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Dallas ISD District 1 Newsletter – March 2026 Recap
Note: Please see our website for Spanish version when available.
Early voting for Dallas ISD bond election starts on April 20, and May 2 is election day. Dallas ISD also voted to provide free, high-quality P-K to all students. And Dallas ISD athletes continue to rack up state championships. Here is what is happening in Dallas ISD and District 1.
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Dallas ISD Updates
District 1 Bond Community Meeting on April 13: Several community members have organized an information session on Monday, April 13, at the Marcus Recreation Center (3003 Northaven Rd.). The doors open at 6:00 p.m., and the program is scheduled for 6:15 to 7:30 pm. I’ll start with a presentation walking through the bond and then open for questions. Learn about the many ways the bond will impact schools in District 1 and the broader Dallas community.
Dallas ISD 2026 Bond Election: Early voting for the bond election runs from April 20-28, and election day is on May 2. Click this link for a list of voting locations. As a recap, the Dallas ISD trustees voted unanimously to send the bond to the voters. I spoke about why I voted to do so at a board meeting in February, which you can watch at this link. Overall, this bond package is for just over $6.2 billion and would result in ~$0.01 tax increase per $100 of assessed value, which translates to about $33 annually for homes valued at approximately $500,000. That translates to $2.79 per month, which is less than a cup of coffee. Homeowners over 65 years of age are exempt in most cases, so their increase will be $0. And even with this increase, Dallas ISD would still have the lowest Interest & Sinking tax rate of the ten largest districts in North Texas.
Highlights include:
- Replacing 26 schools whose average age is 70+ years (Prop A)
- Upgrades for all school buildings and district facilities that will address deferred maintenance and educational suitability for each campus (Prop A)
- Removal of all portables from across the district (Prop A)
- Safety & security upgrades (Prop A)
- Technology upgrades (Props A & B)
- Refinancing debt to save approximately $10 million (Prop C)
- Renovate aging pools that serve 3,000 students from K-12—from foundational swim safety to athletics—and haven’t received bond funding this century (Prop D)
For more information, visit https://bond.dallasisd.org/bond2026. If you would like a yard sign to show your support for the bond, please e-mail me at lance@lancecurrie.com or visit www.DallasVotes4Kids.com.
Universal Pre-K: Dallas ISD will provide free, high-quality Pre-K to all Dallas ISD students. High-quality Pre-K builds a strong educational foundation and helps close gaps between disadvantaged students and their peers. Research shows that students who attend Pre-K are 30% more likely to demonstrate kindergarten readiness than those who do not.
Pre-Primer Program Pilot: Students can build a stronger foundation for school success through Dallas ISD’s pilot Pre-Primer program. Designed for children who did not attend Pre-K or Kindergarten, or who need more time before entering first grade, this bridge year focuses on early literacy, math, and social development using age-appropriate instruction. Like programs long offered in many private schools, Pre-Primer provides a broader developmental pathway so students enter first grade confident, prepared, and ready to learn.
Athletics State Champs: Dallas ISD athletes are on a roll this spring! Congrats to Texas state champion swimmer Landon Fike from Woodrow Wilson High School, who won two gold medals in the 100m butterfly and 50m freestyle events and was named Athlete of the Meet. Kudos to the Lady Lincoln Tigers on their fifth UIL state girls basketball championship. We also celebrate our three Dallas ISD boys high school basketball teams who each won their respective UIL state championships this month: James Madison, Justin F. Kimball, and David W. Carter.
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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Update on W.T. White TAG Scholars Program: I met with the team at W.T. White on the new scholars program built on the Advance Placement (AP) Capstone curriculum. The plan is to pilot the program in SY 2026-27, with full launch in SY 2027-28. The initial plan is for fifty slots for advanced students selected through an application process. More information will roll out in the coming months as program details are finalized.
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STAAR Testing: Students across the district are taking their STAAR tests this week. Good luck! We know your hard work will pay off with great results.
Upcoming Events
- Thursday, April 9 at 4:00 p.m. – Board Briefing (5151 Samuel Blvd)
- Saturday, April 11 at 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – More Choice Expo (Fair Park – Automotive Building, 1010 1st Ave)
- Thursday, April 13 at 6:00 p.m. – District 1 Bond Info Session (Marcus Rec. 3003 Northaven)
- Monday, April 20 – Early voting for bond election starts
- Thursday, April 23 at 6:00 p.m. – Board Meeting (5151 Samuel Blvd)
- Saturday, May 2 – Bond election day
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.
Thank you,
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