In hopes of encouraging more families to realize the benefits of prekindergarten for their children, trustees voted Thursday to expand tuition-supported pre-K classes to 14 additional campuses next year. The vote follows a one-year pilot of the tuition-based program at five schools and expands to 19 the number of campuses offering the tuition option for families who do not meet the requirements for free pre-K. The list of the 19 campuses and more details about the tuition-based program are available on the district’s Early Learning web page. The board also approved a tuition rate of $525 per month per child,…

The Dallas Independent School District announced today the appointment of Louisiana educator Billy Snow as the district’s new Chief of Transformation and Innovation.  Snow is expected to assume the assignment in May to replace Mike Koprowski, who left the district in February. A veteran of 21 years in public education, Snow most recently served as the Transformation and Innovation officer for Caddo Parish Public Schools in Shreveport, LA., where he led the turnaround effort of historically underperforming schools through a partnership with the University of Virginia. Under his leadership, Snow led a number of district innovation initiatives, including the development…

Did you know that it’s a Dallas ISD priority to have a full-time, on-campus athletic trainer at each high school campus? It’s true! Dallas ISD is among only 37 percent of public school districts in the nation that put such a high priority on athletic trainers. March is National Athletic Training Month, so it’s a great time to recognize the athletic trainers who protect and care for Dallas ISD student-athletes. This year’s slogan for the month is “Your protection is our priority.” Ryan Peña, Sports Medicine Manager at Dallas ISD, has seen the benefits that come from an athletic trainer providing one-on-one availability to student-athletes. “Managing…

From underwater robotics to computer coding, the Dallas ISD STEM Department briefed trustees on the amazing work happening inside schools. STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, provides students with opportunities to grow through hands-on activities and inquiry-based learning. Assistant Superintendent Vince Reyes told trustees that he has made it a directive that Dallas ISD become the public school district that sends the most students on to four-year universities for computer science. “We have the students that can make that happen,” Reyes said. The district has been working to ensure STEM programs seamlessly sequence from elementary to high…