Writing accounts for nearly 20% of the total score on all RLA tests. Photo courtesy of Dallas ISD.
Fall is here and our schools are in full swing. September brought our first look at this year’s beginning-of-year diagnostic results, the official kickoff of the 2026 Bond Program, and new leadership at two District 1 campuses: Thomas Jefferson High School and Walnut Hill International Leadership Academy.
Dallas ISD updates
Beginning-of-year diagnostics show early progress: At our Sept. 10 briefing, Superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde shared the results of the diagnostic tests our kindergarten through eighth-grade students take in the first weeks of school. Compared with this time last year, more students are starting the year on grade level in both math (16%, up from 14%) and reading (31%, up from 30%), and fewer are starting two or more grade levels behind. Third grade and middle schools showed the biggest gains. These are starting points, not final results, but they are moving in the right direction with a full year of instruction still ahead.
A kindergarten through 12th grade writing strategy: Elizalde also laid out a districtwide writing strategy. Writing now accounts for nearly 20% of the score on the STAAR reading language arts tests in grades three through eighth (16% in English I and II), and it is the same skill the SAT, AP, IB, and TSIA2 exams test down the road. The plan starts with sentence-level writing and targeted grammar instruction in kindergarten through second grade, adds writing practice in science and social studies (where short constructed responses now make up 5 to 10% of those STAAR exams), and trains principals and instructional leaders so the approach is consistent from campus to campus.
Bond 2026 is underway: Design workshops and a new dashboard: Work on the $6.2 billion Bond Program voters approved in May has begun. In September, the district held its first design workshop, bringing principals, staff, and families from the first group of campuses together with architects to shape the vision for their new and renovated schools. The district also launched a Bond 2026 Dashboard where you can search your campus, see the planned improvements, and follow project status as work continues. If you want to know what the bond means for your neighborhood school, that is the place to look, and I will keep you posted here as District 1 projects move from planning to construction.
New classroom screen-time guidelines: Dallas ISD adopted screen time guidelines that cap daily instructional screen use at 60 minutes for prekindergarten through second grade, 90 minutes for third through fifth grades, and 120 minutes for middle school. In high school, screen use varies by pathway (AP, IB, P-TECH, dual credit, and career and technical courses). Several of you raised screen time concerns with me, and I appreciate the administration taking those concerns seriously.
District 1 Updates
Philip Meaker named principal of Thomas Jefferson High School: Philip Meaker spent the last four years leading Walnut Hill International Leadership Academy, taking it from a C rating to A and B ratings.Under his leadership at WHILA, enrollment grew from 368 to 571 students, and the school moved home into its new building. He succeeds Benjamin Jones, who now serves as executive director for the Emmett J. Conrad feeder pattern. Meaker says his first priority is getting every TJ student involved in something on campus, whether athletics, fine arts, a career pathway, or a club.
Welcoming Travis Jacobs: Walnut Hill International Leadership Academy welcomes Travis Jacobs as its new principal. WHILA is in a strong position after four years of growth, and I look forward to working with Jacobs to keep that momentum going for our Hawks.
A reminder about W.T. White High School’s TAG program: As I mentioned last month, W.T. White launched its Scholar TAG Program this year for sophomores and juniors, with freshmen added in 2027-2028. Built on the College Board’s AP Capstone program, it combines rigorous AP coursework, SAT preparation, service learning, and the chance to earn college credit, all while students enjoy the full experience of a comprehensive neighborhood high school. Eligibility is based on GPA, PSAT scores, and prior AP performance. If your student is interested, their school counselor is the place to start.
Upcoming events
- Tuesday, Nov. 3: Professional development day; No school for students
- Saturday, Nov. 7, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Discover Dallas ISD school fair (Automobile Building, Fair Park); meet every Dallas ISD campus under one roof and apply on site to application-based schools
Thank you for the opportunity to serve our students and community. If you have questions, thoughts, or want to talk about how we can work together to make Dallas ISD the best school district in the country, please reach out at LanceCurrie@dallasisd.org or lance@lancecurrie.com.
Best,
Lance Currie
