Frequently Asked Questions
-
How does the Theory of Action work if my school is in a special program (i.e. ACE, or OTI)?
Strategic district initiatives such as ACE or OTI have a managed structure in that they provide schools with expectations on how they should operate. Even so, programs like ACE and OTI have integrated their expectations within the district's Theory of Action and have specific managed instruction and autonomy components.
-
Do I have to utilize all autonomies?
No, a principal may select any number of autonomies that are granted based on the School Performance Framework (SPF). There is no requirement that you have to select specific earned autonomies.
-
Are there exceptions where I can request an autonomy that my School Performance Framework (SPF) rating doesn't quality for?
No, there are no exceptions where you can request an autonomy for which your school did not qualify. Note, this will differ slightly for special program schools in ACE, OTI, etc.
-
If my current year School Performance Framework (SPF) rating is lower than my previous year, how long will it take for me to lose my previous year's autonomies?
Autonomies available for selection will be determined each year based on the most recent School Performance Framework (SPF) rating. If a campus' SPF rating goes down from the previous year, the available autonomies for selection will be based on the new, lower rating.
Campuses receiving a lower SPF rating than the previous year will still be able to implement lag autonomies (selected in one year and implemented the next) that were selected at the time of the previous, higher SPF rating. -
How is access to autonomies affected if I am a new or transfer principal?
See the chart below that explains how access to autonomies is affected if you are a new or transfer principal.
Type
Description
School Autonomies
New Principal
(new to the district)
Previous principal from another district; new to Dallas ISD
Has access to School Autonomies (with ED approval)
New Principal
(new to the profession)
Never been a principal before in any district
Has access to School Autonomies (with ED approval)
Transfer Principal
Existing principal in 鶹transferred to another 鶹school
Has full access to School Autonomies
-
Who on my campus should be involved in the autonomy selection process?
Be sure to include your CILT and campus leaders in your decision-making process in selecting autonomies.
-
Do I get access to my autonomies instantly, and if not, when and how do I know how to activate my autonomies.
Although the selection window for autonomies is in early fall, some autonomies have a delay in when they are activated based on the nature of the autonomy.
-
If I choose autonomies but then do not use them, can I have the option to chose it next year?
Each year, the autonomy selection window opens with a "clean slate" and you may choose new autonomies based on your most current SPF rating. If your rating changes in the new year, you only have access to the autonomies related to that rating.
-
The Parent Survey currently takes up 5% of the overall SPF rating, but what happens when a campus does not meet the minimum threshold to have parent surveys included in their results?
When a campus does not meet the minimum sample size for parent surveys to be included in their SPF rating, then the entire section of parent surveys is removed from the calculation. In that case, instead of using 100 as the total points, 95 (subtract 5 points for survey) will be the new total; hence 95 will be used on the total denominator when calculating the overall SPF.
-
How does the SEI impact my SPF rating?
The School Effectiveness Index (SEI) is an essential component of the School Performance Framework (SPF). The School Effectiveness Index will make up 30% of the SPF rating.