Spring ISD approves DeCaney High School turnaround plan, leaders set one‑year urgency and quarterly monitoring

The Spring ISD Board of Trustees approved revisions to DeCaney High School’s turnaround plan on Sept. 9, following a presentation from district and campus leaders that emphasized rapid instructional change, accountability and college‑, career‑, and military‑readiness (CCMR).

Trustee Newhouse moved to approve the DeCaney plan and Dr. Jensen seconded; the board voted to approve the plan on a voice/hand vote. The motion carried with no objections reported.

District officials said the plan responds to DeCaney’s consecutive unacceptable accountability ratings under the Texas Education Agency framework and aims to raise the campus to a C or higher, with leadership saying they expect a B or better with rapid implementation. Interim Chief of Academics Dr. Latracy Harris said the plan aligns with the district’s Lone Star governance model and prioritized “leadership and student outcomes.” The administration characterized the work as urgent and framed it as both instructional and cultural.

Campus leaders outlined the plan’s main components: • Instructional presence and high‑quality Tier 1 instruction, supported by frequent classroom walkthroughs and same‑day feedback to teachers; administrators reported approximately 200 walkthroughs during an early review and said they will calibrate observations to district standards. • Intensive coaching cycles and use of video‑based reflection tools (Swivel) to enable teachers to “see it, name it, do it” and make coaching conversations more focused. • Extended learning time for students (after school and Saturday programs) and structured writing and practice sessions during existing schedule blocks. • Small‑group instruction to target skill gaps and provide both remediation and acceleration across grade bands. • A focus on CCMR indicators (dual credit, AP, industry‑based certifications and military readiness) with administrators reporting existing gains in IBC attainment and P‑TECH associate’s degrees at other campuses as examples of college‑and‑career progress.

Principal Dr. Connie Smith described a rapid coaching and observation cadence at DeCaney: administrators committed to daily walkthroughs and frequent, actionable feedback for teachers. The plan includes data‑driven instructional cycles and “all‑means‑all” work intended to sustain gains over a 15‑month implementation period.

Board members pressed for trend data and asked that the administration return with quarterly updates. Trustee Adams requested historical comparison charts showing prior years’ performance to demonstrate growth trends rather than single‑point snapshots; administrators agreed to provide trend reporting and quarterly progress updates tied to a dashboard of formative measures.

Trustees emphasized accountability across adults as essential to student outcomes. The board directed the administration to return with monitoring data and indicated the plan would be revisited on a quarterly basis.

The board approved the DeCaney High School turnaround plan as presented.