As the nation's eleventh largest school district, Dallas Independent School District serves more than 160,000 students who come from homes where 58 different languages are spoken. Operating with a $1 billion dollar budget, DISD employs 18,613 employees including 10,000 teachers in 220 schools.
26 Feb 2001
Each spring, students in the Dallas Independent School District are given some unique choices regarding their future educational opportunities. This is especially true for students who want to take advantage of any of the transfer options offered by the Student Transfer Program.
The Student Transfer Program allows parents the freedom to choose schools they believe best meet the interests and/or needs of their children, as long as there is available space in the chosen school. Some of the district's transfer programs are listed below:
• A scholarship of up to $1,040 is available to secondary students from Dallas Independent School District who participate in the Majority to Minority (M-M) Transfer Program. For each year of participation in the high school M-M Program, students will receive a $260 scholarship to any Dallas County Community College District campus — enough for one semester's tuition or 15 credit hours. M-M students may earn up to a maximum of $1,040, or four semesters' tuition. The M-M scholarship may be used for college during the regular term or during the summer session.
Elementary M-M students receive free music lessons and instruments in schools where such programs are offered. All students in the M-M Transfer Program receive free transportation to and from their home neighborhoods, including students who remain after school to participate in extracurricular activities. Students have until the last day of school to apply for enrollment in this program.
• Students who qualify will be able to participate in the Magnet Program and attend one of the district's magnet schools. These schools have specialized programs of study that focus on a unique theme such as science, arts, business, music, health and others. Students take regular academic classes and special cluster classes in their fields of interest. Elementary magnets are called vanguards and serve grades 4-6. Middle schools in the program are called academies and high schools are called magnets. All are part of the Magnet program. The application period opened in January and will continue through May 1.
• The Curriculum Transfer option gives any student in any grade the opportunity to transfer to the nearest school with available space which offers a course or program not available in his/her home school. Applications for this program will be accepted until the last day of school.
• The Hardship Transfer option gives any student in any grade the option of attending a school other than his/her neighborhood school, when space is available. The student, however, must have personal or family documentable circumstances which make attending the home school difficult.
• The School Choice Transfer option gives students in schools with low TAAS (Texas Assessment of Academic Skills) scores the opportunity to transfer from that school to other schools within or out of the district. Students who are interested in this option may obtain a hardship transfer application at any Dallas school.
For more information regarding the Student Transfer Program, contact your student's principal or call Judy Thomas at the Student Transfer Office, (972) 925-3270.
A list of open and closed campuses is attached.