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District of Innovation

Roma ISD'S District of Innovation Plan

What is a District of Innovation?                                                                     

House Bill 1842 was passed in the 84th Legislative Session which gives traditional school districts most of the flexibilities available to the state's open enrollment charter schools. Any district with performance ratings of at least Acceptable in both Academic and Financial Ratings is eligible to become a District of Innovation.

Potential Benefits of Becoming a District of Innovation

  • Local control: Districts decide which flexibilities best suit their local needs.
  • Customization: Districts can create an innovation plan for a level of school (e.g., only high schools), grade level, or a single campus.
  • Autonomy: Districts must submit a district of innovation plan to the commissioner of education, but approval is not required.
  • Flexibility: Districts will have the flexibility to implement practices similar to charter schools.  A District may pursue specific innovations in:
    • Curriculum
    • Instruction
    • Governance
    • Parent/Community Involvement
    • School Calendar
    • Budgeting

House Bill 2 Teacher Certification Requirements for Foundation Curriculum

Roma ISD'S Delay of Teacher Certification Requirements Plan

 

Update to District of Innovation Provision:

Per TEC, §21.003, a person may not be employed as a teacher, teacher intern or teacher trainee, librarian, educational aide, administrator, educational diagnostician, or school counselor by a school district unless the person holds an appropriate certificate or permit issued as provided by Subchapter B, which includes any State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC)-issued certificate (intern, probationary, standard, or enhanced standard) or emergency permit for the subject area and grade level.  Information regarding the appropriate certificate for a given personnel assignment can be found in 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 231, Requirements for Public School Personnel Assignments.

Many districts have chosen to exempt themselves from this certification requirement and hire uncertified individuals through an approved DOI plan.

HB 2’s new TEC, §21.0032, now limits districts’ ability to include exemptions from some certification requirements under TEC, §21.003, in their DOI plan. These limitations phase in over the next three academic years.

Note, districts with the appropriate and allowable approved exemptions in their plans maintain certification flexibility for non-foundation subjects, allowing career and technical education (CTE) and other enrichment subject teachers to continue serving in assignments.

Districts can submit a plan for commissioner of education approval to delay the implementation of teacher certification requirements for teachers of record in foundation curriculum courses until the beginning of the 2029-2030 school year.

Delay of Teacher Certification Requirements Application and Process:

TEC, §21.0032 (a-1), authorizes the commissioner of education to approve district requests to delay implementation of certification requirements for foundation curriculum courses until the beginning of the 2029-2030 school year. 

The application must include an evaluation of how the district will transition to certification during the extension, and will require a district to:

  • Identify the total number of uncertified individuals currently assigned to teach foundation curriculum courses (by subject area and grade level);
  • Indicate the total number of new, uncertified teachers hired on average each of the last three years;
  • Identify at least one Educator Preparation Program partner who will be used to support certification efforts during the extension; 
  • Obtain approval from the district board of trustees to delay teacher certification requirements until the beginning of the 2029-2030 school year; and 
  • Include confirmation of the board of trustees’ approval with the application submission to the commissioner of education.

All applications will be subject to review and approval by the commissioner of education. The application submission process will be shared via TAA no later than October 2025. Texas Education Agency (TEA) staff anticipate the request submission window will open early October 2025, with notifications to districts being shared on a rolling schedule of reviews and approvals, and a goal to complete all notifications to districts by the end of February 2026.