2025

In what has become an annual Dallas ISD tradition, eight students in fourth and fifth grade will showcase their oratory skills by competing on Friday, Jan. 17, in the 33rd MLK Oratory Competition co-sponsored by Foley & Lardner LLP and the district.

The competition serves as a celebration of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., cultural diversity, and as an opportunity to spotlight talented Dallas ISD students as they learn about King.

Students will deliver their speeches on the topic “What would Dr. King tell us about our responsibility as citizens and leaders in America today?”

Congratulations to this year’s finalists:

Danielle Anderson | Fourth Grade | Clara Oliver Elementary School

Sidiba Dembele | Fourth Grade | Solar Preparatory School for Girls

Deon Harris |Fourth Grade | J.P. Starks Math, Science and Technology Vanguard

Sullivan Perkins | Fourth Grade| Adelle Turner Elementary School

Ivan Shtonda | Fifth Grade | Arturo Salazar Elementary School

Khalyn Thomas | Fifth Grade | Eddie Bernice Johnson STEM Academy

Zayden Vaughn | Fifth Grade | Frederick Douglass Elementary School

Jaxon Washington | Fourth Grade | Charles Rice Learning Center

The competition will take place 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, 2400 Flora Street, and will be live streamed at MLK Oratory Competition Live Stream

For more information contact Tonya Mayberry Davis at tmayberry@dallasisd.org

Sunset High School Principal David Lee recently was named one of the 2025 recipients of the Johnny L. Veselka Scholarship from the Texas Association of School Administrators to pursue a doctorate in educational leadership and policy in The University of Texas at Austin’s Cooperative Superintendency Program.

Lee was selected from among a pool of applicants by the TASA Johnny L. Veselka Scholarship Committee, a group of Texas school superintendents and other public school district administrators.

He will receive a $2,500 scholarship and will be recognized during the 2025 TASA Midwinter Conference that will be held in Austin at the end of January.

“My journey as an educator and leader in Dallas ISD has been both challenging and rewarding, reinforcing my belief in the transformative power of education and the pivotal role leadership plays in shaping the future of our students,” Lee wrote in his application. “As a superintendent, I am eager to further hone and apply my leadership skills to realize my vision of inspiring and creating systems where every student, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to excel. As a superintendent, I look forward to contributing meaningfully to the field of education at the district level.”

The scholarship recognizes the leadership of Dr. Johnny L. Veselka, who dedicated nearly 44 years of service to the association, including 32 years as TASA’s executive director. The program is facilitated by TASA with the support of its 2024-2025 sponsor, PBK.

After careful consideration for anticipated road conditions and extreme temperatures, Dallas ISD made the decision to close all schools and central offices Jan. 9 and 10. Absences during emergency district closures due to inclement weather are governed by DEC regulations.  

During a full district closure:

Campus-based employees who work less than 226 days may be excused for each day the district is closed or partially closed. Time off will not be taken from employees, and the employees’ pay will not be docked. Campus-based employees may have to follow the inclement weather make-up days as outlined by the applicable instructional school year calendar if those days are needed to meet the minimum instructional requirements. Campus-based employees should follow campus-based employee instructions and the instructional school year calendar.

Campus-based employees may include, but are not limited to, the following: teachers, teacher assistants, hall monitors, office managers, campus instructional coaches, food service staff, bus drivers, etc.

Central business services employees will be excused for each day the district is closed or partially closed. Time off will not be taken from employees, and the employees’ pay will not be docked. Employees will not be required to make up the days.

Central employees may include but are not limited to the following: administrative assistants, specialists, coordinators, supervisors, managers, executive leadership, etc.

Operations central 260-day employees may be excused for each day the district is closed or partially closed. If the district determines they are excused, time off will not be taken from employees, and the employees’ pay will not be docked. Employees will not be required to make up the days. However, the district may determine that Operations central employees may need to work each day the district is closed or partially closed. If the employee fails to report to work, the employee must use personal time off.

Operations central employees may include but are not limited to the following: custodians, maintenance specialists, plumbers, mechanics, delivery drivers, etc.

Essential personnel. As determined by the superintendent or designee, essential personnel are district employees called to duty to perform essential tasks when the district is closed or partially closed. Essential workers’ duties may also include after-hours and/or weekend duty when the district is closed or partially closed. Essential personnel may be exempt or nonexempt. Exempt personnel will not receive overtime or compensatory time. Nonexempt essential personnel will receive overtime rates or compensatory time based upon supervisor approval for time worked. At such time as the superintendent or designee declares the district open, employee compensation reverts to the standard practice in accordance with the district’s Compensation Resource Book. If the employee fails to report, the employee’s time off will be charged and/or salary adjusted accordingly.

Essential personnel may include but are not limited to the following: Police and Security and Operations-Maintenance.

Pay during district closures

Pay during a District closure will be governed by the provisions in DEA(REGULATION) as outlined below:

During a full district closure, nonexempt essential personnel will receive compensatory time or overtime pay for time worked as authorized by the supervisor in accordance with DEA and DEAB. Exempt essential personnel will not receive compensatory time or overtime pay. Exempt employees who are required to work during a district closure may be eligible to receive flex time. [See DK(REGULATION)]

At such time as the superintendent or designee declares the district open, employee compensation reverts to the standard practice in accordance with the district’s Compensation Resource Book.

Specific questions may be directed to the employee’s supervisor. Payroll questions may be directed to notifypayroll@dallasisd.org. Contact Human Capital Management at hcmcompliance@dallasisd.org with policy questions.

Absences during emergency district closures due to inclement weather shall be governed by the following provisions in DEC(LOCAL) and (REGULATION).

Thousands of team members have called Dallas ISD home for years, even decades. As part of the third annual Salute to Service, over 3,000 Dallas ISD employees will receive a pin this spring, recognizing significant district service milestones in five-year increments. 

Team members may verify their years of Dallas ISD service using instructions provided on the Service Recognition Awards website through Feb. 10, at https://www.DallasISD.org/ServiceAwards.

In April, campuses and departments will receive a package with service pins, the roster of employees who earned a service pin, and a toolkit with instructions. Service pins should be distributed before the end of the 2024-2025 school year. Campuses and departments are encouraged to distribute the pins at a time when their teams can gather to celebrate.

In addition, Human Capital Management will host a special awards ceremony for those who have reached milestones of 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, and 55 years of service to the district at the Lifetime Achievement Reception on May 13.

Team members are encouraged to share celebrations across all social media and tag the district using the hashtags #DallasISDcelebrates and #DallasISDservice.

For more information, contact the HCM Employee Experience team at Recognition@DallasISD.org or 972-925-4080.

The Kroll Bond Rating Agency has assigned a AAA bond rating with a Stable Outlook to Dallas ISD, the highest bond rating a school district in Texas can achieve and is similar to an individual’s credit rating. This rating means the district can obtain the lowest interest rate borrowing costs in the bond market, which achieves millions of dollars in interest cost savings. 

“Congratulations to Chief Financial Officer Ed Ramos, who successfully argued our case to the Kroll Bond Rating Agency, resulting in a AAA bond rating,” said Superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde. “This is not just a testament to the wise fiscal oversight of this board. It also means we will save millions of dollars in completing our bond work, and that savings goes right back into construction projects to get more for our students.”

According to KBRA, the long-term credit rating reflects the district’s strong financial management policies and practices guided by an experienced leadership team,

favorable financial operating performance supporting solid reserve and liquidity levels, a mature and diverse economic base that has experienced continued growth, particularly in terms of its property taxing base, and what KBRA considers to be a well-managed and conservative debt profile. 

The Stable Outlook reflects KBRA’s expectation that management will continue to effectively manage the district’s finances while balancing the need to remit recapture revenues to the state, the tax base will continue to grow, and that Dallas ISD’s overall net debt profile will remain conservative and well-managed as the district addresses its capital needs though the anticipated issuance of additional debt obligations.

Dallas ISD’s Campus Teachers of the Year have been chosen, and they represent the best of what the district has to offer.

They ensure equity by maximizing growth and achievement for students of all backgrounds. They collaborate with colleagues, students, and families to maintain a culture of respect and success. They deliberately connect the classroom to the community and the community to the classroom, engage in leadership opportunities that contribute to the work of the profession, exemplify the district’s vision, mission, and goals, and express themselves in a poised and articulate manner.

To be chosen as a Campus TOY, a teacher should have a 2024-2025 effectiveness level of Proficient I or higher, have not served as a campus winner in the last three years, and have at least three years of creditable teaching service. 

Teachers who met the criteria were nominated and their faculty team members voted to select the campus winner. 

In November, the Campus TOYs received an email invitation to apply for the District Teacher of the Year. The deadline to apply is Jan. 13. Campus TOYs will be honored at the WINNERS CIRCLE celebration in spring 2025.

Click here to see the list of Campus TOYs.

More than 90 languages are spoken in the homes of Dallas ISD students, and more than 70,000 students are considered emergent bilingual, which means that the district needs more teachers certified in English as a second language to better serve students and ensure they are successful. And Dallas ISD is offering a $500 incentive for qualifying teachers who obtain the certification.

An ESL certification provides core teachers of emergent bilingual students in early childhood through sixth grade and secondary English language arts and reading teachers the skills necessary to support students’ simultaneous mastery of content and language. These skills also have the potential to impact higher student outcomes and lead to higher TEI outcomes for teachers.

That is why the district is offering the incentive as well as a series of in-person and virtual professional development opportunities to prepare teachers to take the certification exam. 

“We are working in partnership with teachers to ensure that students can have an ESL certified teacher in the classroom that can best guide their learning so they can master the English language and take full advantage of the learning opportunities offered,” said Elizabeth Casas, deputy chief of Special Populations.

In person sessions are offered starting Jan. 14 during the school day and cover test preparation and pedagogy implementation. The sessions are seven hours and substitutes will be provided by the district for teachers who choose to attend the sessions. Sign up for an in-person session at Tiny.cc/ESLCertPrepInPerson. 

Paid virtual sessions will be offered starting Jan. 16 during evenings and Saturdays and will cover test preparation. Sign up for a virtual sessions at Tiny.cc/ESLCertPrepVirtual.

To receive the $500 incentive in their July paycheck, qualifying teachers must: 

• Be a core content elementary teacher in grades PreK-5th/6th or a Secondary English Language Arts Reading teacher
• Attend a Dallas ISD in-person or virtual ESL Certification Preparation session
• Pass the TExES 154 ESL certification exam (cost $116)
• Add the certification to your Texas Teaching License through SBEC (cost $78)
• Submit your SBEC certification and proof of PD attendance to bilingualesl@dallasisd.org by May 1.

For more information, download the flyer.