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Board approves District of Innovation amendments to allow calendar flexibility, counselor hiring and local vaping discipline
Summary
Trustees approved three amendments to the district's District of Innovation plan—allowing the district to begin instruction not prior to the first Monday in August (giving calendar committee flexibility), permitting limited hiring flexibility for counselors nearing certification, and restoring local control over discipline for non‑THC vaping incidents—by a 7–0 vote.
The Richardson ISD Board accepted staff recommendations to amend the district's District of Innovation (DOI) plan in three areas, voting 7–0 to approve the changes after presentations and committee feedback.
Mr. Hasso (DOI lead) told trustees the proposed first‑day amendment would read: "RISD may not begin instruction for students prior to the 1st Monday in August," which the district says would let the calendar committee consider a full‑week fall break when building future calendars. "It does not mean that we will automatically get a full week fall break," Hasso clarified; it provides the committee flexibility to consider that option.
On teacher certification, staff proposed adding counselors to the positions eligible for DOI hiring flexibilities and specifying parameters for hiring candidates who have completed at least 24 of the 48 required counseling hours so they can finish their program within a set period. Doctor Goodson described the proposal: candidates would meet a minimum threshold and complete remaining practicum hours within an agreed timeframe.
For student discipline related to e‑cigarettes, Doctor Gibbons said the district is asking for local authority to apply campus‑level interventions and keep students on campus for initial non‑THC vaping incidents, rather than automatically referring them to an alternative placement. "We want the opportunity for the student to stay on campus, receive discipline, receive some intervention, but not leave their home campus," Gibbons said. Trustees asked about consistency across campuses and procedures to ensure fairness; staff said they would adjust the code of conduct to ensure consistent application. The board approved the DOI amendments 7–0.
