Description of School

Lewisville Independent School District (LISD) serves approximately 32,600 students in a highly populated portion of suburban north Texas, within thirty miles of downtown Dallas or Ft. Worth. In Texas, LISD ranks 31^st in size and is the fastest growing district in the state. For example, during the last ten years, enrollment has increased an average of 1100 students per year.

Demographics

Student Racial/Ethnic Composition:

82% White (not of Hispanic origin)

9% Hispanic

5% African American (not of Hispanic origin)

3% Asian or Pacific Islander

LEP Students: 11%

Number of Languages: 57

Qualify for Free/Reduced Price Lunch: 10%

Receive Special Education Services: 13%

Background and Goals

Recognizing that the number of students enrolled was increasing, and would continue to do so indefinitely, the LISD wanted to institute long-term professional development structures. The district adopted a cyclical model of institution and reflection that would accommodate the new teachers in the district, but also would create enduring programs that could be amended to respond to student needs.

Professional Development Design and Implementation

• Deliberate, Incremental Implementation. Because the goal of LISD was to create an entire infrastructure for professional development, such a program had to be instituted in stages. A district committee of administrators and teachers identified critical areas for professional development to improve student learning, and drafted recommendations for programs. Eventually, the development programs shifted from district-initiated and campus-implemented training to campus-initiated and campus-implemented training. School teams replicate the collaborative decision-making processes modeled at the district level.

• Accommodation of Multiple Levels of Teacher-Learners. Because every teacher has different needs, the professional development plan has six strands and allows teachers to enter any strand at one of four levels of expertise. Most principals also participate in district-level and building-level professional development with their teachers so that they can assist with any teacher development needs. Pre/post evaluation, simulation activities, self-evaluation, and mentoring programs are also used. The district allows exemplary teachers to assume leadership roles among their peers, rather than bringing in outside experts.

• District Support of Building Initiatives. The district provides each school with at least $2000 specifically earmarked for school-level professional development activities. District coordinators help plan and evaluate professional development by collecting input from school-level teams, monitoring classroom use of strategies, seeking out and coordinating research-based professional development offerings, and providing resources.

• Network of Teacher-Specialists. Through the district-initiated projects, cadres of teachers become specialized and serve as resources for teachers in their own schools and across the district.

Objective Evidence of Success

Based on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS), LISD's student achievement has been steadily increasing; between 1995 and 1997, scores improved on the reading, mathematics, and writing tests at all grade levels. LISD also showed improvement on the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS), a state-mandated accountability system based on composite and disaggregated data from TAAS scores and attendance and dropout rates. From 1996 to 1997, twelve campuses increased their "rating level" (six moved to the "recognized" category -- at least 70% passing TAAS and dropout rate less than 3.5%?and six moved to the "exemplary" category -- at least 90% passing TAAS and 1% or less dropout rate).

Contact Information

Lewisville Independent School District
Karen Dower
Staff Development Coordinator
247 W. Main Street
Lewisville, TX 75057
(972) 219-6909
(972) 219-0092 (fax)
dowerks@lewisville.isd.tenet.edu

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