Goose Creek CISD hears plan to switch to 5x5 schedule to protect CCMR after provider changes

Dr. Rodriguez opened the March 30 special meeting by telling trustees the board would continue budget conversations and take a deeper look at a proposed 5x5 master schedule that would affect high schools and junior highs for 2026–27. "Tonight, we are going to continue the budget conversations," he said, introducing staff analysis of alternatives for preserving campus accountability scores.

District staff explained the immediate problem: Goose Creek high schools have relied in part on college-prep English (CPE) and college-prep math (CPM) courses to generate CCMR points, but approved providers are limited. Staff said several organizations are approved for CPE but that, as of the presentation, no provider in the state had approval to offer CPM to Goose Creek students. Presenters warned that, although current students enrolled in those courses will count for next year's accountability (because CCMR runs a year behind), those options will largely disappear for future cohorts if providers are not approved.

James Herman and other staff walked trustees through district models showing sharp CCMR drops if CPE/CPM points were removed. To mitigate that risk, staff proposed a three-part approach: strengthen CTE pathways and completion rates (with aligned Industry-Based Certifications); pay for previously out-of-pocket IBC exams and add pre-assessments; and implement TSIA-focused interventions including three-week boot camps and integrated semester-long TSIA prep courses. Staff projected incremental gains from vendor-led boot camps (an example estimate was 8% growth per intervention in some models) and larger gains when combined with a 5x5 schedule that allows semester-length TSIA prep classes and more concentrated remediation.

A principal experienced with 5x5 schedules said the model expands opportunities for targeted remediation: "The 5x5 is a very intentional focused schedule that allows us to individualize students' opportunities," the principal said, adding that teachers and counselors are "nervous but excited" and cautioning that a one-school pilot would split district resources. Administration agreed more staffing, curriculum work, and professional development would be needed to implement 5x5 well.

Staff also flagged major operational hurdles. The district's current scheduling vendor (Frontline) does not fully support automated 5x5 master schedules in the configuration Goose Creek needs; automatic schedule building is not functioning and campus staff would have to schedule extensively by hand unless vendor support is expanded. Trustees asked for contingency plans that include temporary scheduling teams and explicit labor for counselors to handle significantly increased schedule-building workload.

Why it matters: CCMR is a key component of campus accountability under Texas rules; losing routine avenues for generating points would likely depress campus grades and district letter grades in future accountability cycles. Staff told trustees that a combined pathway approach — stronger CTE/IBC tracking, paid IBC testing, and TSIA prep embedded within either the existing schedule or a 5x5 structure — could substantially recapture points but requires deliberate staffing and vendor agreements.

Next steps: Administration will continue vendor outreach (providers expect to report on availability by end of April), refine implementation plans for TSIA boot camps and 5x5 logistics, and return with a budget recommendation aligned to the board's guidance. Trustees directed staff to bring clearer cost and staffing numbers back for the April 6 vote.