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.
24 Apr 2001
11 Schools Are Among Preliminary Exemplary & Recognized Campuses
Dallas Independent School District' 10th grade students scored higher than ever on the mathematics portion of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS). Test results show that more students took the TAAS this year, with more students taking the math portion, than writing and reading.
"The really positive news here is that mathematics achievement showed a dramatic increase," said General Superintendent Dr. Mike Moses. "For the first time in district history mathematics achievement rose above 80 percent showing an increase from 77.4 percent passing in 1999-2000 to 83.7 percent passing in 2000-2001." Achievement in reading and writing remained a constant at about 84 percent.
For the second consecutive year DISD had no low performing high school campuses. In fact, preliminary results also show that six district high schools could make the list of schools rated Exemplary by the Texas Education Agency. These campuses are the School of Science and Engineering, the School of Education and Social Services; the School for the Talented and Gifted; the School of Health Professions, and the School of Government, Law and Law Enforcement. Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, a Recognized school last year, is in the preliminary list of Exemplary schools this year.
Several of these schools have achieved the Exemplary rating for several years. For example, the School for the Talented and Gifted has been ranked Exemplary since 1995-96. The School of Science and Engineering has made the ranks since 1996-97.
Four of the district's comprehensive high schools are projected to make the list of Recognized schools. This preliminary list includes Carter High School, Skyline High School, A. Maceo Smith High School and W. T. White High School. In addition, the School of Business and Management, also on the list, has been a Recognized school since 1996-97.
The list of projected Acceptable schools includes: Adamson High School, B. Adams High School, Hillcrest High School, Thomas Jefferson High School, Kimball High School, Lincoln High School, Madison High School, Molina High School, North Dallas High School, Pinkston High School, Roosevelt High School, Samuell High School, Seagoville High School, South Oak Cliff High School, Spruce High School, Sunset High School and Woodrow Wilson High School.
Note: An Exemplary rating indicates that at least 90 percent of all students and of each student group passed each subject area; Recognized rating means that at least 80 percent of all students and of each student group passed each subject area; Acceptable rating means that at least 50 percent of all students and of each student group passed each subject area.