Photo courtesy of Dallas ISD
Onward and upward – Dallas ISD ready for new semester
Welcome back and happy new year! I hope all of you enjoyed some well-deserved rest and rejuvenation this holiday season. As we step into a new year, I’m excited to share what Dallas ISD has been up to this past month.
Dallas ISD District 7 monthly updates:
Community listening progress and goal setting: Thank you to the more than 1,000 community members, staff, students, and parents who took time to come out to community listening sessions and/or fill out the survey about your vision for Dallas ISD. Last month, the Board of Trustees reviewed all of this data and began to formulate the priorities that will guide our work over the next five years.
Dallas ISD receives the highest tier bond rating: Dallas ISD recently received a top-tier bond rating from the Kroll Bond Rating Agency. KBRA awarded Dallas ISD a AAA bond rating. Of the 1,207 school districts in Texas, only 11 have received this distinction. Higher ratings mean lower interest rates, which can save our taxpayers millions of dollars over the life of the bonds.
Bond Progress updates – Rosemont Upper Campus: Construction remains on schedule at Rosemont Upper Campus. If you have any questions about the construction progress, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m also thrilled to announce that Rosemont Lower Campus now has a new art kiln, and it should be installed later this month.
December Board meeting debrief: In December, Dallas ISD Board of Trustees met for the final meeting of the first semester of the 2024-2025 school year. A highlight is below:
- Student Perception survey results: Dallas ISD is committed to our students’ experience in their schools. About three years ago, the district unveiled a student perception survey to get a pulse on how they feel about their campuses and the culture that is created there. In December, the Board of Trustees discussed the results for the 2024-2025 school year. Overall, we saw a slight decrease in “climate” and “sense of belonging” across the district, but a substantial increase in “campus safety,” signaling that the investments and focus we’ve put on safety and security is resulting in a direct impact on student perception. Finally, the administration is working with campuses to convene student focus groups to identify actions that can drive systemic improvements in student perception going forward.
As always, please reach out to me if you have thoughts, ideas, questions, concerns, or simply want to say hello.
Ben Mackey
As always, please reach out to me if you have thoughts, ideas, questions, concerns, or simply want to say hello. Just reach out to me at BenMackey@dallasisd.org
Best,
Ben Mackey
