Richardson ISD trustees will get their first look Thursday at a proposal to open two microschools, small learning programs the district would add to its lineup of choice schools.
The proposal is one of several items on a called meeting and work session set for 6 p.m. Oct. 29 at the district's Administration Building, 400 S. Greenville Ave. The notice was posted Oct. 23.
Two microschool models
According to the board memo, the district's executive director of instructional technology and innovation will present two different approaches to a microschool. The memo, submitted by Assistant Superintendent of Technology Henry Hall, says the programs are meant to widen options for families looking for innovative and personalized learning.
The presentation is to cover the two models, how they might help student engagement and achievement, and what the district would need to weigh before opening them.
It is listed as an information item, so no vote is scheduled. The memo does not name campuses, grade levels, enrollment sizes or a start date.
Bilingual and ESL staffing waiver
Trustees are scheduled to act on one item: a request to the Texas Education Agency for a bilingual education exception and an ESL waiver for the 2026-27 school year.
State law requires a district to seek those waivers when it cannot staff its classrooms for emergent bilingual students with teachers who hold the right certification. The district told trustees it has found a shortage of certified bilingual and ESL teachers in specific classrooms this year, according to the action item.
The waiver would let uncertified teachers stay in those rooms under an action plan with training and mentoring while they work toward certification. The superintendent recommends approval. The memo does not say how many classrooms or teachers are involved.