Excellence
District of Innovation
Background
Districts of Innovation (DOI) designation is a concept passed by the 84th Legislative Session. The intent of this DOI legislation is to allow traditional school districts to exempt themselves from certain state laws that constrain the implementation of innovative practices designed to positively impact student academic outcomes.
An innovation plan that has been developed by the district, adopted by the local Board of Trustees, and filed with the state allows the district to gain state requirement exemptions that are already afforded to charter schools.
Each district’s DOI plan is unique, allowing for more local control and an increased focus on community values and goals.
At its August 2017 meeting, the Mesquite ISD Board of Trustees authorized the district to pursue designation as a District of Innovation (DOI). The district assembled a committee to create a draft of the DOI Plan. The committee membership included district-level administrators and members of the District SBDM Committee. The Draft DOI Plan that was created works in concert with Mesquite ISD’s existing planning documents, including MISD’s:
- Vision
- Mission
- Beliefs
- Core Values
- MISD’s Five-Year Strategic Plan
- District Improvement Plan
The District Site-Based Decision Making Committee considered the plan in a public meeting Thursday, October 12th, 2017. All interested community members were invited to attend.
Upon approval from the District SBDM Committee, the DOI Plan was considered by the Board of Trustees in the regular Board Meeting on October 16, 2017.