Dallas ISD has been named a District of Distinction by District Administration Magazine, a national publication dedicated to covering issues, trends and innovations in the field of education. The magazine recognized Dallas ISD for the innovative work being done through its Teacher Excellence Initiative, a non-traditional approach to raising student academic achievement by improving teacher effectiveness. The Districts of Distinction program honors school districts for implementing programs or initiatives that positively impact student outcomes, streamline operations or address community needs. The award seeks to honor initiatives that are yielding measurable benefits and can be replicated by other districts. “The 30…

Dallas ISD has continued to impress the nation’s top investment ratings firms with its strong financial management, which could lead to millions in potential savings in debt financing costs. Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (S&P), Moody’s Investors Service and Fitch Ratings collectively cited the district’s strong financial management, conservative budgeting and strong fund balance for this outlook. The ratings are important because it enables Dallas ISD to receive financing at reduced interest rates, saving the district valuable resources when using bonds and other vehicles. Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (S&P) has increased Dallas ISD’s underlying debt rate to “AA” from “AA-“ and with…

The Dallas ISD board of trustees tonight unanimously approved appointing Dr. Michael Hinojosa as the district’s interim superintendent. Hinojosa will return to the district after serving as the superintendent from 2005–2011. Hinojosa told trustees that he will lead the district for as long as they need and pledged to continue to support recent reforms approved by the board during the tenure of former superintendent Mike Miles. “Anyone who knows me knows how much I love the Dallas Independent School District. This is where I went to school and where I started my career in education,” Hinojosa said. “I am honored…

The Dallas Independent School District will increase teacher salaries on average by approximately $2,300 as part of the $1.38 billion budget for the 2015-2016 school year approved by the Board of Trustees on June 25. The projected average teacher salary in Dallas ISD will increase by 4.3 percent to approximately $55,300 as part of the Teacher Excellence Initiative (TEI), a plan approved by trustees last year that is believed to be one of the most innovative evaluation and compensation systems in the country.  Through TEI, Dallas teachers have the potential to earn significantly more in salary than the traditional compensation ladder.…