Journal of K-12 Educational Research 33 Exemption Potential Benefit(s) as Listed in DOI Plan • Balanced instruction time in Fall and Spring semesters • Increased instructional time before STAAR and AP exams • Aligned district calendar with local communitymcollege calendar • Enabled students to participate in more summer enrichment opportunities • Created greater flexibility in professional development for teachers • Eased the transition back to school with a mid-week start date • Increased hiring ability for hard to fill teaching positions • More course offerings in CTE and STEM • Enabled teachers to teach one subject out of their certification • Allowed district to hire teachers certified in another state • Allowed more time to evaluate experienced, newly hired teachers • Permitted more time for training and observation for campus administration • Prevented students from changing teachers or campuses mid-year • Allowed for flexible grouping of students • Prevented district from having to file a class-size waiver with TEA • Kept district within the approved budget • Allowed for early release or half days to enable professional development, teacher planning time, and parent conferences • Allowed half-day pre-kindergarten teachers to have a duty-free lunch and planning time within the school day • Granted flexibility in scheduling for non-traditional students Uniform School Start Date 100% % Used Table 1. Virtual School Types Educator Certification Required 87% Probationary Contracts 56% Class Size 36% Minimum Minutes of Instruction 36%
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