TCLAS Create A New School

Create a New School Designed to Meet a Need in the Community

The TCLAS New School Model supports provide deep 1-on-1 customized planning, community engagement, and implementation supports to help leaders establish a new school model. 
Creating new schools provides support for campus leaders to design a new school responsive to community needs. Key elements of this process include:
  • LEA and campus leaders design new school, such as STEM, single gender, or dual language

  • Campus leaders participate in a New School Design

  • Fellowship to design the school model, including instructional

  • approach, curricular materials, data analysis and assessment plan, and student supports

  • Campus leaders must dedicate at least 3 days/week to school design in 2021-2022

  • School must phase in one grade level at a time (or K-1 in elementary)

 

Create a new school

Core Components

Responsive School Model that Meets Community Needs
ESF-Aligned Plan Including High-Quality Instructional Materials
Strong Leadership with Capacity to Drive Significant Change
Teacher at desk wit student hands up

How to Plan and Implement

✓ Engage with families and students to understand community needs
✓ Select a high-performing entrepreneurial school leader for the new school
✓ Ensure the leader has sufficient release time to participate in the new school
design fellowship during the planning year
✓ Through the New School Design Fellowship, design a new school that is ESF-aligned, uses high-quality instructional materials, and offers extended learning time
✓ Plan for operation of the new school, including facilities (may be in an existing facility), budget, and slow grow model (phase in one grade level per year)
✓ Finalize school design plan after TEA feedback and approval
To learn more about the requirements to implement this School Action download and review the TCLAS Guidance Document.
Girl reading a book with a mask on

District-Managed Spotlight:  Lubbock ISD

Lubbock's new Office of Innovation's annual analysis of schools and community needs demonstrated that improving middle schools was a district priority.  Through engagement with stakeholders, the team learned that there was demand for STEM-focused middle school options. LISD selected an entrepreneurial school leader who further engaged community members in order to design the new school. The district had the the vision, capacity, and leadership to manage a new school, utilizing support from external STEM program experts. McCool Academy opened in August 2020 as LISD's newest magnet middle school.