During its Jan. 10 meeting, the Highland Park ISD School Board approved the the 2017-18 school calendar.
In addition, the board approved a plan for the district to explore an option that would allow for greater local control over school functions, including the opportunity for flexibility in scheduling the first day of school in the future.
Please read below for more information on the 2017-18 calendar and the District of Innovation designation.
In this calendar, K-8 students will have four grading periods, and students in grades 9-12 will have six grading periods, with students finishing midterm exams before the winter holiday.
Please note that HPISD's bad weather makeup days, which are required by state law, will be held, if necessary, on June 4 and 5. If one or both bad weather days are used, final exams and early release days will be moved to those days, and the staff work day will be moved to the day following the last day of school.
Five professional development days and six early release days have been included in HPISD's calendar utilizing a waiver granted by the Texas Education Agency.
In addition, the TEA frequently makes changes to its testing dates, so HPISD and other districts across Texas have drafted their calendars based on the preliminary testing schedule. If we have to make adjustments based on changes to the state's testing schedule, we will let you know.
District of Innovation designation
Highland Park ISD is exploring the possibility of gaining greater local control by acquiring designation as a District of Innovation. Under a law (HB 1842) passed by the 2015 Texas Legislature, school districts can earn the District of Innovation designation and thereby access many of the same options that are currently available to charter schools, including flexibility in scheduling the first day of school. Current law calls for public schools without the designation to begin school no earlier than the fourth Monday in August. Beginning earlier could allow HPISD to have greater flexibility with its school calendar.
More than 60 public school districts in Texas have earned the designation, and many more are going through the process, including districts such as Coppell, Frisco, Richardson, Plano, Alamo Heights, Eanes, Katy and Lake Travis.
A resolution was adopted at the Jan. 10, 2017 board meeting, which allowed the district to begin exploring the designation.
At the same meeting, a public hearing on the designation took place. Following the hearing, the School board approved the District Leadership Council to study the designation.
If a Local Innovation Plan is drafted, it will be placed on the HPISD website for 30 days.
A public hearing about the Local Innovation Plan would be held by the District Leadership Council in March.
At its March 21 meeting, the School Board can vote on whether or not to accept the Local Innovation Plan.
If approved by the School Board the designation would become effective immediately. The TEA does not have to approve the plan but does have to be notified.
More information about the District of Innovation designation will be shared with the community as the plans begin to take shape.
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