Approximately 243,230 meals were served to children 18 and younger during the month of June as part of the Summer Food Service Program. Select Dallas ISD schools participate in the free meal program along with churches, recreation centers, and other activity sites throughout the city. The Summer Food Service Program was created to ensure that children in low-income areas could continue to receive nutritious meals during long school vacations when they do not have the benefit of school breakfasts and lunches. “Hunger does not take a break over the summer, and neither do we,” said Lesia Gray, who coordinates Dallas…

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…