Three Dallas ISD schools are among the top 15 most challenging schools in the nation, according to a new report from the Washington Post. The School for the Talented and Gifted at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center, School of Science and Engineering at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center, and the Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School were, respectively, ranked as the third, fourth, and fifteenth most challenging U.S. school. Only one other school district —Jacksonville—had more than two schools ranked in the top 15. The Washington Post rankings are based on the number of college-level tests given at a…

Dallas ISD teachers will have the ability to earn a higher salary at a faster rate under the district’s new salary schedule. In the 2015–16 school year, the starting base salary for new Dallas ISD teachers will be $50,000. For reference, new teachers previously had a starting salary of $47,382. Meanwhile, newly hired teachers with more than two years of teaching experience will have the ability to earn a base salary of $58,000, with the capacity in the coming years to earn up to $90,000. When excluding any cost of living increase, the base salary under the previous salary schedule…

When looking at student performance on ACPs, STAAR, and the number of seniors applying for college, encouraging numbers are emerging in Imagine 2020 schools. Data compiled by district staff shows Imagine 2020 students increased their passing rate percentage in every content area on the ACPs, outpacing districtwide averages in each area except reading. Imagine 2020 is the district’s strategic feeder pattern initiative to accelerate student achievement. When looking at STAAR data from 2012-2013 to 2013-2014, Imagine 2020 students made improvements in fourth-grade reading, fifth-grade math, Algebra 1 and biology, outpacing districtwide averages in these areas as well. Regina Rice, director…