During the regular December meeting of the Flour Bluff ISD Board of Trustees, the Board voted to approve the District of Innovation (DOI) plan presented by the District of Innovation Committee. The unanimous approval of the DOI plan gives the District two exemptions to state education requirements, which include:
- Uniform School Start Date
- Class Size Ratio
To review the plan and learn how each exemption will affect the District, click here.
During the meeting, Flour Bluff ISD Board President, Shirley Thornton, said it was nice the District has regained some local control with the ability to adjust the District’s school start date on the Official School Calendar.
District Administrators will begin the process of assembling the Calendar Committee with plans for the Committee to meet in early January.
“With the ability for the District to begin the school year prior to the state mandated last Monday in August, this year’s Calendar Committee process will require more time,” said Dr. Allison Schaum, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction. “We’re hoping to get a jump start in early January so that the 2020-2021 calendar can be brought to the Board for approval in March.”
The District of Innovation Committee began the process of developing a plan in September. The thirty-six member committee met over a few months to determine the exemptions that would benefit students, teachers and the District as well as develop the plan. In October, a survey was posted on the District’s website that provided an opportunity for stakeholders to provide feedback on the proposed plan. Following the feedback and recommendations from the Texas Education Agency, the uniform school start date and class size ratio exemptions were approved by the DOI Committee.
The plan is in affect for five years. According to District of Innovation requirements laid out by the state, no changes can be made to the plan without reconvening the District of Innovation Committee and beginning the process again which would include community feedback and Board approval.
For more information on the District of Innovation process, click here.