Project Legacy: Early Learning For All looks to expand early learning

It is already the final grading period for schools in Dallas ISD! There are many important updates and news, outlined below.

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Dallas ISD District 7 monthly updates

  • Dallas ISD expanding early learning: Dallas ISD is leading the charge to rally organizations around the city to better support our youngest learners, starting even before a student is born. Dallas ISD’s Pre-K programs have paid enormous dividends, sending students to kindergarten on grade level at twice the rate of students who do not attend Dallas ISD Pre-K. Dallas ISD will continue to double down on these efforts over the coming years!
  • School calendars: The 2021-2022 school calendars for Dallas ISD are now available. Click the link to view the different calendars and see which schools will have which calendars.
  • Pre-K registration is now open: Dallas ISD is now registering Pre-K students for the 2021-2022 school year. To help families with face-to-face support in completing the online registration, drive-thru enrollment events will take place every Saturday during May, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at several schools throughout the district.

April board meeting debrief: Last month, there were two items of note from the Board of Trustees, one from the board meeting (Spring ACP Exams/vote) and one from the board briefing (Discipline & Suspensions/no vote required at this time).

  • Waiver of spring assessments of course performance (ACPs): I voted to waive the requirement for end-of-course exams, given the impact that COVID-19 has had on this school year. This measure passed and will create flexibility for educators and minimize additional strains on our campus educators and systems. While Dallas ISD is waiving this particular assessment, we will still be utilizing MAP and the state STAAR exam to understand how students have grown or regressed this school year, in order to inform instruction this summer and next year.
  • Dallas ISD aims to eliminate discretionary suspensions: Dallas ISD is currently working with a task force of educators and community members to rethink what discipline looks like. Currently, there are a number of low-level offenses that can result in suspension for students. In these instances, the student is then sent home, has no access to learning and often comes back to school even further behind than they were when they left. Dallas ISD has established an aggressive timeline to complete conversations toward a goal and support a plan to eliminate suspensions in the 2021–2022 school year.

Upcoming Events:

  • 6 p.m., Thursday, May 27: Dallas ISD Board Meeting
  • Friday, May 28 & Monday, May 31: Inclement Weather / Holidays – No School for Dallas ISD

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have thoughts, ideas, questions, concerns, or simply want to say hello!

Best,
Ben Mackey

Dallas ISD Trustee
Ben Mackey, District 7