Dallas ISD is looking to simplify its employee leave and absence policies. In an effort to make the policy easier to understand, the administration presented for a first reading a revised DEC (Local) leave and absence policy at the Oct. 8 Board of Trustees Briefing. The recommended updates more clearly define district attendance requirements, benefits and types of leave employees may take. In addition to making the policy easier to understand, Dallas ISD is placing an emphasis on improving the overall staff attendance rate. District staff attendance rates for the 2013-2014 school year averaged between 92-95 percent among campus and central…

It was announced late last night that a healthcare provider who treated  Thomas Eric Duncan, the Dallas patient who died of the Ebola virus last week, has tested positive for the virus on a preliminary test conducted by the Texas Department of State Health Services. The CDC is conducting additional tests to confirm the diagnosis. Dallas ISD has been able to confirm that the healthcare provider does not have any children and the district has not been notified of any staff members or students having had contact with the healthcare provider. It is important to note that the Ebola virus…

The issue of equity and how to ensure that all Dallas ISD students have fair and equal access to the promise of Destination 2020 framed the discussion about the next phase of the plan held at Thursday’s board of trustees briefing session. The district’s leadership presented concepts to expand options in the areas of early childhood education, school choice, and college and career readiness, and recommended plans that will shape the implementation of the next phase of Destination 2020. Introduction                                                                                                              Executives in charge of the three areas shared statistics defending the need for more and different options to increase the…

Students from several Dallas Independent School District schools have recently been named among some of the most prestigious scholars in the country. The honors include National Merit, National Achievement and Texas AP State Scholar acknowledgements. National Merit Scholar Program Students are recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program after taking the previous year’s Preliminary National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which serves as an initial screen of program applicants. To become a finalist, each semifinalist must submit a detailed scholarship application, have an outstanding academic record and submit endorsement letters written on their behalf. National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected…