(Photo from Union Public School District on Facebook)
- The new Districts of Innovation include Newton County, Union Public School District, and Western Line School District.
The State Board of Education renewed and approved new Districts and Schools of Innovation across Mississippi last week.
Wendy Clemmons, Chief Academic Officer and Dr. Bryan Marshall, Associate State Superintendent with the Mississippi Department of Education, presented the Board with three new districts of innovation, a request for renewal of two districts of innovation, and renewal for two schools of innovation along with two amendments to current districts of innovation.
To be considered for inclusion as a District or School of Innovation, an application process is employed that seeks to identify those that implement creative, new or innovative alternatives to instructional and administrative practices that improve learning.
“A lot of these schools are doing everything from expanding choices as far as what the students are learning, enhancing the learning opportunities that they have and we always promote increasing student engagement, which of course impacts attendance and other things,” Clemons explained on Thursday.
Now that the Board approved the proposed list, the state has 13 Districts of Innovation along with five early college high schools, seven middle college high schools, and six schools of innovation across the state.
Marshall said the new districts include Newton County, Union Public School District, and Western Line School District.
Newton County was approved in part for its utilization of a 5×5 academic schedule that allows for workforce opportunities and includes a focus on STEM, science of reading and AI integration into the curriculum.
Union Public School District also uses a 5×5 schedule but it includes time for intervention enrichment and individualized support.
“It just expands their opportunities to be able to increase their offerings there at the school,” Marshall described.
Western Line School District is unique because it had had two high schools already listed as Schools of Innovation. That districts plans to expand the 5×5 block to the seventh and eighth grades.
Under renewals was the Booneville School District, which is implementing a new program to allow students to engage in career and technical education by going out into the workforce. Others included in the renewal request were Corinth, Gulfport and Jackson Public School districts.
The amendment included Hinds County School District, and there was also a request to change Meridian’s status as a School of Innovation to a District of Innovation, which was done in error. Marshall clarified that Meridian was designated a School of Innovation, but their application was for District of Innovation.
