Coppell ISD named to 20 district consortium

Written by Phil Cerroni

Coppell ISD was recently informed by the Texas Education Agency that they have been selected to participate in the High Performing Schools Consortium created in response to SB 1557. Thirty-three school districts applied to participate with a limit of 20 districts/ 250,000 students involved.

One of the requirements of the Consortium, selected by the Commissioner of Education, Michael Williams, is that it must represent a range of district types, sizes, and diverse student populations. This group will work together to form a pilot that will help to inform the state regarding the next generation of standards, assessments, and accountability.

“We are excited about being included in this opportunity and look forward to working with the other districts to create a pilot that will transform public education for the future,” said Dr. Jeff Turner, CISD Superintendent.

Turner attributes CISD’s selection to the work being done on campuses around the district to transform schools from bureaucracies to learning organizations that are student-centric and prepare students for success.

Over the next few weeks, CISD will be meeting with the other selected districts to work on the details of the pilot. This plan will then be presented to the Commissioner of Education, Michael Williams, and representatives of the governor’s office. It will include a list of waivers that will be necessary for success in a future education program. The legislature will then need to pass the plan (in the form of a bill) during the January-June session that begins January of 2013. Any real changes to programs in the CISD will not take place until the 2013-14 school year.

Source: Coppell ISD