Minimizing standardized assessments among new changes in Dallas ISD this school year
DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) — The first day of school has officially wrapped for students in Dallas ISD.
But with first days come hurdles. And for the largest North Texas school district, its first hurdle was having adequate staffing at every school.
Earlier in the day, DISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde stated the district's principals made it possible for every student to have a certified teacher in their classroom. She also made it known that this year, her schools are going to do some things differently.
Elizalde noted that reading, writing and arithmetic are still the academic essentials, but that there's another set of three Rs they're focused on:
Reassurance
- Under a new state law that's set to take effect Sept. 1, armed security will be present at every school. As it stands, DISD has an officer assigned to every middle and high school; however, it'll need to add armed security to every elementary school as well—another 167 campuses.
Reliability
- Ten thousand teachers are needed for a district of this size. DISD currently has 71 vacancies.
(A) Refocus
- No more assessment of course performance (ACP) tests. Elizalde said no more time will be spent on "teaching to the test."
Moving forward, students will still be required to take state STAAR exams, and seniors must pass end-of-course tests as a graduation requirement.
The district also said that if campuses can't find security, it will eventually hire Level 3-certified officers. In the meantime, Elizalde said DISD will reposition existing officers, ensuring someone is ready to respond to any elementary school in five minutes or less.
When asked her strategy for filling those positions, Elizalde said the district is going to be competitive with pay, benefits and incentives.
