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Welcome to my first newsletter! One of my goals as Trustee is to tell the story of Dallas ISD well and to make sure our community feels it is welcome and a part of making Dallas ISD the greatest urban school district in the country. With this monthly newsletter, I plan to highlight the amazing things our students are doing, along with keeping you informed of the most important developments in Dallas ISD.
The biggest news, of course, is that we are back to school! That means our most important constituents were back in their classrooms, and the Dallas ISD board was back to work.
Dallas ISD Updates
Dallas ISD Enrollment Grows: For the first time in over a decade, Dallas ISD is growing! We have bucked a statewide trend of decreasing enrollment and welcomed more than 139,000+ students this year. We’ve already exceeded last year’s enrollment and, and we are continuing to climb. Incredible credit goes to the Dallas ISD teachers and staff for their hard work. We are early in evaluating the reasons for this growth, but I believe Dallas ISD’s continuing commitment to innovation—with investments in early learning, public school choice, quality teachers and leadership, and amazing new workforce programs—is paying off.
Grades Are In for Dallas ISD: I am very proud of Dallas ISD’s willingness to share its projected accountability ratings ahead of other school districts who have held up their ratings due to an ongoing lawsuit. It demonstrates Dallas ISD’s commitment to transparency and accountability. The Dallas Morning News praised Dallas ISD’s decision as “smart,” “responsible,” and “brave.” Dallas ISD is anticipating a district-wide score of 79. If this new system was in place last year, this would be an improvement from the 76 we would have earned in this system. While a “C” rating means we have lots of room to grow, this recent Texas accountability system reset makes a “C” middle of the road and Dallas ISD is at the top of the range and continuing to press forward. Dallas ISD is embracing this more rigorous accountability system and the more rigorous state test while continuing to focus on improving outcomes for all students.
Goals and Constraints Resetting Process: One of the school board’s most important functions is to set measurable goals for Dallas ISD that reflect the vision and values of our community. This fall, I and my fellow board members will be hosting a series of listening events with stakeholders like you to identify our community’s priorities and concerns. We are the final stages of mapping out this process, so stay tuned for information on when and where our District 1 community meetings will take place. This is your chance to shape the future of Dallas ISD as we all work together to build the schools our kids deserve.
Tax Rate Adoption: Dallas ISD adopted its 2024-25 tax rate in the total amount of $0.997235 per $100 of assessed value. The rate is a reduction of $0.0166 from last year’s adopted rate of $1.013835. Any increase in an actual homeowner’s tax bill is due to a higher appraised value, not Dallas ISD’s tax rate. Our tax rate is the legal minimum tax rate we are allowed to adopt per state law.
District 1 Updates
There are some incredible things happening in our District 1 schools. Below are a few highlights. Please e-mail any other ideas for highlights to LanceCurrie@dallasisd.org.
- Welcome to District 1’s New Leaders: Principal Herschel Carter now leads Thomas C. Marsh Preparatory Academy after his success at Everette L. DeGolyer Elementary School. Principal Albert Briones is taking over at DeGolyer, bringing his extensive experience and dedication as an assistant principal to this new role. I wish you both the best of luck!
- DeGolyer’s New Building: Congrats to the DeGolyer community on its brand new building! While there is still a little more work until full completion, students and teachers are inside enjoying beautiful new spaces. Thank you taxpayers for supporting the bond that lead to this amazing new building.
- Congratulations to Ms. Ariel Jackson, of E.D. Walker Middle School, for being recognized as a Dallas ISD Reset Coordinator of the Year. She is the heart and soul of Walker’s campus culture, offering guidance, support, and a listening ear to everyone. Thank you for caring so deeply for our students.
- W.T. White Lady Longhorns Soccer Camp is a huge success! Congratulations to the Lady Longhorns, who planned and hosted their own soccer camp this July with over 60 kids attending. Amazing turnout!
Sports Corner
I also want to highlight the great work of our student athletes. Here are a few results from our awesome District 1 teams:
- TJ Lady Pats volleyball beats Lincoln
- WTW Longhorns volleyball takes 3rd in Silver-A Bracket in the Terrell Varsity Tournament
- TJ Thomas Jefferson football fights for the win over FW Carter Riverside 28 -19
Upcoming Events:
- September 27 – WTW Feeder Pattern Night
- October 1 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. – TJ/WTW CCMR Night at Thomas Jefferson High School (4001 Walnut Hill)
- October 4 – TJ HS Alumni Association 20th Annual Golf Tournament
- October 19 from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – Fan Jam at W.T. White High School (4505 Ridgeside Dr.)
- October 25 – W.T. White High School 60th Anniversary (4505 Ridgeside Dr.)
- TBD – Dallas ISD Goal Setting Community Meetings
I cannot thank you enough for giving me the opportunity to serve our great students. If you have questions, thoughts, or want to talk about how we can work together to make Dallas ISD the best school district, please reach out. I’m happy to grab coffee or set up a Zoom call. Just e-mail me at LanceCurrie@dallasisd.org.
Thank you,
Lance Currie
Dallas ISD District 1 Trustee