From the cover
BY SHAWN ARRAJJ CONTRIBUTIONS BY WESLEY GARDNER
Houston ISD approves District of Innovation plan
What will change
Two-minute Impact
Current system: To become a certi ed teacher in Texas, one must: • Obtain a bachelor’s degree • Complete an educator preparation program 3 Teacher certi cation New system: HISD would be able to hire uncerti ed teachers without needing a waiver from the TEA with several caveats: • Uncertiied teachers only hired in high schools • Uncertiied teachers required to be certiied within two years • Pass a certiication exam • Submit a state application • Complete ingerprinting
Teacher appraisal system Current system: The Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System appraises teachers using four rubrics: • Planning, including data assessments • Instruction, including achieving expectations • Learning environment, including managing student behavior • Professional practices, including school community involvement New system: Details are to be determined. 1 HISD Superintendent Mike Miles proposed a local system in 2023, but it was not implemented after being halted by a Harris County judge. That system would have focused on:
HISD’s District of Innovation plan seeks exibility in seven key areas to bypass requirements in the Texas Education Code, including the exibility to create a local teacher appraisal system, to start the school day earlier and to hire uncerti ed teachers without a waiver from the Texas Education Agency. All exemptions included in the plan are e ective for ve years from the date of its adoption, according to the TEA. If the district receives unacceptable academic or nancial performance ratings for two consecutive years, the TEA commissioner may terminate the innovation plan or require the district to amend its plan. Details will be determined on what the new teacher appraisal system will be based on, and o cials said it will leverage elements of the current system and community input. After a parent and sta input period, o cials released a proposed academic calendar Jan. 31 for the 2024-25 school year with Aug. 12 serving as the rst day of classes. O cials plan to present a nal academic calendar to board managers at a Feb. 8 meeting. As of press time Feb. 1, HISD o cials did not respond to requests for comment related to the need to hire uncerti ed teachers and the process of developing a teacher appraisal system.
40% principal classroom observation 25% student performance outcomes 15% accomplishment of speci c and measurable goals 10% student results from standardized tests 10% student survey 1 2 3 4 5
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Other changes
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More sta development events Flexibility on attendance requirements to graduate Can opt out of sending students to disciplinary program for possession or sale of e-cigarettes, marijuana Expanding number of excused absences for students visiting higher education institutions
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Current system • School starts no earlier than the fourth Monday in August • 172-day schedule 2 District calendar
New start date • School start date TBD, but would be no earlier than irst Monday in August • Could have 180 school days in 2024-25 school year
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SOURCES: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, HOUSTON ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT
What’s next?
A closer look
Another perspective
Moving forward, various elements of the DOI plan will be implemented along di erent timelines. March 2021: HISD advisory committee refuses to endorse DOI plan the district was exploring
There are 976 DOIs in Texas. Other DOIs have sought similar exibility within the Texas Educa- tion Code that HISD has also sought.
Jackie Anderson, president of the Houston Federation of Teachers, is among those who are critical of HISD’s plans to hire uncerti- ed teachers and develop a local teacher appraisal system. The HFT sued Miles for his previous attempt to create his own appraisal system, arguing he did not ask for teacher and sta member opinions as legally required. Anderson said she is worried the new plan in the DOI will resemble the one the federation helped halt.
June 2023: Mike Miles takes over as HISD superintendent after being appointed by the state December 2023: State-appointed board of managers adopts new DOI plan Start of 2024-25 school year • First day potentially moved earlier Start of 2025-26 school year • New teacher appraisal system in effect Timeline not speci ed (some elements implemented by campus principals) • Customized staff development opportunities • Minimum attendance for class credit • More excused absences for college visits • Opt out of marijuana discipline programs • Uncerti ied teachers hired without waivers
Hiring uncerti ed teachers Examples: Austin ISD, El Paso ISD, Dallas ISD
DOIs to seek waiver 96.3%
Local teacher appraisal systems Examples: Aldine ISD, Fort Worth ISD, Tomball ISD
DOIs to seek waiver 22.2%
“[Miles] has shown us he’s the kind of leader where he
wants things his way, or it’s the highway.” JACKIE ANDERSON, PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
Adjust district calendar Examples: Austin ISD, Dallas ISD, Fort Bend ISD
DOIs to seek waiver 99.3%
SOURCE: HOUSTON ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY COMMUNITY IMPACT
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