CISD looks to gain more local control
District pursuing ‘innovation’ status
Canton ISD is moving to become a “district of innovation.”
According to information from the Texas Association of School Boards, “a district of innovation is a concept passed by the 84th Legislative Session in House Bill 1842, effective immediately, that give traditional independent school district most of the flexibilities available to Texas’ open enrollment charter schools. To access these flexibilities, a school district must adopt an innovation plan …”
To begin the process, the Canton ISD Board of Trustees held a public hearing Feb. 15 regarding the process and formed a committee to make a recommendation about the move.
The TASB said a district of innovation “may adopt a plan that includes exemptions from most of the same state laws that are not applicable to open enrollment school districts.” Some of those laws include adhering to the uniform school start date, class-size ratio and 90 percent attendance rule as well as minimum minutes of instruction.
“There are a lot of things public schools have to do that charter schools don’t have to do,” Superintendent Jay Tullos said. “This designation gives the district local control.”
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