As the nation's eleventh largest school district, Dallas Independent School District serves more than 164,500 students who come from homes where 58 different languages are spoken. Operating with a $1 billion dollar budget, DISD employs 19,234 employees including 10,500 teachers in 218 schools.
28 Sep 2001
DISD Program Is Designed To Reach About 8,500 Students Who Left School Before Graduating
DALLAS--With the goal to attract students who have discontinued their education and to improve the district's graduation rate of 61 percent, the Dallas Independent School District has scheduled a dropout recovery fair from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, October 19, in the Texas Discovery Gardens building at the State Fair of Texas.
At the Third Annual Hook Up With School Fair, DISD counselors will provide students with information about the district's new nontraditional high school diploma programs, GED preparation, support services and career and technology education opportunities. During the 1999-2000 school year, 8,979 high school students out of 65,290 dropped out of school. Thirty one percent of the graduating class of 2000 left school without diplomas. The fair is designed to give these students another chance at a high school education. The location provides students a setting that initiates a plan of action to accomplish their high school graduation goals, said H. B. Bell, associate superintendent–Alternative Programs.
"The district remains committed to the students who left school without getting a diploma," Dr. Bell said. "The Hook Up With School recovery fair gives counselors the opportunity to visit with these students and explain to them all of the unique options available in the district to help them complete their high school education."
DISD students who have not graduated will get free admission to the State Fair that day. While registering with the counselors and learning about their options, students may visit Mundo Latino, A Celebration of Culture exhibit housed in Texas Discovery Gardens building, located at the Martin Luther King entrance of Fair Park. Free food and door prizes also will be provided. Strategic Events is one of the major sponsors of the Hook Up With School initiative.
Volunteers along with high school graduates from the DISD Graduate Placement Center on October 11 will be calling students who have dropped out of school to invite them to the fair.
The district is looking for more volunteers and sponsors for the phone bank and the actual event. To volunteer for Hook Up With School, contact Alternative Programs at (972) 925-4878.
For more information about the dropout recovery fair and graduation programs, contact the hotline at (972) 925-4444 or visit www.dallasisd.org/dropoutprevention.