Inside Dallas ISD

Students at the School of Science and Engineering Magnet at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center outperformed every participating country in mathematics and reading and scored only second to Shang Hai in Science on the 2014 PISA, or Programme for International Student Assessment, scores. The exam measures student literacy among 15-year-olds in math, science and reading. Principal Tiffany Huitt noted her students’ performance among a demographic that is 83 percent black and Hispanic and 65 percent SES, which piqued the international learning community’s interest regarding the SEM’s instructional practices in breeding academically competitive scholars. RELATED STORIES: PISA results demonstrate district’s ability…

This summer, Frigo Cheese asked their fans (called Frigo Cheese Heads) to submit essays touting how $4,000 could make a difference at their school. Central Elementary School Assistant Principal Kasie Jackson heard about the competition and decided to apply for a chance at the Frigo Cheese Heads Build a Bright Future promotion. The school was recently selected as a Top 10 finalist in the competition, earning them a guaranteed award of $1,000. Based on online voting, five schools will win an additional $3,000 to use for their project. In Central’s case, that would mean more technology in the classrooms for…

The College Board has announced major changes to the Scholastic Aptitude Test, one of the nation’s leading college entrance exams. The changes that will go into effect in 2016 aim to make the test more closely reflect what high school students are learning. Some of the key pieces of the SAT that are going away are penalties for wrong guesses and replacement of obscure or abstract vocabulary words with terms that are more applicable to current college curriculums. Additionally, the previously required essay will be optional, and math problems will test students’ understanding of and ability to apply concepts required…

For Pedro Trujillo, being an urban specialist is all about going the extra mile for the students, focusing on those who are having challenges behavior to truancy, behavior or academics. “You want to walk away from the workday knowing that you did a little bit more, and that’s what counts in the long run,” said Pedro Trujillo, urban specialist at L.G. Pinkston High School. “I talk to them after they are referred to me, and I find out what is going on in their lives. Some students don’t have meals or clothes, and that can cause them distress. I also…