Dallas Independent School District |
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Dallas, Texas |
District details |
Superintendent: Michael Hinojosa |
# of school board members: 9 |
Website: Link |
Dallas Independent School District is a school district in Texas.
Click on the links below to learn more about the school district's...
This information is updated as we become aware of changes. Please contact us with any updates. |
Michael Hinojosa is the superintendent of the Dallas Independent School District. Hinojosa began serving as interim superintendent in June 2015 and was appointed full superintendent in September 2015. Hinojosa's previous career experience includes working in the district as the superintendent, a teacher, and a coach.[1]
The Dallas Independent School District board of trustees consists of nine members elected to three-year terms. All board members are elected by district .[2]
This officeholder information was last updated on October 11, 2021. Please contact us with any updates. |
Members of the board are elected annually in May to overlapping three-year terms.[2]
Three seats on the board were up for general election on May 1, 2021.
The Dallas Independent School District board of trustees maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[3]
From 1993 to 2013, the Dallas Independent School District had an average of $1,272,325,476 in revenue and $1,345,642,333 in expenditures, according to the United States Census Bureau's survey of school system finances. The district had a yearly average of $1,091,068,143 in outstanding debt. The district retired $106,589,714 of its debt and issued $217,040,810 in new debt each year on average.[4]
The table below separates the district's revenue into the three sources identified by the agency: local, state, and federal.
Revenue by Source | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fiscal Year |
Local | State | Federal | Revenue Total | |||||||
Total | % of Revenue | Total | % of Revenue | Total | % of Revenue |
Click [show] on the right to display the revenue data for prior years. | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1993 | $566,437,000 | 71.18% | $158,327,000 | 19.90% | $70,984,000 | 8.92% | $795,748,000 | ||||
1994 | $518,119,000 | 69.04% | $159,426,000 | 21.24% | $72,886,000 | 9.71% | $750,431,000 | ||||
1995 | $524,390,000 | 67.46% | $178,314,000 | 22.94% | $74,611,000 | 9.60% | $777,315,000 | ||||
1996 | $580,070,000 | 67.68% | $188,915,000 | 22.04% | $88,067,000 | 10.28% | $857,052,000 | ||||
1997 | $585,814,000 | 67.15% | $197,979,000 | 22.69% | $88,667,000 | 10.16% | $872,460,000 | ||||
1998 | $632,629,000 | 67.30% | $211,537,000 | 22.50% | $95,848,000 | 10.20% | $940,014,000 | ||||
1999 | $670,659,000 | 68.68% | $202,760,000 | 20.77% | $103,019,000 | 10.55% | $976,438,000 | ||||
2000 | $724,925,000 | 68.13% | $233,001,000 | 21.90% | $106,033,000 | 9.97% | $1,063,959,000 | ||||
2001 | $827,165,000 | 71.33% | $215,769,000 | 18.61% | $116,635,000 | 10.06% | $1,159,569,000 | ||||
2002 | $872,436,000 | 72.62% | $196,165,000 | 16.33% | $132,769,000 | 11.05% | $1,201,370,000 | ||||
2003 | $927,652,000 | 68.24% | $266,060,000 | 19.57% | $165,779,000 | 12.19% | $1,359,491,000 | ||||
2004 | $953,405,000 | 70.92% | $205,810,000 | 15.31% | $185,142,000 | 13.77% | $1,344,357,000 | ||||
2005 | $1,037,437,000 | 72.43% | $209,650,000 | 14.64% | $185,237,000 | 12.93% | $1,432,324,000 | ||||
2006 | $1,120,696,000 | 71.98% | $226,097,000 | 14.52% | $210,079,000 | 13.49% | $1,556,872,000 | ||||
2007 | $1,061,420,000 | 66.86% | $312,635,000 | 19.69% | $213,494,000 | 13.45% | $1,587,549,000 | ||||
2008 | $922,764,000 | 57.21% | $473,768,000 | 29.37% | $216,482,000 | 13.42% | $1,613,014,000 | ||||
2009 | $945,399,000 | 58.52% | $440,876,000 | 27.29% | $229,315,000 | 14.19% | $1,615,590,000 |
2010 | $1,010,412,000 | 57.14% | $420,867,000 | 23.80% | $336,955,000 | 19.06% | $1,768,234,000 |
2011 | $934,377,000 | 53.79% | $448,983,000 | 25.85% | $353,634,000 | 20.36% | $1,736,994,000 |
2012 | $959,928,000 | 57.21% | $466,566,000 | 27.81% | $251,377,000 | 14.98% | $1,677,871,000 |
2013 | $977,957,000 | 59.92% | $398,911,000 | 24.44% | $255,315,000 | 15.64% | $1,632,183,000 |
Avg. | $826,385,286 | 65.94% | $276,781,714 | 21.49% | $169,158,476 | 12.57% | $1,272,325,476 |
The table below separates the district's expenditures into five categories identified by the agency:
Expenditures by Category | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fiscal Year |
Instruction | Support Services | Capital Spending | Debt & Gov. Payments | Other | Budget Total | |||||
Total | % of Budget | Total | % of Budget | Total | % of Budget | Total | % of Budget | Total | % of Budget |
Click [show] on the right to display the expenditure data for prior years. | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1993 | $365,854,000 | 55.22% | $247,732,000 | 37.39% | $26,343,000 | 3.98% | $16,092,000 | 2.43% | $6,537,000 | 0.99% | $662,558,000 |
1994 | $412,715,000 | 53.89% | $291,600,000 | 38.08% | $39,853,000 | 5.20% | $16,448,000 | 2.15% | $5,161,000 | 0.67% | $765,777,000 |
1995 | $441,168,000 | 52.65% | $303,278,000 | 36.20% | $66,468,000 | 7.93% | $17,512,000 | 2.09% | $9,442,000 | 1.13% | $837,868,000 |
1996 | $447,427,000 | 47.19% | $318,506,000 | 33.59% | $144,971,000 | 15.29% | $25,648,000 | 2.71% | $11,558,000 | 1.22% | $948,110,000 |
1997 | $484,936,000 | 49.71% | $309,708,000 | 31.75% | $137,644,000 | 14.11% | $29,834,000 | 3.06% | $13,480,000 | 1.38% | $975,602,000 |
1998 | $502,762,000 | 54.46% | $333,021,000 | 36.07% | $50,508,000 | 5.47% | $22,618,000 | 2.45% | $14,282,000 | 1.55% | $923,191,000 |
1999 | $512,171,000 | 54.22% | $354,189,000 | 37.49% | $39,055,000 | 4.13% | $22,567,000 | 2.39% | $16,675,000 | 1.77% | $944,657,000 |
2000 | $575,903,000 | 56.54% | $377,793,000 | 37.09% | $27,773,000 | 2.73% | $20,969,000 | 2.06% | $16,195,000 | 1.59% | $1,018,633,000 |
2001 | $647,152,000 | 57.34% | $413,381,000 | 36.63% | $27,507,000 | 2.44% | $20,084,000 | 1.78% | $20,529,000 | 1.82% | $1,128,653,000 |
2002 | $659,143,000 | 55.40% | $428,266,000 | 36.00% | $58,730,000 | 4.94% | $18,630,000 | 1.57% | $24,935,000 | 2.10% | $1,189,704,000 |
2003 | $760,360,000 | 56.35% | $452,929,000 | 33.57% | $73,986,000 | 5.48% | $36,643,000 | 2.72% | $25,383,000 | 1.88% | $1,349,301,000 |
2004 | $730,295,000 | 49.21% | $467,639,000 | 31.51% | $222,934,000 | 15.02% | $33,429,000 | 2.25% | $29,645,000 | 2.00% | $1,483,942,000 |
2005 | $739,599,000 | 40.33% | $474,901,000 | 25.90% | $536,148,000 | 29.24% | $49,844,000 | 2.72% | $33,212,000 | 1.81% | $1,833,704,000 |
2006 | $767,180,000 | 41.96% | $492,657,000 | 26.95% | $472,624,000 | 25.85% | $62,872,000 | 3.44% | $32,841,000 | 1.80% | $1,828,174,000 |
2007 | $802,339,000 | 48.44% | $535,655,000 | 32.34% | $215,993,000 | 13.04% | $72,978,000 | 4.41% | $29,422,000 | 1.78% | $1,656,387,000 |
2008 | $900,426,000 | 53.10% | $555,649,000 | 32.77% | $137,918,000 | 8.13% | $72,345,000 | 4.27% | $29,379,000 | 1.73% | $1,695,717,000 |
2009 | $888,360,000 | 54.87% | $562,005,000 | 34.71% | $55,975,000 | 3.46% | $88,911,000 | 5.49% | $23,881,000 | 1.47% | $1,619,132,000 |
2010 | $864,098,000 | 51.10% | $560,116,000 | 33.12% | $153,232,000 | 9.06% | $93,871,000 | 5.55% | $19,719,000 | 1.17% | $1,691,036,000 |
2011 | $880,849,000 | 43.16% | $620,404,000 | 30.40% | $437,620,000 | 21.44% | $84,744,000 | 4.15% | $17,471,000 | 0.86% | $2,041,088,000 |
2012 | $792,087,000 | 41.68% | $556,348,000 | 29.27% | $386,544,000 | 20.34% | $152,173,000 | 8.01% | $13,349,000 | 0.70% | $1,900,501,000 |
2013 | $767,652,000 | 43.50% | $555,769,000 | 31.49% | $293,336,000 | 16.62% | $131,349,000 | 7.44% | $16,648,000 | 0.94% | $1,764,754,000 |
Avg. | $663,927,429 | 50.49% | $438,645,048 | 33.44% | $171,674,381 | 11.14% | $51,883,857 | 3.48% | $19,511,619 | 1.44% | $1,345,642,333 |
The table below shows the amount of debt retired, issued, and outstanding in the district for each year.
Debt | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fiscal Year |
Retired | Issued | Outstanding |
Click [show] on the right to display the debt data for prior years. | |||
---|---|---|---|
1993 | $130,037,000 | $250,571,000 | $289,625,000 |
1994 | $15,060,000 | $13,049,000 | $288,772,000 |
1995 | $16,844,000 | $17,468,000 | $288,820,000 |
1996 | $65,160,000 | $210,220,000 | $442,901,000 |
1997 | $10,185,000 | $10,000,000 | $413,354,000 |
1998 | $21,550,000 | $0 | $391,804,000 |
1999 | $185,585,000 | $165,460,000 | $399,278,000 |
2000 | $22,035,000 | $0 | $382,078,000 |
2001 | $26,715,000 | $0 | $357,855,000 |
2002 | $63,245,000 | $372,774,000 | $662,729,000 |
2003 | $126,699,000 | $157,785,000 | $720,047,000 |
2004 | $47,050,000 | $300,000,000 | $979,544,000 |
2005 | $91,230,000 | $444,135,000 | $1,327,128,000 |
2006 | $49,010,000 | $290,205,000 | $1,577,636,000 |
2007 | $40,449,000 | $0 | $1,472,110,000 |
2008 | $49,340,000 | $0 | $1,467,688,000 |
2009 | $153,125,000 | $514,085,000 | $1,855,708,000 |
2010 | $232,730,000 | $156,730,000 | $1,769,899,000 |
2011 | $108,710,000 | $1,020,380,000 | $2,675,516,000 |
2012 | $262,350,000 | $197,935,000 | $2,612,798,000 |
2013 | $521,275,000 | $437,060,000 | $2,537,141,000 |
Avg. | $106,589,714 | $217,040,810 | $1,091,068,143 |
The following salary information was pulled from the district's teacher salary schedule. A salary schedule is a list of expected compensations based on variables such as position, years employed, and education level. It may not reflect actual teacher salaries in the district.
Year | Minimum | Maximum |
---|---|---|
2021[5] | $47,000 | $114,973 |
Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements.[6]
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:[7]
School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) |
Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) |
Two or More Races (%) |
White (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018-2019 | 47 | 65 | 34 | 49 | 40-44 | 54 | 69 |
2017-2018 | 44 | 56 | 30 | 46 | 40-44 | 50 | 66 |
2016-2017 | 71 | 75 | 60 | 73 | 70-74 | 75 | 83 |
2015-2016 | 66 | 71 | 54 | 69 | 65-69 | 76 | 83 |
2014-2015 | 62 | 66 | 48 | 65 | 65-69 | 69 | 81 |
2013-2014 | 65 | 69 | 54 | 68 | 65-69 | 69 | 83 |
2012-2013 | 68 | 75 | 59 | 70 | 70 | 76 | 84 |
2011-2012 | 74 | 71 | 64 | 77 | 75-79 | 82 | 87 |
2010-2011 | 77 | 65 | 68 | 79 | 76 | N/A | 85 |
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:[7]
School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) |
Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) |
Two or More Races (%) |
White (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018-2019 | 40 | 51 | 30 | 41 | 40-44 | 50 | 68 |
2017-2018 | 37 | 47 | 28 | 38 | 40-44 | 51 | 67 |
2016-2017 | 62 | 63 | 52 | 64 | 60-64 | 77 | 82 |
2015-2016 | 61 | 58 | 53 | 62 | 60-64 | 79 | 83 |
2014-2015 | 63 | 56 | 55 | 64 | 60-64 | 76 | 83 |
2013-2014 | 64 | 60 | 57 | 66 | 60-64 | 76 | 85 |
2012-2013 | 70 | 66 | 66 | 70 | 74 | 80 | 88 |
2011-2012 | 82 | 69 | 78 | 83 | 85-89 | 88 | 92 |
2010-2011 | 82 | 67 | 79 | 83 | 85 | N/A | 91 |
The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:[7][8]
School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) |
Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) |
Two or More Races (%) |
White (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017-2018 | 87 | 80-84 | 85 | 87 | ≥80 | 80-89 | 90 |
2016-2017 | 88 | 85-89 | 86 | 88 | ≥80 | 80-89 | 90 |
2015-2016 | 87 | 80-84 | 87 | 87 | 80-89 | 80-89 | 91 |
2014-2015 | 87 | 85-89 | 85 | 87 | 80-89 | 80-89 | 92 |
2013-2014 | 86 | 75-79 | 83 | 87 | 80-89 | 80-89 | 86 |
2012-2013 | 85 | 70-74 | 81 | 86 | 90-94 | 70-79 | 88 |
2011-2012 | 81 | 80-84 | 79 | 83 | 85-89 | 60-69 | 83 |
2010-2011 | 77 | 75-79 | 75 | 78 | 75-79 | 70-79 | 83 |
Year[9] | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
---|---|---|
2018-2019 | 155,119 | -1.1 |
2017-2018 | 156,832 | -0.7 |
2016-2017 | 157,866 | -0.5 |
2015-2016 | 158,586 | -1.0 |
2014-2015 | 160,246 | 0.3 |
2013-2014 | 159,704 | 0.5 |
2012-2013 | 158,919 | 1.0 |
2011-2012 | 157,420 | 0.2 |
2010-2011 | 157,143 | 0.0 |
2009-2010 | 157,092 | -0.2 |
2008-2009 | 157,332 | -0.2 |
2007-2008 | 157,605 | -0.8 |
2006-2007 | 158,814 | -1.3 |
2005-2006 | 160,969 | 1.9 |
2004-2005 | 157,953 | -1.5 |
2003-2004 | 160,400 | -1.6 |
2002-2003 | 163,079 | -0.3 |
2001-2002 | 163,562 | 1.2 |
2000-2001 | 161,548 | 0.7 |
1999-2000 | 160,477 | 0.4 |
1998-1999 | 159,908 | 1.5 |
1997-1998 | 157,622 | 1.8 |
1996-1997 | 154,847 | 4.0 |
1995-1996 | 148,839 | 2.6 |
1994-1995 | 145,019 | 1.7 |
1993-1994 | 142,652 | 2.1 |
1992-1993 | 139,711 | 1.5 |
1991-1992 | 137,686 | 1.7 |
1990-1991 | 135,320 | 2.3 |
1989-1990 | 132,256 | 1.0 |
1988-1989 | 130,904 | 0.0 |
1987-1988 | 130,885 | -1.1 |
1986-1987 | 132,389 | - |
During the 2018-2019 school year, 86.2% of the district's students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, 40.7% were English language learners, and 8.9% of students had an Individual Education Plan (IEP) .[11]
Racial Demographics, 2018-2019 | ||
---|---|---|
Race | Dallas Independent School District (%) | Texas K-12 students (%) |
American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.5 | 0.4 |
Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.3 | 4.5 |
Black | 22.0 | 12.6 |
Hispanic | 69.6 | 52.5 |
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.1 | 0.2 |
Two or More Races | 0.8 | 2.4 |
White | 5.7 | 27.4 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Sanctuary policy conflicts | |
Dallas Independent School District was one of 15 districts tracked by Ballotpedia that debated sanctuary policies as of October 16, 2017. Learn more about these debates on Ballopedia's coverage of sanctuary jurisdictions » |
The Dallas Independent board of trustees unanimously approved a resolution on February 23, 2017, that designated the district campus as "Welcoming and Protective of all its students and their families to the fullest extent of the law." The resolution also directed the superintendent to ensure students are aware of post-high school opportunities, such as scholarships and internships, regardless of their immigration status.[12]
The approval of the resolution followed two days of student protests in response to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issuing guidance memos on the enforcement of immigration laws and President Donald Trump's executive orders on immigration. The memos called for more Border Patrol agents and prioritized the removal of individuals convicted or charged with a crime and reinforced prosecutorial discretion.[13][14]
A total of 23,000 district students were also absent on February 16, 2017, due to the Day Without Immigrants protest. Though officials from DHS said that the guidance memos would not impact the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects minors brought to the U.S. without legal permission, teachers and students spoke about students' fears of deportation at the school board meeting on February 23, 2017.[13][15]
Unlike other districts across the country, the resolution did not label the Dallas ISD a sanctuary district or safe zone.[13] It also said that the resolution should not "be construed to require an employee or agent of Dallas Independent School District to take any action in violation of federal or state law."[12]
Four new "choice schools" in Dallas ISD began accepting applications in January 2016.[16] According to the Dallas Observer, choice schools "operate a bit like DISD’s highly regarded magnets, in that they have specialized programs that draw students from throughout the district, but they lack the academic- and performance-based admissions requirements that keep most families out of the district’s top campuses."[17]
According to supporters, these schools brought a new aspect of school choice into the picture because, unlike vouchers or charter schools, they aimed to keep students within public schools by providing more options for parents.[17] The district stated it would provide transportation for attending students and that it intended to open 35 choice schools by 2020.[16]
Mike Miles announced his resignation on June 23, 2015. Miles stated the move was due to family matters.[18]
The board unanimously voted to hire Michael Hinojosa as interim superintendent after Miles resigned. Hinojosa previously served the district as superintendent from 2005 to 2011. At the time, he left to serve a school district in Georgia. In September 2015, the board appointed Hinojosa full superintendent.[1]
Miles spoke of his impact in the district highlighting the district's updated teacher evaluation system and increase in early childhood education under his leadership. According to NBC 5, Miles stated that he had "made decisions that, while not always popular, were done with the best interests of children and the district in mind."[18]
Miles joined the school district in 2012 after serving as the superintendent of Harrison School District Two in Colorado for six years. He previously worked as a foreign service officer with the U.S. State Department.[19]
Following Superintendent Mike Miles' performance review at the board of trustee's meeting on May 1, 2015, the members adopted a letter of concern against Miles but did not fire him. The performance review came after board members Joyce Foreman, Elizabeth Jones and Bernadette Nutall sued the district when a performance review was not scheduled for Miles in a timely manner after they requested one. Dallas County District Judge Carl Ginsberg ruled in favor of the trustees, mandating a special meeting to review the superintendent on May 1, 2015.[20]
At the meeting, Foreman called for a motion to force Miles to resign in December 2015. The motion failed 6-3, with Jones and Nutall voting with Foreman. Fellow trustee Eric Cowan said he was not satisfied with Miles' performance, but he believed making such a change would be "irresponsible."[20]
The letter of concern with Miles was passed after the resignation motion failed. The letter was adopted with a vote of 7-2.[21]
At the meeting, Foreman called Miles' hiring practices questionable, said he was a bad manager and blamed him for the district's high turnover rate. She also criticized an incident from October 2014, when Nutall was physically removed from the premises of Dade Middle School. After her removal from the school, Nutall said that Miles had accused her of trespassing and had ordered the school's officers to escort her out. She had arrived at the building shortly before a staff meeting that was only supposed to include staff members and district administrators. Nutall said she had not planned on attending the meeting, asserting that she had only gone to the school to encourage the teachers there. After the incident, both Nutall and Miles asked the other to apologize to the community.[22]
In response to Foreman's criticisms, Miles told the board he had been hired to reform the district and that he knew it was not going to be an easy process.[20][21]
Volunteers with a local group called Support Our Public Schools circulated petitions starting on March 4, 2014, to turn the Dallas Independent School District into a home-rule district. A state law passed in 1995 allowed local residents to replace their existing district structure with a home-rule charter. This charter could bypass some state regulations including minimum salary schedules for teachers, curriculum standards, and the number of days in a school year. On January 20, 2015, a home-rule commission voted 10-5 against granting Dallas a home-rule charter.[23] Commission members had until June 2015 to develop a home-rule charter for the district. If approved by the Texas Commissioner of Education, voters would have approved or rejected the charter at the polls. State law required a simple majority and at least 25 percent of registered voters to cast ballots in the charter election.[24]
Support Our Public Schools was a group funded by former hedge fund manager John Arnold and several anonymous donors through his nonprofit organization, the Action Now Initiative. Arnold worked with local officials, including board member Mike Morath, to form the group due to concerns about the district's record of academic performance. Morath supported Support Our Public Schools but did not serve on the group's board.[25] The organization hoped to complete the entire process in time for the gubernatorial election on November 4, 2014. If successful, Dallas Independent School District would have been the first school district in Texas to use the home-rule charter process.[24]
Support Our Public Schools submitted more than 48,000 petition signatures to the school district in May 2014. District officials certified that enough valid signatures were submitted to proceed to the next step in the process.[26][27] The group had to gather at least 24,459 valid signatures, or five percent of registered voters in the district, to force the creation of a charter commission by the school board. School board members appointed 15 members to the charter commission during a meeting on June 19, 2014.[28]
Two members of the commission were selected by the entire board, four educators were selected by an advisory panel, and each trustee selected one commission member. D. Marcus Ranger, the husband of former trustee Carla Ranger, and Lew Blackburn, Jr., the son of trustee Lew Blackburn Sr., were appointed to the commission. The state's home-rule charter law does not restrict spouses or relatives of current board members from serving on commissions. An article published following the failure of the home-rule effort noted that eight of the nine Dallas board members opposed the initiative, which Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings suggested resulted in anti-initiative appointees. Commission chairman Bob Weiss rejected this argument and stated, "I certainly respect the mayor’s point of view but will politely disagree with the inference that the process was doomed because the commission did not act in good faith. This commission was not responsible for the appointment process."[23]
The following table details the charter commission, including how they were appointed:[28]
Charter commission[28] | |
---|---|
Member | Appointed by |
Bob Weiss | Entire board |
Stephanie Elizalde | Entire board |
Melissa Malonson | District 1 trustee Elizabeth Jones |
Edwin Flores | District 2 trustee Mike Morath |
Jeff Veazey | District 3 trustee Dan Micciche |
Ricardo Mendez | District 4 trustee Nancy Bingham |
Lew Blackburn, Jr. | District 5 trustee Lew Blackburn Sr. |
D. Marcus Ranger | District 6 trustee Carla Ranger |
Jerome Garza | District 7 trustee Eric Cowan |
Danae Gutierrez | District 8 trustee Miguel Solis |
Shirley Ison-Newsome | District 9 trustee Bernadette Nutall |
Isaac Freeman | Advisory panel |
Ron Oliver | Advisory panel |
Bonita Reece | Advisory panel |
Julie Sandel | Advisory panel |
Local officials and advocates debated the group's efforts during the petition drive. Mayor Rawlings supported the effort in order to bring change to the district while board members Lew Blackburn and Bernadette Nutall questioned the motivations of Support Our Public Schools. Superintendent Mike Miles neither endorsed nor rejected the movement but argued the home-rule effort was unnecessary since the district had already initiated reforms.[29] Alliance-AFT president Rena Honea argued that this effort was "part of a plan to underfund our schools, declare them a failure, and contract out to private operators the control of our neighborhood schools, disenfranchising parents and community stakeholders and de-professionalizing teaching."[24][30]
Mark Melton, a local attorney and charter supporter, published a seven-page constitution in May 2014 intended to guide the charter commission. This constitution developed by Melton and four colleagues would have left the district largely unchanged. The document proposed a three-term limit on all board members, a provision for recalling board members and an earlier start date for district schools. Melton's proposal would have allowed a recall election to take place if 15 percent of residents in a trustee district signed petitions. He offered the proposals as a reaction to the rancorous debate taking place between Support Our Public Schools volunteers and some district residents.[27]
In late 2013, the Dallas ISD board of trustees solicited legal opinions regarding legal fees accrued by Superintendent Mike Miles during an investigation into a contract awarded earlier in the year. Miles was billed $18,143 by law firm Adams, Lynch and Loftin for representation during a hearing by arbitrator Paul Coggins in July 2013. The district paid the superintendent's legal fees due to a clause in his contract that covers fees for legal proceedings. The board heard legal opinions during a meeting on February 13, 2014, to determine if reimbursement was appropriate for an internal investigation. Coggins did not find any wrongdoing by Miles in awarding contracts but determined that Miles talked to witnesses throughout the investigation. The final report by Coggins also found that Miles helped write a resignation letter for a former district official that criticized the board of trustees. Miles was given a 90-day employee improvement period and a letter of reprimand after the hearing.[31]
Dallas Independent School District
9400 N. Central Expressway
Dallas, TX 75231
Phone: 972-925-3700
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