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Dallas ISD District 1 Newsletter – February 2026 Recap
Note: Please see our website for upcoming Spanish version.
Dallas ISD passed a historic bond, W.T. White is implementing an advanced academic pathway, and four District 1 principals and teachers are finalists for Principal and Teacher of the Year. Here is what is happening in Dallas ISD and District 1.
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Dallas ISD Updates
Dallas ISD 2026 Bond Sent to Voters: Dallas ISD trustees voted unanimously to support giving voters the opportunity to vote on a bond package for Dallas ISD this May. I spoke about why I supported the bond at the meeting, which you can watch at this link. Overall, this bond package is for just over $6.2 billion and would result in a 1¢ tax increase. This translates to about $33/year for homes valued at $500,000, with a $0 increase for homeowners 65 years of age or older. Even with this increase, Dallas ISD would still have the lowest Interest & Sinking tax rate of the ten largest districts in North Texas. The net effect less than $3/month, or about one cup of coffee, for the average household.
The proposal includes the following four propositions:
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Proposition A: This proposition includes upgrades for school buildings and district facilities, including but not limited to: (1) removing all portables from across the district, (2) full rebuilds of 26 schools, (3) renovations at 204 schools, and (4) technology infrastructure, and (5) safety & security upgrades.
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Proposition B: This proposition is centered on upgrading technology devices that both teachers and students have access to as part of their teaching and learning experience in Dallas ISD.
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Proposition C: This allows Dallas ISD to refinance a previous bond, similar to refinancing a mortgage for better terms, and would save the district approximately ~$10 million.
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Proposition D: This would allow approximately $26 million to renovate the district swim facilities around the district, which haven’t received any bond funding in this century.
Voters will have the opportunity to vote on this bond proposal on May 2. If you would like a yard sign to show your support for the bond, please e-mail me at lance@lancecurrie.com.
W.T. White to Implement Scholar Program: W.T. White is working to implement a new “W.T. White Scholar” program using the Advanced Placement (AP) Capstone curriculum as a backbone. The program will feature specially trained faculty dedicated to this advanced academic pathway. The program will emphasize mastery in research inquiry, evidence-based argument, and professional presentation, while ultimately teaching students how to learn, encouraging deep self-reflection, and expanding students’ understanding of the global community. W.T. White will pilot the program next year (2026-27) with juniors (Class of ’28) and freshman (Class of ’30) from Marsh and ED Walker middle schools, identifying students based on grades, current course load, and test scores. The full program will then launch the following year (2027-28) and will be application-based similar to other Dallas ISD magnet schools. More details on the program will roll out over the next few months.
Dallas ISD Seniors Headed to College: Dallas ISD seniors across the district continue to see acceptances to colleges and universities around the nation roll in. In Dallas ISD, we don’t believe that school ends at graduation, and we have a role in preparing students to be successful in college and life well beyond.
Dallas ISD and Other Districts Oppose Government-Sponsored Prayer Period: The Board unanimously voted against creating a government-sponsored period for prayer and the reading of religious texts, as nearly all other school districts in the area have done. As the son of a Baptist preacher and a Christian, I try to let my faith guide me every day, including in this role. But I believe strongly that it is not the government's place to intrude on the faith of our students. The First Amendment and Dallas ISD policy already protect voluntary prayer, Bible reading, wearing religious symbols, and participating in student-led religious groups (like FCA) on campus. This is different, however, because the Legislature required all school boards to vote on creating a government-sponsored prayer period. I believe my faith—which teaches us to love God and our neighbor—does not need the props of government to thrive. Instead, students should have the freedom of conscience to find faith without government intervention. You can watch my full remarks at this link.
Enrollment for Pre-K Begins April 1: Enroll your child in Pre-K, which is critical for making sure they are ready for Kindergarten and beyond. You can find out more information here: https://www.dallasisd.org/departments/early-learning/pre-kearly-learning.
District 1 Updates
Here are highlights from our District 1 schools. Please e-mail any ideas you have for highlights to LanceCurrie@dallasisd.org.
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District 1 Finalists for Teacher & Principal of the Year: Congratulations to the finalists for Teacher and Principal of the Year in District 1.
- Dr. Phillip Meeker, Principal at Walnut Hill International Leadership Academy
- Mr. Ralph Ibarra, Teacher at Prestonwood Montessori
- Mr. Adrian Hernandez, Principal at North Lake Early College High School
- Mr. Michael Dixon-Peabody, Teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School
These amazing teachers and principals serve our students well every day, and we are so incredibly thankful for their contributions.\
Upcoming Events
- Thursday, March 12 at 4:00 p.m. – Board Briefing (5151 Samuel Blvd)
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March 16-20 – Spring Break! – No School!
- Thursday, March 26 at 6:00 p.m. – Board Meeting (5151 Samuel Blvd)
- Saturday, March 28 at 1:30 p.m. – THJS 70th Anniversary (4001 Walnut Hill Ln)
- Tuesday, March 31 – DeGolyer Night at the Museum (3453 Flair Dr)
- Saturday, April 11 at 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – More Choice Expo (Fair Park – Automotive Building, 1010 1st Ave)
Thank you for the opportunity to serve our students and community. If you have questions, thoughts, or want to talk about how we can work together to make Dallas ISD the best school district in the country, please reach out. I’m happy to grab coffee or set up a Zoom call. Just e-mail me at LanceCurrie@dallasisd.org or lance@lancecurrie.com.
Sincerely,
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