State of the District highlights transformational work underway in Dallas ISD

When Kathlyn Gilliam Collegiate Academy senior Quayvius Griswold got his first scholarship from Howard Payne University, he barely contained his excitement.

Then came the offer from Abilene Christian University, Southern Methodist University and several other universities, with the offers eventually exceeding $1.1 million.

As Griswold shared his story with nearly 900 attendees at the Dallas ISD State of the District on Feb. 21, he credited his teachers and schools for setting him on a transformative path.

“I stand here as a scholar with the transformative intellectual property of my mind as I consider a few opportunities before me in the form of college scholarships: opportunities that have been afforded me because of the exceptional foundation that has been poured for my life,” he said.

The second annual State of the District address highlighted the transformative impact Dallas ISD is having on students and the community.

“We are in this for the long haul,” Superintendent Michael Hinojosa told the State of the District audience. “While we have stumbled through a few things, in the end, we have the opportunity to become a premiere urban (school) district.”

The State of the District reflected on some of Dallas ISD’s many successes and noteworthy events of the past year, including:

• The immense community support following the Oct. 20 tornado and decisive leadership and partnerships that allowed classes to quickly resume for the most impacted school communities
• The four new Dallas ISD Career Institutes where students can develop and grow in-demand skills they need to secure a good-wage job in the near future;
• The district’s outstanding principals of the year and teachers of the year.
• Completed construction projects funded by the 2015 bond 
• Gathering significant community input on a potential 2020 bond
• Celebrating three new Blue Ribbon schools;
• The reopening of South Oak Cliff High School;
• The success of the district’s Teacher Excellence Initiative
• The transformative work Dallas ISD is doing to address racial equity