A committee called Support Our Public Schools (SOPS) and Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings have proposed to turn Dallas Independent School District into a "home-rule school" district. In this version of charter schooling, DISD would be allowed to ignore state laws.  

Home-rule school supporters say this change would allow for more local control over curriculum and enable the district to fire teachers displaying substandard performance. This would also allow for an extension in the school year, which has been a consideration among schools nation-wide. 

Starting March 4, SOPS began a petition to require DISD's Board of Trustees to appoint a 15-member commission. This group would consider adopting a new plan for the district granting more control to local residents. 

The SOPS website states, "We are advocating for changes to Dallas ISD that will help our schools to focus on what's best to educate our children. Right now too many decisions about schools are being made in Austin, and that one-size-fits all approach is not what's best for our kids." 

Rawlings hopes this new district plan will improve the education system in Dallas and keep middle-class families in the school district. "We have had 25,000 of the 'haves' leave this school district in the last 10 years," he said. "This is the big elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about." 

The mayor has endorsed SOPS's campaign, but DISD trustees remain skeptical. DISD trustee Carla Ranger said this proposition is a "radical assault on the district." 

SOPS's petition must obtain nearly 25,000 signatures for the school board to create a commission to consider a new district plan.