OISD moves forward with District of Innovation plans

OLNEY— The Olney Independent School District Board of Trustees moved one step closer to adopting regulations similar to a charter school.

During its December meeting, trustees approved appointing its 10 member site committee, which will initiate the first phases of its District of Innovation plan.

“We’re looking at maximizing instructional time prior to testing,” Superintendent Greg Roach said. “... Adding days before testing is huge. The early jump-start really helps.”

According to the Texas Department of Education website, any school is eligible for the District of Innovation so long as it receives an acceptable rating on its annual academic performance evaluation. Should a district achieve that level, it may receive the District of Innovation distinction, which would allow the board to make decisions such as establishing: a uniform start date, minimum instruction minutes, class size ratios, student attendance and discipline guidelines among many other options usually only reserved for charter schools. 

In November, trustees approved what Superintendent Greg Roach described as “initiating the process” and hopes the school can tailor start dates and teacher certification requirements changes he believes would greatly improve the students’ wellbeing.

 ”Practically speaking, 

it can help us with two things: school start dates and certification issues,” Roach said in November. “It gives you just a little bit of wiggle room on certification. It’s hard to find people that are secondary math certified or secondary science certified. People who may not have the coursework, but really know the stuff and teach it. It’s getting to that point at the junior high level.”

With the site committee now appointed, it will next move forward analyzing its current policies and proposing policy changes to trustees for approval.

Trustees also:

Appointment Trustee Jacob Bailey as representative to the Archer Board of Directors of the Archer County Appraisal District.

Discussed the status of board member continuing education requirements for 2016.

Received an update from W.B. Kibler and Parkhill, Smith & Cooper on construction progress of the Career and Technology Facility.