Dallas school leaders tout victory, criticize Texas lawmakers for not increasing funding

Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde said in her annual State of the State address that despite inaction from Texas lawmakers, Dallas schools are moving in the right direction.

The superintendent touted DISD's accomplishments, including outperforming other North Texas school districts in third-grade reading and math. She also faulted the Republican-led Legislature for failing to adequately fund public schools in the last session. Much of the lawmakers' discussion focused on the idea of ​​sending state funds to private schools.

“I will never stop advocating for you at the state and federal level,” Elizalde told a ballroom filled with teachers and administrators Thursday night. “And I will never use lack of funding as a reason not to prepare all students for the life they deserve.”

She highlighted recent rankings that show some DISD campuses are leading the state in academic performance and growth.

She boasted that hundreds of DISD seniors have graduated with associate degrees. Also, at the District's Career Institute, students experience hands-on training for high-paying, high-demand jobs.

“We are an economic engine for the Dallas-Fort Worth region because we are developing tomorrow's workforce as well as leaders,” Elizalde said.

DISD Superintendent Alicia Iwasko, one of the administrators honored at Thursday's event, said she is excited about the new standardized curriculum with rigorous and engaging lessons being rolled out across the district this year. Stated. Her elementary students are learning about Greek mythology, something she didn't tackle until she was much older.

“I’m very proud to see that,” Iwasko said.

Although progress has been made, Elizalde stressed in his speech that there is still more work to be done.

According to the most recent STAAR test scores, fewer than half of Dallas students in nearly every elementary and middle school age group were below grade level in reading and math.

legislative inaction

Elizalde said the state Legislature passed unfunded mandates in recent sessions, including a requirement for all schools to hire armed guards and implement other expensive security enhancements.

“Did the Texas Legislature fully fund all the new safety requirements that they so wisely wrote into law? No,” Elizalde said. “Have we made the school any safer than it already is anyway? Yes.”

She went on to ask: “Did the Texas Legislature use its nearly $33 billion budget surplus to raise teacher salaries after inflation effectively cut them?” “

The bill that was supposed to do that became embroiled in a political fight over education savings accounts. Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republican leaders have begun passing voucher-like programs that would funnel state money to private school tuition. Supporters of education savings accounts say they are needed to give parents a way out of what they describe as failing public schools.

The fate of public school funding was tied to the ESA bill. Both died.

Congress has not approved an increase in per-student aid since 2019, even as inflation and other factors weigh on district finances.

Meanwhile, many Republican politicians and experts have attacked public schools, accusing them of promoting “woke” policies or teaching children to hate America.

Mr. Abbott accused some public school officials of teaching extremist ideology. “Our schools are for education, not for indoctrination,” he said at a rally promoting school choice plans.

In response to this kind of thinking, Elizalde said Dallas ISD teachers stand every day leading children through the Pledge of Allegiance.

“We teach our kids what Betsy Ross did, why we have Veterans Day, and the responsibility of being good citizens,” she said. “If that's 'woke indoctrination,' then I'm the starting center fielder for the Texas Rangers.”

The Dallas ISD budget summary discussed at the school board meeting earlier this week does not shy away from funding racial equity initiatives.

It is proposing small raises for staff and would raise the minimum salary for teachers to $62,000. At the same time, the district expects to cut dozens of central staff positions.

Dallas schools are facing declining enrollment even as they continue to welcome immigrants from around the world.

“The truth is, we are the Statue of Liberty,” Elizalde said near the end of her speech. “We accept and embrace everyone from around the world and from the United States and develop them into young men and women who can not only thrive in America, but who can continue to make America a better place for everyone. .we.”

The district also recognized several DISD Teachers and Principals of the Year.

One of the winners, Townview teacher Amanda Ashmeade, said she hoped more people would be drawn into the profession with the message: “Come on, it's fun.”

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