Grapevine-Colleyville ISD renews plan that gives district control over teacher hires, class sizes

Grapevine-Colleyville ISD’s Board of Trustees unanimously voted to renew its District of Innovation Plan during a meeting on April 25. Permitted by House Bill 1842, the plan gives the district control over the school calendar, teacher hires and class sizes. The plan allows Grapevine-Colleyville ISD to start the school year earlier than stipulated by the Texas Education Code.

The code says the school year cannot begin before the fourth Monday in August. But the school year in Grapevine-ISD has begun at least a week earlier every year since the district adopted the plan in 2017. The current school year, for example, began five days prior, on Aug. 18. The plan lets the district create its own criteria for hiring teachers, factoring in certifications and years of experience, according to district documents. For example, the district can hire and certify candidates, even if they don’t have the appropriate teacher certification. This exemption applies for all programs, excepting Career and Technical Education and STEM classes. The Texas Education Code states that no more than 22 students can be enrolled in prekindergarten through fourth-grade classes. But the District of Innovation plan allows the district to have larger class sizes.