The Leander ISD Board of Trustees adopted the proposed plan to become a District of Innovation for the sole purpose of allowing LISD flexibility with the school year calendar at the Feb. 15, 2018 Board meeting. This initial plan is effective for 5 years and will expire on Feb. 15, 2023 (read on for renewal information).
The plan was developed by teachers and instructional staff from throughout LISD, along with parents, students and community representatives.
For future consideration of renewal of the district’s Innovation Plan, LISD’s intent will always be to follow the same process as the adoption for District of Innovation.
In the spring of 2022, the Innovation Plan Renewal Committee convened to draft a DoI Renewal Plan for consideration. The Board of Trustees approved the District of Innovation Renewal Plan on Oct. 13, 2022, which will take effect on Feb. 15, 2023 when the current plan expires. The renewal process is outlined below.
Innovation Plan Renewal Process
Innovation Plan Renewal Process
In April 2022, the Leander ISD Board of Trustees authorized district administration to convene the Innovation Plan Renewal Committee to review the current LISD DoI Plan and determine if the plan should be renewed and later submitted to DWEIC and the Board of Trustees for approval. Fourteen volunteers from DWEIC were randomly selected to fill seven staff vacancies and seven parent/community member vacancies. The Innovation Plan Renewal Committee met in May 2022 and updated the LISD District of Innovation Plan in accordance with parameters set forth by the Board of Trustees specifying that the only flexibility the district will seek is the start date of the academic school year. Currently, per TEC 25.0811, a district may not start instruction prior to the fourth Monday in August.
LISD Innovation Renewal Committee Members
- Laurelyn Arterbury, Chief of Staff
- Madeline Daulton, LISD Staff Member
- Carla George, Parent/Community Representative
- Cynthia Hughes, LISD Staff Member
- Lauren Houser, LISD Staff Member
- Jennifer Meyer, LISD Staff Member
- Kimberly Oliver, Parent/Community Representative
- Kevin Owens, Parent/Community Representative
- Ali Palacios, LISD Staff Member
- Emily Riordan, LISD Staff Member
- Gwynn Ritchey, Parent/Community Representative
- Kathleen Schoening, Parent/Community Representative
- Ratul Sengupta, Parent/Community Representative
- Tina Strauss, LISD Staff Member
- Paige Williams, Parent/Community Representative
LISD District of Innovation Timeline
- April 7, 2022 – The LISD Board of Trustees received information regarding the renewal process for Districts of Innovation and requested that administration convene an Innovation Plan Renewal Committee. The Board of Trustees reiterated that the only exemption to be discussed in the DoI renewal process was the First Day of Instruction.
- April 28, 2022 – The District-wide Educational Improvement Council (DWEIC) accepted volunteers to serve on the Innovation Plan Renewal Committee. Seven parent/community representatives and seven LISD staff representatives were randomly drawn to serve with the LISD Chief of Staff on the Innovation Plan Renewal Committee
- May 24, 2022 – The Innovation Plan Renewal Committee met and reviewed district guiding documents including the Leander ISD Vision and Mission statements, Strategic Plan, and the current Leander ISD DoI Plan. The Innovation Plan Renewal Committee amended the LISD Innovation Plan based on the Board of Trustee parameters. The committee members agreed to continue with the DoI renewal process while honoring the parameter that the only exemption to be considered was the First Day of Instruction.
- June 2, 2022 – Innovation Plan Renewal Committee members received the updated DoI plan electronically and provided feedback to the LISD Chief of Staff affirming their approval of the plan to be posted on the LISD website for a minimum of 30 days for community input.
- July 13 – August 19, 2022 – The renewed LISD Innovation Plan posted on the Leander ISD website with opportunity for community feedback.
- September 15, 2022 – The LISD Innovation Plan presented to the Districtwide Educational Improvement Council (DWEIC) in a public meeting for feedback and DWEIC vote. DWEIC approved Innovation Plan as presented.
- September 16, 2022 – Notification to the Commission of Education and the Texas Education Agency (TEA) of intent to renew DoI plan and submission of DoI plan to TEA.
- October 13, 2022 – District of Innovation renewal plan presented to Leander ISD Board of Trustees. Board approved the plan as presented by a 5-0 vote (2 trustees were not in attendance during the vote).
- October 21, 2022 – The Innovation Plan is posted on the LISD website
- October 21, 2022 – Leander ISD notified the Commissioner of Education and Texas Education Agency (TEA) of approval of the District of Innovation renewal plan and submitted the DoI plan to TEA.
Innovation Plan Process
District of Innovation History
The 84th Legislative Session passed House Bill 1842 amending Chapter 12 of the Texas Education Code (TEC) by adding Chapter 12A entitled “Districts of Innovation”. Districts of Innovation (DOI) provided traditional school systems flexibilities from some specific mandates, thus expanding opportunities for local control.
LISD Innovation Committee
The Leander Independent School District Board of Trustees adopted a resolution to study the Districts of Innovation process on November 16, 2017. On December 7, 2017 the Board of Trustees unanimously approved a motion to form an Innovation Committee from the Districtwide Educational Improvement Council (DWEIC). In the same motion, the Board of Trustees outlined the parameters for the Innovation Committee, specifying that the only flexibility the district will seek is the start date of the academic school year. Currently, per TEC 25.0811, a district may not start instruction prior to the fourth Monday in August.
The Innovation Committee was formed on December 12, 2017 and is comprised of the Chief of Staff and fourteen members of the Districtwide Education Improvement Council (DWEIC). The fourteen members from DWEIC were randomly selected from volunteers to fill seven staff vacancies and seven parent/community member vacancies.
LISD Innovation Committee Members
- Matt Smith, Chief of Staff
- Angela Haas, Wiley Middle School
- Jessy Hanshaw, Running Brushy Middle School
- Monette McIver, Community Representative
- David Morgan, Parent Representative
- Amber Patrick, Reagan Elementary
- Catherine Robinson, Steiner Ranch Elementary
- Amber Ryder, Parent Representative
- Chris Simpson, Leander High School
- John Tomaszewski, Parent Representative
- Susan Whisenant, Parent Representative
- James Williams, Community Representative
- Amanda Willim, Reed Elementary
- Sylvia Wood, Rouse High School
- Mei Xu, Parent Representative
LISD District of Innovation Timeline
- Nov. 16, 2017 – The LISD Board of Trustees approved a resolution to initiate the Districts of Innovation process in LISD.
- Dec. 7, 2017 – The Board of Trustees held a public hearing on Districts of Innovation and directed an Innovation Committee to study and develop a LISD Innovation Plan.
- Dec. 12, 2017 – The Districtwide Educational Improvement Council (DWEIC) convened to hold a random drawing from the DWEIC volunteers for seven LISD staff representatives and seven Non-LISD staff representatives to serve with the LISD Chief of Staff on the Innovation Committee.
- Dec. 18, 2017 – Two additional volunteers from the DWEIC parent/community group were selected through a random drawing to fill the final open positions on the Innovation Committee.
- Dec. 19, 2017 – The Innovation Committee met to study and craft a LISD Innovation Plan based on the Board of Trustee parameters.
- Jan. 9, 2018 – The Innovation Committee met a second time to continue the development of a LISD Innovation Plan.
- Jan. 11, 2018 – The LISD Innovation Plan was presented to the Districtwide Educational Improvement Council (DWEIC).
- Jan. 12, 2018 – The Innovation Plan is posted on the LISD website
- Feb. 8, 2018 – A Public Meeting was held on the Innovation Plan.
- Feb. 12, 2018 – The Commissioner of Education was notified of LISD’s intent to vote on the adoption of the Innovation Plan.
- Feb. 15, 2018 – Board of Trustees voted on the adoption of the Innovation Plan.
