Agency Notice of Update of Districts of Innovation Public Postings

House Bill (HB) 1842, 84th Texas Legislative Session, 2015, in part amended Chapter 12 of the Texas Education Code (TEC) to create districts of innovation (DOIs). School districts are eligible for this designation if the districts meet certain performance requirements and follow certain procedures for adoption as outlined in Statute. The designation allows a district to be exempt from certain sections of the TEC that inhibit the goals of the district as outlined in the locally adopted innovation plan. The term of the designation as a district of innovation may not exceed five years. 

Pursuant to the legislation, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) is required to post all current local innovation plans on the agency's internet website. This year (2021) marks five years since eligible districts first began to take the procedural steps to locally adopt a plan for designation as a DOI and the agency began publicly posting a list of districts that have notified the commissioner of their designation. 

The purpose of this correspondence is to notify DOI-designated school districts that TEA will be updating the list of districts on its District of Innovation webpage to reflect only those whose DOI plan terms are current. If your district’s local innovation plan term expires prior to the start of the 2021-2022 school year and your district has chosen not to take the procedural steps to renew your local innovation plan, your district will be removed from the TEA’s District of Innovation webpage on August 1, 2021. For information regarding the renewal process, please see the agency’s District of Innovation renewal guidance document. The renewal of a DOI plan is a local determination. Districts may choose to allow their local innovation plan to expire and must come back into compliance with all previously exempted sections of the TEC upon expiration of the plan. 

It is the responsibility of the district to maintain compliance with all rules and regulations related to DOIs in TEC, Chapter 12A, and 19 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 102, Subchapter JJ, as well as all legal requirements for which an exemption cannot be claimed. For districts that choose to renew their DOI plan, please note that the districts must review all sections of the plan and previously adopted exemptions. All districts are encouraged to consult with their legal counsel regarding the effect of any exemption claimed and its continued implementation, if applicable. 

For questions regarding this correspondence, please contact the Division of Accreditation at accred@tea.texas.gov.