District invites educators to design and launch a Choice School in Dallas ISD

| September 10, 2016 | EDUCATION, LOCAL, YOUTH TODAY | No Comments
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DISD-Logo-300DALLAS — The Office of Transformation and Innovation (OTI) is excited to formally announce the release of the Public School Choice (PSC) Competitive Proposal Process, Version 3.0. Through this process, educators have the opportunity to create high-quality, best-fit options for Dallas ISD students to realize their full academic potential.

The recently completed Public School Choice 1.0 and 2.0 competitive proposal processes are ushering in 10 Choice Schools ranging from those that anchor teaching and learning under a Personalized Learning model to a Leadership school to schools that are driven by a Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) framework.

Future Choice Schools could include a variety of instructional approaches and content/themes, such as Montessori, International Baccalaureate (IB), Expeditionary Learning, Dual Language, models and academies for Visual and Performing Arts, Business/Entrepreneurship, Government/World Affairs, Health, Humanities, and Communications.

There are two types of proposals for 3.0:

  • Innovation Schools are existing neighborhood schools that want to implement a new academic model, but stay in their existing facility and keep their traditional attendance boundaries. Existing neighborhood school leadership teams can apply for their current schools to become an Innovation School. Cabell ES, Rogers ES, Martin Weiss ES, Marsh MS, and Bryan Adams HS are the district’s current Innovation Schools.
  • Transformation Schools will be brand new, start-up, open enrollment schools.  Unlike the past two iterations, the Public School Choice 3.0 competitive proposal process will notrequire an Applicant Team to have a proposed principal as part of their team in order to be eligible to submit a proposal. A successful Applicant Team for a Transformation School could potentially only include a team of teachers who will use the planning year (under district guidelines) to search for/select their founding principal.  Mata ES, Solar Prep, Hulcy MS, IDEA and CityLab HS (name pending) are the district’s Transformation Schools.

The process and any relevant information related to PSC 3.0 (templates, resources, due dates, etc.) can be found at http://www.dallasisd.org/choice by clicking on “Design and Launch a Choice School.”  Those interested can also access the direct link at http://publicschoolchoiceapplication-dallasisd.org/.

The application opened on Wednesday, May 25. The deadline for Letters of Intent is 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7, and the final proposal is due at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14.

The OTI looks forward to meeting and supporting all interested applicants. Individuals can contact Mohammed Choudhury, director of Transformation and Innovation, at MCHOUDHURY@dallasisd.org to schedule an exploratory meeting.