Whilst trolling the Dallas ISD's website last night, I noticed that the district has posted its 2012-2013 District Improvement Plan, a 21-page look at all that ails DISD and offers general fix-its to accommodate its myriad needs. And needs there are: The word appears dozens of time over a handful of pages as 3700 Ross lays out its so-called "Comprehensive Needs Assessment" to address deficiencies ranging from student performance to parental involvement to teacher retention to under-performing campuses to college readiness.
Following an outline based upon the district's 10 so-called "core values" adopted by the trustees last month, the doc is more or less the district's own report card commingled with a self-correction plan, which is why the district's asking for comments -- pardon, "recommendations." From the intro:
According to student achievement on TAKS and ITBS, there is a need to develop and continually revise a clear, specific, and rigorous curriculum, including intervention strategies, by grade and subject in all content areas. This curriculum will be aligned to the district's strategic plan and theory of action based on best practices that are focused on content and pedagogy. In addition, there is a need to provide professional development to central and campus-based staff to ensure proper implementation of curriculum and pedagogy.The whole thing follows. There are, at present, but three comments on the plan, two from DISD employees. The other is from someone who believes that while the goals spelled out in the doc are "thoughtful," they're also a bit too ... intangible, say. "If you want to improve make an improvement plan that can be executed clearly," writes one Charles Ochoa, "not something that is widely open to interpretation such as this document."
