VISD prepares students for new school year

Published 5:15 am Wednesday, July 30, 2025

By Michael Milliorn

The VISD Administration Building (Victoria Advocate file photo)

As the 2025-2026 school year approaches, the Victoria Independent School District (VISD) has focused on improvement initiatives to ensure students are set up to achieve. VISD is focused on citizenship readiness (discipline), attendance and Literacy & Numeracy Plans for the 2025-26 school year.

Victoria ISD teachers and instructional staff spent the summer participating in the district’s Literacy and Numeracy Institutes, held in June and July as part of the implementation of the new PK–12 instructional frameworks.

The Literacy and Numeracy Institutes provided educators with grade-level and content-specific sessions designed to help them better understand, internalize and implement the newly launched frameworks.

The multiple-day institutes saw educators participate in hands-on learning and colleague collaboration. Participants received support from instructional leaders and curriculum specialists as well. Sessions included curriculum alignment, model lesson walkthroughs, data-informed decision making and strategies to support differentiated instruction.

“Educators left the institutes with not only new strategies and aligned resources, but also a
stronger sense of purpose and direction,” a VISD communications news release read. “They are now equipped to implement lessons that foster critical thinking, communication and real-world problem-solving skills.”

The Literacy and Numeracy Frameworks and the summer institutes that supported their rollout represent more than instructional change. They reflect the district’s strategic commitment to its vision: Achieving Excellence for All.

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    • VISD has made significant progress in addressing discipline across the district. The district has developed a Citizenship Ready Plan to create consistency across all VISD campuses.

    The plan created three levels of discipline designed to address the seriousness of a student’s behavior and actions: minor, moderate and severe. Minor disruptions in class will be addressed first with classroom intervention. More serious or repeated behavior will result in stronger consequences. In cases such as threats, drug use or violence, VISD will enforce a zero-tolerance policy, carrying immediate and serious consequences.

    The plan aims to provide more than strict discipline and consequences. It encourages students to reflect, grow and promote positive behavior.

    The plan includes “behavior reflections” where they will be asked a number of questions addressing their behavior: What they did, what they should have done, which core value they missed and how they’ll make a better choice next time.

    The plan introduces programs to students to positively impact their behavior and involvement with the district: Student leadership opportunities, value-based lessons and schoolwide events that build character and community.

    VISD launched a new campaign designed to address concerns regarding student attendance. The “Showing Up for Excellence” aims to raise awareness about the importance of consistent attendance and provide support to families.

    Students are required to attend school and must attend at least 90 percent of the days a class is offered under state law. All absences, excused and unexcused, count toward attendance percentages. The district initiative reinforces the legal requirements and consequences related to truancy as well.

    Every VISD family will receive a “Showing Up for Excellence” pamphlet during the first week of school. The pamphlet contains the VISD Attendance Commitment, an agreement to support academic excellence by aligning expectations between students, families, campus leaders and district administration.

    The commitment will be signed by the student, parent or guardian, campus principal and VISD Superintendent of Schools Sheila Collazo. The plan emphasizes the importance of parent communication, on-time arrival, absence documentation guidelines and campus monitoring tools.

    Michael Milliorn is a news reporter for the Victoria Advocate. You can reach him at michael.milliorn@vicad.com.

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