KILLEEN, Texas (KXXV) — District leaders at the Killeen Independent School District have approved the required Campus Turnaround Plans for Eastern Hills Middle School, Palo Alto Middle School, and Manor Middle School.
The plans, required when campuses receive consecutive “unacceptable” state accountability ratings, outline specific strategies to improve student outcomes.
Final plans must be submitted to TEA by November 14.
Eastern Hills Middle School
The school is implementing intensive curriculum and instruction improvements as its primary strategy. The plan includes specific goals of 70% of students approaching grade level, 40% meeting grade level, and 15% mastering grade level on STAAR assessments.
Leadership Structure & Development:
• Plan establishes transparent leadership framework with specific duties for principal, assistant principals, dean of instruction and counselors
• Leadership team will use shared calendar system for classroom observations, Professional Learning Community facilitation and data meetings
Staffing & Recruitment:
• Currently 87% of teachers have more than two years experience, but only 46% are certified in their content areas
• Plan includes partnerships with colleges and universities to establish student teacher pipeline
• New teacher induction program provides weekly check-ins and monthly professional development sessions
Curriculum & Assessment:
• Teachers receive 250 instructional minutes per week for each content area
• Assessment plan includes progress checks and benchmarks, with additional assessments for underperforming campuses
• Math and reading teachers meet daily for 45-minute Professional Learning Communities; science and social studies meet weekly for 90 minutes
Data-Driven Instruction:
• Teachers use district-aligned protocols to identify learning gaps and plan targeted interventions
• Student progress tracking includes classroom-level monitors updated weekly
• Quarterly data cycle audits ensure consistent implementation across all departments
School Culture & Safety:
• Minute-by-minute procedural plans for transitions and daily routines
• Recognition systems including Teacher of the Month and Positive Panther Praise cards
• Discipline system uses restorative practices with student contracts and reflection questions
Timeline & Milestones:
• Pre-implementation phase through May 2026 focuses on establishing foundational systems
• Implementation Year 1 (through May 2027) emphasizes consistency and quality of practices
• Implementation Year 2 (through May 2028) focuses on refinement and sustainability
Contingency Planning:
• If turnaround efforts fail, students would be reassigned to four other district middle schools
• Receiving schools include Nolan Middle (52% of students), Manor Middle (14%), Rancier Middle (19%) and Union Grove Middle (10%)
Palo Alto Middle School
The plan targets achieving 70% of students approaching grade level, 40% meeting grade level, and 15% mastering grade level on STAAR assessments. The school currently has 70% of teachers with more than two years experience and 70% certified in their content areas.
Leadership Structure & Development:
• Campus has newly assigned principal Christina Harris with four years experience, along with new dean of instruction and two new assistant principals
• Plan establishes clear roles for Instructional Leadership Team members with documented responsibilities and weekly structured meetings
• Leadership will implement tiered teacher support system based on observation data and student outcomes
Staffing & Recruitment:
• Current recruitment relies primarily on social media but plan expands to include partnerships with teacher preparation programs and regional service centers
• Interview process will be standardized with content-based questions and performance components like model lessons
• New teachers will receive monthly "After School Specials" and luncheons for professional development and support
• Teacher placement decisions will incorporate student achievement data and be reviewed semi-annually
Curriculum & Assessment:
• Assessment plan includes common formative math warm-ups twice weekly and district-created progress checks and benchmarks
• Underperforming campuses receive two progress checks per nine-week period versus one for other schools
Professional Learning Communities:
• Math and reading teachers meet daily for 45 minutes totaling 225 minutes weekly; science and social studies meet 90 minutes weekly
• Four-phase PLC process includes understanding units, preparing instruction, lesson internalization and data analysis
• Principal facilitates PLCs through first nine weeks, then transitions responsibility to Campus Instructional Specialist, coaches and lead teachers
Data-Driven Instruction:
• Teachers categorize student work into low, medium and high mastery levels to identify conceptual and procedural gaps • Campus develops tracking system to measure correlation between reteach plan implementation and student growth
• Progress tracking artifacts in every classroom including mastery trackers, goal charts and growth graphs
School Culture & Safety:
• Implementation of "Capturing Kids' Hearts" strategies school-wide to promote positive relationships and belonging
• Minute-by-minute plans outline specific steps for behavioral redirection and intervention
• Campus-wide system of incentives and consequences including "Behave Out" forms and discipline matrix
• School-wide procedures taught during first week with ongoing reinforcement through announcements and coaching
Timeline & Milestones:
• Pre-implementation phase through July 2025 focuses on establishing instructional frameworks and leadership structures
• Implementation Year 1 through May 2026 emphasizes HQIM internalization, calibration walks and data-driven coaching • Implementation Years 2-3 focus on sustainability, peer coaching systems and long-term data analysis
Contingency Planning:
• If turnaround efforts fail, students would be reassigned to three other district middle schools
• Charles Patterson Middle School would receive 57% of students, Live Oak Ridge Middle School 26%, and Roy J. Smith Middle School 12%
• Receiving schools have current ratings ranging from C to D on state accountability measures
Manor Middle School
The plan targets achieving 70% of students approaching grade level, 40% meeting grade level, and 15% mastering grade level on STAAR assessments. The school has 83% of teachers with more than two years experience and 88% certified in their content areas.
Leadership Structure & Development:
• Campus has Principal Tomas Sias with 12 years experience but no prior turnaround experience
• Plan establishes clear roles for Instructional Leadership Team including new tiered teacher support system based on observation data
• Leadership will implement systematic observation and feedback cycles with at least two classroom visits per teacher monthly
• Principal will facilitate Professional Learning Communities during first nine weeks before gradually releasing responsibility to instructional coaches and lead teachers
Curriculum & Assessment:
• District uses i-Ready Math Classrooms for grades 6-8, SAVVAS for reading/language arts and science, plus McGraw Hill for social studies
• Each content area receives 250 instructional minutes per week with 165 instructional days in 2025-26 calendar
• Assessment plan includes common formative math warm-ups twice weekly and additional progress checks for underperforming schools
• Underperforming campuses receive two progress checks per nine-week period versus one for other district schools
Professional Learning Communities:
• Math and reading teachers meet daily for 45 minutes totaling 225 minutes weekly; science and social studies meet 90 minutes weekly
• Teachers required to bring six examples of student work demonstrating various mastery levels for calibration
Data-Driven Instruction:
• Systematic data review process using "Driven by Data 2.0" framework with analysis of student work samples
• Teachers categorize student work into low, medium and high mastery levels to identify learning gaps
• Campus tracking system measures correlation between reteach plan implementation and student growth
• Visible progress monitoring artifacts required in every classroom including mastery trackers and goal charts
School Culture & Safety:
• Implementation of "Capturing Kids' Hearts" strategies campus-wide to promote positive relationships
• Clearly defined school-wide procedures with structured routines for transitions and assemblies
• System of incentives and consequences implemented consistently across grade levels
Timeline & Milestones:
• Pre-implementation phase through July 2025 focuses on establishing instructional frameworks and leadership structures
• Implementation Year 1 through May 2026 emphasizes high-quality instructional materials internalization and coaching • Implementation Years 2-3 focus on sustainability, peer coaching systems and long-term data analysis
Charter Partnership Exploration:
• Killeen ISD initiated formal process in October 2025 to become charter authorizer under Senate Bill 1882
• Third Future Schools presented educational model to board Oct. 21, 2025, featuring 90-minute instruction blocks and enhanced teacher compensation
• Call for Quality Schools process launched December 2025 with application deadline Jan. 6, 2026
• Board scheduled to vote on partnership approval Feb. 24, 2026, following public hearing and capacity interviews
You can review the full plans by clicking here.
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