Houston ISD board gives ‘District of Innovation’ dedication final stamp of approval | Houston Public Media

A 9-person Board of Managers heading one of the largest school districts in the state unanimously decided to make the Houston Independent School District a District of Innovation Thursday night, paving the way for controversial changes to the school system like hiring uncertified teachers and extending the school year calendar. The dedication is the final step for the board to make those changes after board members and school administrators pushed for the title, that would exempt the district from a number of state education laws, for more than two years. MORE: Reporter Rebecca Noel discusses this story on Houston Matters Listen The plan was approved by a 61-member District Advisory Committee before seeking final approval from the board of managers. That committee is made up of parents, teachers and community members, some of which were hand-selected by state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles, who stepped into his role earlier this year. A push for the dedication in 2021 was shot down by the committee, which cited concerns of bringing in uncertified teachers. Nearly 1,000 school districts in the state of Texas are districts of innovation. “We are making the bold changes required to improve instruction and help students develop the competencies they will need to succeed in the future,” Miles said in a statement. “Having the DOI designation is long overdue and will allow us to accelerate our work in important ways.” The dedication will give the school district opportunities to implement professional development for teachers to receive more on-the-job training and adopt an alternative teacher evaluation system, among other things. The unanimously approved plan came after some push back from community members and no discussion among board members Thursday night. Notably, the Houston Federation of Teachers opposed the decision. It released a statement Thursday night, calling the move a “misuse of public trust.” “The District of Innovation plan is only innovative in that no other school district interested in investing in real solutions, not destroying public education, would even consider these provisions,” said Jackie Anderson, HFT’s president. “This plan will last for five years, the entire length of time a child attends elementary school—the formative years when everything after depends on that foundation.” Rebecca Noel contributed to this report.