House Bill 1842 was passed during the 84th Legislative Session. It gives regular school districts more freedom. Any school district with a rating of at least "Academic Acceptable" can apply to become a District of Innovation.

The District of Innovation plan lets a school district try new ideas in areas like teaching, school activities, how the school is run, how the school year is scheduled, and how money is spent. The plan can also give districts a chance to be excused from some rules in the Texas Education Code, allowing for more local control. Before a district’s plan can be approved, it must be posted online for at least 30 days, and the District Advisory Committee must agree with it.

Some of the things a District of Innovation can change include the start and end dates of school, how many minutes students must be taught, the number of students in a class, and teacher certification rules.

However, there are some things districts cannot change. These include the rules about the school board, reporting student data, criminal background checks, graduation requirements, bilingual education, special education, PreK programs, testing, financial rules, open meetings, public records, and buying supplies.

Liberty ISD DOI Plan