Arlington Independent School District (AISD) announced Thursday night that 26 schools will operate under state‑required improvement plans, a move that directly affects students, parents and teachers across the city. The school board voted unanimously to forward the plans to the Texas Education Agency, where they will be monitored for progress.
According to the Fort Worth Report, the district submitted a list of 19 schools entering their first year of a targeted improvement plan and seven schools entering the second year of a turnaround plan. Targeted plans apply to campuses with one year of unacceptable performance, while turnaround plans address schools that have failed to meet standards for two or more consecutive years.
District officials outlined the core components of the plans. Shelly Osten, AISD’s executive director of elementary schools and school improvement, said the initiatives focus on new instructional materials, including Bluebonnet Learning math and HMH reading and language arts programs. The district will also provide continued professional learning for teachers and implement data‑driven academic monitoring to track student progress.
Additional resources accompany the plans. Schools under state improvement plans receive extra funding through state and federal grants to hire support staff. Chief Schools Officer Bret Champion noted that some campuses are also under district‑designed improvement plans and priority monitoring, which involve regular walk‑throughs by district staff to ensure academic gains. Specific schools highlighted include Rodriguez Junior High, which will address staff turnover and targeted professional learning, and Thornton Elementary, which will focus on instructional enhancements and added support staff.
Most of the improvement plans are slated to conclude in 2028, provided the campuses meet state and federal accountability standards. If a school falls short, the process will reset and new plans will be required. The district must submit the formal plans to the Texas Education Agency by Nov. 20 each year.
What’s next: AISD will begin executing the improvement actions this fall, with progress reports due to the Texas Education Agency annually. Parents and community members can attend upcoming board meetings to stay informed about the schools’ milestones and any adjustments to the plans.
Sources: fortworthreport.org
