote by the District of Innovation Committee to approve the final proposed plan.
March 4, 2022 – Final version of the proposed plan posted on the district website.
April 11, 2022 – The district-level committee holds a public meeting in accordance with the TEC 11.251 to consider the final version of the proposed plan.
April 11, 2022— Board of trustees vote to formally approve the innovation plan.
April 20, 2022-- Superintendent gives formal notification to the Texas Commissioner of Education if/when plan is adopted.

 1.    School Start Date

Current Law:

Sec. 25.0811. FIRST DAY OF INSTRUCTION. (a) Except as provided by this section, a school district may not begin instruction for students for a school year before the fourth Monday in August.

 Innovation Strategy:  The current process does not allow flexibility for our school district and what is the best fit for our students, school, and community.  With this flexibility of an earlier start date it allows the district to determine locally, on an annual basis, what best meets the needs of our district.  Jourdanton ISD would have the ability to create a calendar that could start earlier than the fourth Monday of August but not before the second Monday of August.

 2.    Probationary Contracts

Current Law:

Sec. 21.102. PROBATIONARY CONTRACT. (b), a person who is employed as a teacher by a school district for the first time.

 (b) A probationary contract may not be for a term exceeding one school year. The probationary contract may be renewed for two additional one-year periods, for a maximum permissible probationary contract period of three school years, except that the probationary period may not exceed one year for a person who has been employed as a teacher in public education for at least five of the eight years preceding employment by the district.

 Innovation Strategy: Currently Jourdanton ISD issues a one-year probationary contract to experienced teachers, new to the district with five of the last eight years employed in public education. 

 Jourdanton ISD will issue a two-year probationary contract to experienced teachers, new to the district with five of the last eight years employed in public education, which would allow Jourdanton ISD to determine locally what best meets the needs of our district. 

 3.    CTE Teacher Certification

 Current Law:

Sec. 21.003.  CERTIFICATION REQUIRED.  (a)  A person may not be employed as a teacher, teacher intern or teacher trainee, librarian, educational aide, administrator, educational diagnostician, or school counselor by a school district unless the person holds an appropriate certificate or permit issued as provided by Subchapter B.

Innovation Strategy:

The current state teacher certification requirements could potentially inhibit the District's ability to hire teachers to teach specialized Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses. In order to enable more students to obtain the educational benefit of specialized CTE course offerings, the District will establish its own local qualification requirements and its own requirements for training of professionals and experts to teach such courses in lieu of the certification requirements set forth in law.   

 To teach a CTE course, an employee must have a certification in the grade span they will be teaching or have an Industry-Based Certification in the course taught.  A list of these courses is available upon request. 

4.    Teacher Certification

 Current Law:

Sec. 21.003.  CERTIFICATION REQUIRED.  (a)  A person may not be employed as a teacher, teacher intern or teacher trainee, librarian, educational aide, administrator, educational diagnostician, or school counselor by a school district unless the person holds an appropriate certificate or permit issued as provided by Subchapter B.

 Innovation Strategy:

In order to best serve the students of Jourdanton ISD, decisions on certification will be handled locally.  The principal may submit to the superintendent a request to allow a teacher to teach subject(s) out of their certified field.  The principal must specify in writing the reason for the request and document what credentials the teacher possesses which would qualify this individual to teach this subject. 

Teachers must have a minimum of two years of teaching experience at JISD and will pursue certification in the non-certified field within the following two years.  The Board of Trustees will be notified of all assignments of teachers who do not have proper certification annually.  Notification to the parents of the students in this classroom(s) will contain as much transparency as possible without jeopardizing FERPA laws.  This plan will provide more flexibility in our scheduling and more options for our students in class offerings. 

5.    Local School Health Advisory Council

 Current Law:

Sec. 28.004.  LOCAL SCHOOL HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL.  Requires the Board of Trustees of each school district establish a local School Health Advisory Council to assist the District in ensuring that local community values are reflected in the District’s health education instruction.  This section requires the establishment of a School Health Advisory Council and outlines the duties of this council.

 Innovation Strategy:

The District takes exemption from the School Health Advisory Council public meeting requirements in Section 28.004 (d-1) and (d-2).

The District will appoint a District Health Coordinator to guide the SHAC by holding a minimum of two meetings per semester of each school year with additional meetings held when necessary.  If the number of required members are not in attendance at a called meeting, the meeting will still count toward the number of meetings held by the SHAC. The District will post the agenda and minutes on the District website, however the meeting will not be recorded using audio or video.  The District Health Coordinator will collaborate with stakeholders to seek feedback, including the District and campus improvement committees, parents, students, and District food nutrition personnel, regarding health related curriculum, food service, budget and other related items as needed.

6.    Staff Development

 Current Law:

Sec. 21.451.  STAFF DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS.  The staff development provided by a school district to an educator other than a principal must be (1) conducted in accordance with standards developed by the district and (2) designed to improve education in the district.

Innovation Strategy:

The District would be exempt from the state mandated staff development criteria and allowed the flexibility of teacher driven staff development agendas.

The District will exercise local discretion in determining the areas of need, content, duration and frequency for its instructional and non-instructional staff.