DIP Comparison

The comparison between Austin ISD’s District Improvement Plan (DIP) and that of my home district reveals two very different styles of DIP.  While there were some elements that were similar, the overall structures were not similar.

The Austin ISD DIP was a very detailed and comprehensive report.  It was compiled much in the way a “state of the district” type of document would be compiled.  It included a wide variety of information such as budget updates, meeting minutes and attendance, discipline reports, community outreach program information and notes, subcommittee reports, and updated policies.  As for my home district ISD, none of the above-mentioned report sections or topics was covered.

The DIP for my home district was completely aligned with the district’s stated mission.  It was organized in a method by which each goal was tied to a component of the district’s vision 2020 commitment.  The entire report consisted of prescribed actions, desired results, necessary resources, and timelines.  Each goal was written as a SMART goal.  Specific budgeted resources were not itemized nor were they quantified.  For each goal, only the source of funds was listed, i.e., “district budget”, “SIP budget”, “C & I budget”, “Bond 2011 budget”.  Our DIP took a similar form as was seen in Appendix B of Austin ISD's DIP.

Overall, my home district has a document that is limited to SMART goals for district growth with no detail as to specific spending or sources of funds.  The Austin ISD’s list of actual improvement plan information spans only three pages of 53 total pages.