Delving deeper into PAISD’s District of Innovation
Published 11:24 am Monday, March 26, 2018
By Lorenzo Salinas
Port Arthur Independent School District has drafted a District of Innovation Plan in an effort to better meet the needs of its student population.
“A District of Innovation is a concept passed by the 84th Legislative Session in House Bill 1842, effectively immediately, that gives traditional independent school districts flexibility,” Superintendent Mark Porterie said. “The reason for the PAISD to enter into a DOI is for the innovation of the school calendar.”
The flexibilities afforded by HB 1842 are many of the same flexibilities afforded to open-enrollment charter schools in Texas, such as class size, educator certification and determining the first and last day of school, just to name a few.
“The Port Arthur Independent School District applauds the fact that the commissioner of education is supporting the idea of allowing school districts to be creative in the classroom and have flexibility when it comes to ensuring a quality education for our students,” Porterie said. “For years we have supported our teachers in creating new ideas that they feel will enhance the curriculum. Our posture is that school administrators and teachers are the practitioners that work in the classroom for student success.”
Porterie took time to answer a few questions this week delving deeper into the district’s plan for “innovation.”
Q: Is PAISD’s District of Innovation Plan meant only for changing the beginning and end dates for the school year? Has the district felt restricted by these mandated first and last days of school in the past? What are a few of the benefits of the district determining its own start and stop dates if the plan were approved?
A: With the District of Innovation designation we will be able to start school earlier than in the past. The law states that public schools are not allowed to begin before the fourth Monday in the month of August. We understand that the sooner our children return to school the better it is for them. It will also allow us to end the first semester sooner and end the year in May.
Q: Would the district consider — or has it already considered — other possibilities for the flexibilities afforded by House Bill 1842? What are some of those considerations? Would class size or educator certification be among possible changes that the district is looking toward?
A: The position of the PAISD is that smaller is better when it comes to class size. In a DOI we would be looking at how to decrease class size as opposed to increasing class size. When looking at a DOI for your district you have to understand that every district is different and what may work for one district may not work for another. Increasing class size in the PAISD would definitely not be a positive for our district. We are working to hire more teachers to be able to have smaller class sizes. Our students need more one-on-one attention and a class that is overcrowded would not meet that goal.
The question has been raised concerning educator certification. The position of the PAISD is that we employ as many certified teachers as possible. We need the educational knowledge that a certified teacher brings to the classroom. We want to always remember that the DOI designation gives you an opportunity to be innovative for the good of education. We want to be innovative based on what is best for staff and students. The ultimate goal is student success.
Q: How do the initiative(s) as presented by the District of Innovation Plan on the school’s website factor into PAISD’s overall mission statement and vision for its students?
A: Last year the district completed its Five Year Plan. The initiative mirrors the goals that the PAISD Board of Trustees has voted on for the success of this district. We strongly encourage our staff members to utilize their creativity in order to create other options that will enhance the curriculum. We, the PAISD and community, are in this together and we will be successful.
Dr. Mark L. Porterie is the superintendent of schools for Port Arthur Independent School District.
The district’s Innovation Plan can be found online at its website (paisd.org). It will be online until April 5, at which time a special committee will vote on the plan and the district will notify the Texas Education Agency of its vote.
