District of Innovation Plan

What is a District of Innovation?

The District of Innovation concept, passed by the 84th Texas Legislative Session in House Bill 1842, gives traditional public-school districts the flexibility available to Texas charter schools. The law is intended to give districts more local control to suit their individual needs. To be granted these flexibilities, the district must adopt a District of Innovation plan. The term of the designation as a District of Innovation may not exceed 5 years and a renewal must be made to continue as a District of Innovation. 918 out of 1,026 Districts in Texas are Districts of Innovation. Final plans must be approved by the District Educational Improvement Council and the Comal ISD school board.

District of Innovation Plan

On November 7, 2022, the District Educational Improvement Council voted unanimously to support the development of an innovation plan.

On December 15, 2022, a Public Hearing for District of Innovation was held at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Comal ISD Board of Trustees. At that meeting, the Board appointed the DEIC (District Educational Improvement Council) as the District of Innovation planning committee. The board also authorized the superintendent to notify TEA of the intent to develop an innovation plan.

The District Educational Improvement Council met on December 5, 2022, January 12, 2023, and February 6, 2023, to review possible TEC exemptions and propose an innovation plan to be posted on the website for 30 days for additional feedback.

The superintendent will notify TEA of the Board’s intention to vote on an innovation plan at April 28, 2023, school board meeting. The DEIC (District Educational Improvement Council) held a public meeting on March 6 at their scheduled meeting to consider/adopt a final version of their recommended local innovation plan. The DEIC voted to recommend a final version of the plan to the school board.

Following TEA recommendations for updating TEC codes and compliance, the updated innovation plan was posted for an additional 30 days for additional feedback.

The DEIC will hold a public meeting on April 10, 2023, at Support Services, 1404 IH 35N, New Braunfels, TX 78070 at 5:30 pm in the Board Room to consider/adopt a final updated version of the recommended local innovation plan.

On April 27, 2023, the Board of Trustees adopted the final version of the local innovation plan. The superintendent notified TEA of the approval of the local innovation plan and the list of approved TEC exemptions.

The District of Innovation Plan is posted here:

View District of Innovation Plan

See the Meetings Archive panel below for Agendas and Minutes from the District Educational Improvement Council who helped in the development of the plan.

Meetings 2022-2023

Dates	Agendas	Minutes
November 7, 2022, Support Services Board Room, 5:30–7 p.m. (see agenda for details)	November Agenda	November Minutes
December 5, 2022 - Zoom Videoconference, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. (see agenda for details)	December Agenda	December Minutes
January 12, 2023 - Zoom Videoconference, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. (see agenda for details)	January Agenda	January Minutes
February 6, 2023–Zoom Videoconference 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. (see agenda for details)	February Agenda	January Minutes
April 10, 2023	April Agenda	April Minutes

DOI Local Innovation Plan