Central Staff News

In Sunny South Dallas, the seven legacy schools that make up the Lincoln-Madison vertical team are celebrating a milestone that reflects strong leadership, dedicated families, and a community invested in its own future: a B rating for all of its schools.  

Charles Rice Learning Center, often called a “beacon of hope” in South Dallas, had long been the anchor of success in the area, standing as the only school of the seven, to consistently maintain a B rating over the years. More recently, Paul L. Dunbar Learning Center and James Madison High School joined Rice in maintaining consecutive B ratings.  

Students and teacher at H.S. Thompson STEAM Academy

When the Texas Education Agency released its school ratings this summer, the rest of the vertical team’s schools—Lincoln High School, Billy Earl Dade Middle School, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Arts Academy, and H.S. Thompson STEAM Academy—joined the others with B ratings of their own. 

Rockell Stewart is the executive director of the Lincoln-Madison vertical team, a product of South Dallas, and a Lincoln High School graduate, who has led the efforts. 

“I am beyond proud of the principals, the staff and the students in this vertical team,” said Stewart. “It’s been almost a decade since every school in South Dallas has been B-rated. The work that I’ve seen the principals and teachers pour into their schools has been phenomenal to witness.” 

Stewart leads with intentional care, guided by an African principle that begins with a simple question: “And how are the children?” The response, “All the Children are well,” reflects her vision for South Dallas. 

For Stewart, this answer that reaches far beyond test scores to address the health, safety, and opportunities every student deserves is key to the success of the vertical team schools.  

“This is our mantra: ‘Are the children well?’” she said. “I am always asking what their needs are because when students and schools prosper, the community transforms. I want everyone to feel safe in our schools.” 

Building on success

Learning at H.S. Thompson STEAM Academy

The vertical team’s newest member—H.S. Thompson STEAM Academy—had not been rated since reopening in 2021 as an elementary school. Its principal, Jennifer Atkins, who previously led Rice Learning Center in obtaining consistent B ratings, was entrusted to do the same for the new school. This year, Atkins accomplished that goal. 

“When I was an assistant principal, Alpher Garret-Jones, my principal at the time, would say ‘my time is going to be up soon, but people like you have to keep it going,’” Atkins said. “The older generation pours into the younger generation, and we keep the cycle going. That is our legacy in South Dallas.” 

Building on Rice’s success, the feeder pattern has reached a unity the community has not seen in a long time.  

Another contributor to the vertical team’s success, Atkins said, is the presence of veteran students, along with veteran teachers, whose impact on children at an early age helped lay the foundation for long-term achievement.  

“When children started at Rice in prekindergarten and went through fifth grade, there wasn’t a high turnover with students,” said Atkins. “This is what I am trying to do here at Thompson. I want students to continue to come back. We want to keep our students in rotation in our schools in South Dallas.” 

Atkins would like them to come back even after they graduate from college. Today many of those same South Dallas graduates are now teachers themselves, carrying forward the legacy by preparing the next generation academically.  

It’s about community

The commitment to success is shared not only by the principals and team members in the vertical team schools but also by the families and community leaders. Stewart understands that student learning can be affected by challenges in their personal lives and is working to provide services to ensure students don’t miss school because of outside barriers.  

Partnerships with local faith leaders and churches, community events, impactful school branding, and educational programming are all catalysts for the schools’ recent success.  

H.S. Thompson STEAM Academy

At the same time, there is a priority for the emotional well-being of teachers and principals, keeping them uplifted and affirmed as they do the daily work of guiding students, she said.  

For those invested in the South Dallas schools, this moment goes beyond academics, it is a silver lining, a time of celebration, and a glimmer of hope for the community. 

“When I think of our legacy in South Dallas, for me it’s about being a light for our students,” Atkins said. “Because many times they’ve been written off, but it takes leaders like us to keep it going.”

The Dallas ISD Police Department earlier this summer earned state accreditation, recognizing its strong commitment to safety, service, and high professional standards.

“This is a reflection of the hard work, integrity, and professionalism demonstrated by every member of our department,” said Albert Martinez, chief of police. “We are proud to serve the students, staff, and community of Dallas ISD and will continue to uphold the highest standards of policing.”

Accreditation is awarded through the Texas Police Chiefs Association foundation only to agencies that demonstrate compliance with best practices specifically designed to enhance professional service, reduce risk, and protect the rights of individuals, Martinez said. 

This places Dallas ISD Police among top agencies and ensures the district receives high-quality service, he added.

“When the community encounters a Dallas Independent School District police officer or security officer, they will receive service that meets the highest standards of policing and security,” he said. “In other words, our expectation is that a professional police officer will serve our students, staff, and community to the best of their ability, knowledge, and skills with professionalism, empathy, and respect for whomever they encounter in their moment of need.”

It also supports the district’s broader safety goals, Martinez added.

“Accreditation enhances our ability to meet the district’s safety and security goals through well-developed policies, practical application, continuous training, and strong supervision,” he said.

The accreditation process began two years ago with reviewing the best practices laid out by TPCA. Dallas ISD Police were then tasked with developing policies and procedures that proved they were compliant with those standards.

Policies include:

• Use of force
• Searching and transportation
• Training
• Emergency operations

The journey culminated in a two-day on-site review from an external audit team in June. The audit included file inspections, officer interviews, and policy evaluations to ensure alignment with TPCA best practices.

Martinez emphasized that accreditation is not the end of the road.

Among other measures, the department will be proactive about refining policies as TPCA best practices are changed. Internally, Martinez and his commanders will implement changes through training and policy review as needed.

“Every member of the Dallas ISD Police Department now has the tremendous responsibility to hold themselves and each other accountable to the accreditation standard,” Martinez said.

While the department won’t undergo another audit for three years, it will submit monthly updates and documentation to remain in good standing with TPCA.

With accreditation in place, the Dallas ISD Police Department moves forward with renewed purpose, focused on safety, accountability, and delivering the highest level of service to the students, staff, and families it proudly serves.

Putting books in children’s hands is the first step in sparking a love of reading, a fundamental skill for lifelong learning, and Beverly De Ford, librarian at B.H. Macon Elementary School is trying to do so by holding her second Free Book Fair at the school a week before International Literacy Day. 

“Putting books in kids’ hands is the first step in getting them to want to read for enjoyment and become lifelong readers,” De Ford said. “This can lead to personal and academic success.”

Research indicates that even just 15 minutes of reading can significantly improve academic success, sharpen comprehension skills, hone memory, and build a stronger vocabulary. Some households, however, can’t afford to buy many books, De Ford said. The book fair aims to help families start building a personal library for children so books can be a regular part of their lives.

“I think that’s why book giveaways in the library are so important to revitalize these areas and help children keep up,” De Ford said. “Statistically, the number of books they have access to at home can correlate with how well they do in school.”

During the event, first graders stood in line, listening to the Book Drive for Kids volunteer explain that they could each select two books from an array of carefully curated non-fiction and fiction titles in both English and Spanish. The students dashed from table to table, speaking enthusiastically about the books and deciding which one they would read first. De Ford wandered among them, stopping to look at their selections and offering suggestions. At one table stood Derrick Chance, director of co-sponsor Dallas Children’s Charities, handing out bookplates for students to personalize their books while other volunteers, including parents, handed out bookmarks and an additional reading practice book to each child.

Principal Jennifer Husband said the book fair aligns with Macon’s mission of promoting reading. The school, which recently rose from an F to a B in the Texas Education Agency’s ratings, is now requiring all students, starting with prekindergarten, to maintain a daily reading log. 

“Every kid has an opportunity to receive free books to practice reading,” Husband said, “because if they can’t read, then that doesn’t help them in math and science. Everything feeds off their ability to read.”

Husband said that engaging students in reading, writing, and discussion led to an increase in their reading scores, reflected in the school’s rating. 

“Reading opens the mind, writing shapes our thoughts, and discussion brings ideas to life—together, they empower us to learn, connect, and grow,” Husband said. “This is what we strive to do with our students.”

De Ford said she was excited about the Free Book Fair, which she brought to the Pleasant Grove school after partnering with Book Drive for Kids and its executive director, Michelle Cook, every year since 2022, when De Ford was the librarian at Bayles Elementary School in the Bryan Adams High School vertical team. Book Drive for Kids—which donates new and gently used books to schools with a student population that is 70% or more economically disadvantaged—also has held Free Book Fairs in six out of the 10 elementary schools in the Bryan Adams community. 

De Ford doesn’t just hold book fairs to reinforce the habit of reading in her students. She regularly conducts read-alouds, encourages students to read different genres, including biographies and poetry, and even incorporates Legos and robots into her lessons. 

“If I can teach them how to problem solve and think things through, no matter what technology the future brings, they’ll be able to manage it,” she said.

As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance transparency, streamline the requisition-to-purchase order process, and ensure compliance with procurement standards, Procurement Services is implementing a series of changes. And district team members can learn more about them by attending the monthly virtual Lunch and Learn sessions.

This month, on Sept. 10, the topic will be ​​Requisition updates (three-quote requirement, simplified PO, and category codes). For more information, download the flyer. 

Purchasing is implementing a new requirement for non-catalog purchases of goods. An example of a non-catalog purchase of goods would be if a campus is ordering medallions and medals for student awards that include engraving. The campus would enter the requisition for those goods within Oracle as a Non-Catalog Request.

In addition, effective immediately, all requisitions must include two additional quotes from awarded vendors within the same category for the requested item(s) or customization. This applies to purchases made through cooperatives or contracts where multiple vendors have been awarded. 

What this means for you:

• • You may still select the awarded vendor of your choice, regardless of price, provided they are within the awarded category.
  • The additional quotes are not intended to restrict your selection but to allow Procurement Services to review market trends and expedite approvals.
  • This requirement does not apply to:
    • Vendors that provide services
    • Punch-out contracts unless federal funds are used and the amount exceeds $10,000

• Service Center requisitions

• • Internal stores
  • Catering
  • Memberships/Registration
  • Sole source vendors 

If you have questions about these changes or need assistance identifying awarded vendors, please sign up for Procurement’s Lunch and Learn series or contact Procurement Services directly.

Along with a number of other laws passed by the 89th Texas Legislature, HB 3372 went into effect Sept. 1, amending the Texas Education Code by adding Section 11.006, which creates a new statewide prohibition on certain types of financial relationships involving public school district administrators.

The new law prohibits school district administrators, either campus based or central, from receiving financial compensation for personal services from businesses that do business with their district, education-related businesses, or other public education entities without approval from the Board of Trustees. 

The law aims to eliminate conflicts of interest, increase transparency, reinforce ethical standards, and thereby uphold public trust in school governance. Outside employment with a current vendor of the district was already a conflict of interest and unallowable under Dallas ISD Board Policy DBD(LOCAL).

Under the new law, administrators, including principals, assistant principals, and central managers and above, who want to receive a financial benefit for concurrent employment outside of the district for an “education business,” which is one that provides services regarding the curriculum or administration of any school district must seek Personal Services Exception Request. This includes organizations that could do future business with the district.  

Concurrent employment at an institute of higher education (community college, state universities, or private universities) is not interpreted to fall within the requirements of HB3372. Teachers and other campus-based employees are not required to submit a PSER and have no outside employment restrictions not currently defined in DBD-Local. 

Approval by the Board of Trustees to perform personal services is required for the following:

• Any education business that provides services regarding the curriculum or administration of any school district, including those that could do future business with Dallas ISD; or
• Any other school district, open-enrollment charter school, or regional education center.

Under the new law, administrators who fail to seek board approval would be subject to a personal civil penalty of $10,000 per violation, payable to the state.

To ensure compliance with HB3372/TEC 11.006 Human Capital Management has collaborated with Legal Services to establish the Personal Services Exception Request process:

1. Employees submit a Personal Services Exception Request form along with a copy of the contract or work agreement that outlines personal services performed to their respective executive director via email. The PSER is available here and linked on the HCM Policy and Compliance website. 
2. Executive directors will conduct an initial review of the contract to ensure the work is (1) performed entirely on an employee’s personal time, (2) does no harm to the district, and (3) does not present a conflict of interest.
3. Executive directors submit the PSER and supporting documents to HCM at HCMcompliance@dallasisd.org.
4. HCM submits the PSER to the Board of Trustees for review in closed session. The Board reviews PSER items and approves as appropriate.

Administrators who have questions about current work for an education business that will require a PSER that has not been submitted to the board for approval are encouraged to seek outside legal advice regarding their outside employment’s potential conflict with HB3372.

The Small Business Office invites all Dallas ISD departments to register to be an exhibitor at the Fall 2025 Vendor Expo from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 9, at the Jesse Owens Memorial Complex, 9191 S. Polk St. 

This annual event offers a great opportunity to meet and network with awarded vendors, explore their products and services and share potential vendor opportunities.  

“This event provides small businesses with a platform to showcase their capabilities, learn about current district procurement needs and gain insight into the procurement process,” said Leslie Williams, deputy chief of the Small Business Office 

Team members who would like to register their department for the Vendor Expo can complete the Google Form here by Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025.

Allocating teachers is not always a simple process at Dallas ISD given the district’s size, complexity, and varying student and campus needs. There is no one size fits all solution.

The process for ensuring the right ratio of teachers to students considers several factors to ensure there is a teacher in place in the classroom. For example, allocating teachers includes such factors as campus master schedules, which derive from what a student chooses during the spring with the campus counselor. This process begins in November of the current school year to plan for the upcoming school year.

So team members can better understand the process of fall leveling, Human Capital Management has created a guide.

What is fall leveling?

Fall leveling is the process by which the district transfers some teaching positions from one school to another after the school year has begun to match student enrollment.

What are the benefits of fall leveling?

Fall leveling is required each fall to ensure the correct number of teaching positions is allocated to each campus based on student enrollment. This allows for students at a Dallas ISD campus to have a qualified teacher in their classroom and equal access to instructional support and programs across all district campuses.

When does fall leveling occur?

The fall leveling process occurs August through September. The process starts with the official class counts that are reached at campuses on day seven of the school year. This is the number of students that will be used to generate teacher allocations for the fall leveling process. It is important to encourage parents to ensure that their students are enrolled in their campus as soon as they can to start the school year to better align the allocation of resources for the 2025-2026 school year.

Why does fall leveling happen?

Each spring, the district goes through a rigorous process to revise the number of budgeted positions for a campus based on each campus’ projected needs for the upcoming school year.

In the fall, the district reviews the actual student enrollment for each campus. Fall leveling uses the students who actually show up at the start of the school year to determine resource allocations rather than using a projection. Since there is an understandable fluctuation of student counts between spring projected enrollment and the actual student enrollment in the fall, as well as the unique needs of students (number of bilingual, special education students, etc.) on each campus, the district makes staffing adjustments to better serve all students throughout the district.

Do campus leaders have any say in the leveling process?

Absolutely. Campus leaders are involved in the process and can advocate for the specific needs of their campus. School Leadership, Human Capital Management, and Finance then work together to find a balance between the needs of each campus and the financial position of the district, while working within the board-approved budget. Multiple departments come together in the fall to create staffing guidelines that are used during this process.

Is fall leveling an easy process?

Occasionally, fall leveling will require moving teacher positions from one campus to another based on student needs. While moving one teacher position from one campus to another may sound like a somewhat simple process, it becomes more challenging when various certifications and campus needs are considered, as well as students and team members who are impacted by the change. When this happens across more than 228 schools, it can get complicated. The district works to minimize this impact while also maximizing our resources to increase student outcomes for all students and campuses.

For any questions or concerns, please contact staffing@dallasisd.org

In 2021, Roneishia Franklin, the current parent support specialist at Seagoville High School, gave herself an unusual birthday present, founding Blooming with Purpose, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering young women. 

Franklin, a graduate of Seagoville High School, began her nonprofit with a longing to become a servant leader and following a guiding mantra:  “You have to give to pour into others.” Franklin saw the need in the community, especially among homeless people, and decided to do her part. She also saw the need among young women to believe they are more than the sum of their looks. When she combined the two—acts of charity and mentoring—Blooming with Purpose was born.

“I feel like I’m a servant leader, and I like pouring into the community and the youth,” Franklin said. “I want to let young women know that they’re more than their beauty or appearance; they have to build character as well.”

Franklin, who was then working as an accounting assistant at a law firm, coordinated food and toiletry drives, distributed blankets to homeless individuals on Thanksgiving, and started mentoring young girls about their worth. She then began donating prom tickets and prom dresses to Seagoville High School. But she went one step further, acting as a bridge to connect students with resources from local nonprofits.

She got so involved in helping the students that, in 2022, school administrators offered her first an office and then a job. 

Franklin refused the offer at first, but when she thought about it more deeply, she realized the opportunity aligned with her desire to serve. She soon eased into a new role as a media assistant, working closely with the testing coordinator. The following year, she transitioned into her current position as a parent support specialist. 

Franklin’s current position aligns with her commitment to serve others. In her short time Seagoville High School’s parent liaison, she has hosted workshops for parents on topics such as mental health, suicide prevention, bullying, and financial literacy. She also works closely with the North Texas Food Bank to bring food to families and provides support and resources to pregnant students. 

“We sign up the pregnant students for WIC, give them diapers, and take them to a baby shower that the district hosts in the spring,” Franklin said. “There, they receive car seats, diapers, strollers, and other things.”

Franklin has cultivated trust with Seagoville students, especially young women, that goes beyond workshops. She recalls a time when one student in her pregnant-parenting group reached out to her late one night last year. The student was in the hospital, about to give birth.

“She was at the hospital alone, and she needed help getting baby clothes and food and items of that sort. It was just second nature for me to want to help her,” Franklin said. 

Franklin drove to the hospital to bring the student baby essentials. She made sure to stay in constant contact with the student, providing reassurance and comfort. It was at this moment that Franklin felt certain she was fulfilling her faith-driven purpose. 

“I feel like my purpose is here at Seagoville High School. I’ve reached and impacted so many lives, and I love what I do,” Franklin said.

Franklin’s dedication to students has not gone unnoticed  by the district. In 2024, she received the Rookie of the Year High School Award for Family and Community Engagement. 

“Caring about others and serving others fulfills me, ” she said.

Franklin said she is completing a master’s degree in psychology at the University of North Texas and hopes to become a child psychologist for Seagoville High School. After working in corporate America for years, Franklin says education holds her heart—and she does not intend to leave.

“I hope that I can be a resource and a safe haven to my students and that they know they can always come to me,” Franklin said. “I’d like to leave my mark with my positivity and by helping everyone here.”

If you are new to the district, never had a headshot taken, or are simply due for an updated one, now’s your chance to shine. Dallas ISD central team members are invited to the next professional headshot session. 

This quarter there will be two separate days available: 8-11:30 a.m. on Sept. 9 and 10. Both sessions will take place in Suite 583 at the Linus D. Wright Central Administration Building, 9400 N. Central Expressway.

Updates to quarterly headshots

We’re adapting and improving our process to better serve the district’s growing photography needs. Here’s what’s new:

• Quarterly headshot days: Professional headshots will now be offered once per calendar quarter.
• Sign-up blocks: To reduce early morning backups, we’ll offer pre-signups with a larger time window so arrivals are spread out and lines are shorter. 
• Deadline for signup: Please sign up by 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 5.
• No check-in on arrival: As long as you signed up ahead of time, you do not need to sign in when you arrive

Who can attend:

• Central team members
• Campus principals (not available for assistant principals)
• Executive directors
• Associate superintendents
• Chiefs and deputy chiefs

Headshot day details and tips

• Dress to impress: Men typically wear suits while women opt for business attire.
• Bring your ID: A Dallas ISD ID is required to enter the building. If you do not have your ID, you need to sign in at the security desk.
• Parking: Use official Dallas ISD parking only. Avoid parking at Dave & Buster’s or the visitor’s parking lot.
• Quick sessions: Each session lasts about one minute. Multiple shots will be taken for your selection. 
• **Retouching: One image may be selected for retouching. This selection needs to take place before leaving the photography area. 

SIGN UP HERE: CLICK HERE

For questions, email photography@dallasisd.org.

Whether school is already back in session or just around the corner, DonorsChoose is ready to support teachers with an early-access funding opportunity.

Starting at 7 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 31, any teacher who is new to DonorsChoose will receive an automatic $50 donation on their first project. That’s an extra boost to help new teachers bring additional resources to the classroom.

How it works: Eligible teachers, those who have never had a fully funded project on DonorsChoose, submit their first project proposal between Aug. 31 and 3 a.m. (EST) on Sept. 7. The $50 donation will appear as soon as the project is approved and live on the site.