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San Felipe del Rio CISD board approves amendment to District of Innovation plan
Summary
Board unanimously approved a proposed amendment to remove a Chapter 37 exemption and to expand certification flexibility for art and music when qualified certified teachers are not available.
The San Felipe del Rio Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees on July 28 approved an amendment to its District of Innovation plan that removes an exemption for designating a campus behavior coordinator and expands an existing certification exemption to include art and music positions.
The change was proposed by Sandra Hernandez, who briefed the board on why the plan must be updated after recent state legislation. "The District of Innovation is a designation that school districts receive where they can be exempt from certain statutes of law in the Texas Education Code," Hernandez said. She told the board that because of changes enacted by the 80th Texas Legislature and House Bill 6, the committee recommended striking the plan language that exempted the district from Chapter 37 requirements on the designation of a campus behavior coordinator.
Hernandez said the amended plan would instead make clear that every campus must have a designated campus-level administrator to oversee compliance with Chapter 37, while assistant principals and principals would continue to carry out disciplinary actions as appropriate. "It has to be the campus principal," she said of the required campus-level oversight role, adding the coordinator ensures due process steps are followed in matters such as alternative-school placements.
The amendment also adds an expansion of the district's educator-certification exemption (currently used for career and technical education) to allow, under specified criteria, hiring individuals with a degree or formal training in art or music and relevant professional experience in hard-to-fill fine arts positions when certified teachers are not available. Hernandez said the innovation committee unanimously approved the proposed edits at its July 15 meeting and recommended the board adopt them.
Board President Mesa called for a motion after Hernandez's presentation; Mrs. Webb moved approval and Michelle Maraz seconded. "Motion carries unanimously," Mesa announced when the board voted.
The board directed the administration to notify the commissioner of education of the amendment after the vote. The amendment language presented to trustees showed new text highlighted in blue and proposed deletions struck through in red on the draft in the board packet.
The board did not take additional related actions at that time; the amendment was advanced by formal motion and unanimous vote.
