Schools And Services In Dallas Schools

Perhaps one of the most famous cities in the statewill help establish the Dallas Arts Learning Initiative.
of Texas, Dallas has many things to recommend it.This initiative seeks to increase the amount and
From the beautiful downtown architecture to thequality of arts education students in Dallas Schools will
Dallas Cowboys football team, it seems thatreceive.
everything Dallas is wonderful. This includes the DallasIn addition, the Dallas Schools' Talented and Gifted
Schools.magnet and the School of Science and Engineering
Dallas Schools honored 13 schools as "exemplary" andhave been named the two top high schools in the
67 as "recognized" this past February, at an IBMcountry by Newsweek Magazine. It is the second
Corporation-sponsored dinner. No other urban schoolstraight year that the Talented and Gifted magnet
district in Texas had a larger number of exemplary(TAG) has earned the honor. "This is a credit to
and recognized schools in 2006. In order to be ratedeveryone involved with both schools," said Hinojosa.
exemplary, 90% of all students in Dallas Schools must"These schools are setting the example for others in
pass all subject areas of the TAKS, officially knownboth the district and the rest of the nation." The
as the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and SkillsScience and Engineering magnet (SEM) moved from
test. To earn a "recognized" status, 70% of all8th on the list last year to 2nd in 2006. Also, during
students in Dallas Schools must pass all subject areas.the last five years, the Dallas Schools' Science and
"The students, teachers, administrators, and parentsEngineering magnet has been the number one in the
who worked hard to achieve these high Texasnation for minorities passing Calculus AB and BC
Education Agency rankings deserve applause andexams regardless of size, and the number one school
congratulations," said Dallas Schools' Generalin the world for students passing Calculus AB. "This is
Superintendent Michael Hinojosa. "They are anthe accumulation of several years of extraordinary
inspiration to all of us."work by the students and staff affiliated with the
Improvements continue to multiply throughout Dallasschool," said SEM principal Richard White. "We have
Schools. This past February, additional funding washad a healthy competition for years with the TAG
received from a new arts coalition that will allow forMagnet, and now that both schools are named the
140 new certified music and art teachers. Thesebest in the county, everyone has benefited,
teachers will be hired by the Dallas Schools' districtespecially the students."
over the next 6 years, including 60 who have alreadyIndeed, Dallas Schools are something to get excited
been hired. And by 2009 the district plans to have allabout. From efforts to expand services at the
Elementary Dallas Schools offering 45 minutes of artelementary level, to nationally and globally recognized
and music each week. The Wallace Foundation, oneschools, the opportunities abound for the students of
of the members of this arts coalition, will give $8Dallas Schools. In an era of budget cuts and
million during the next three years to Big Thought. Bighigh-stakes testing, Dallas Schools show some
Thought is a Dallas-based nonprofit arts group, whichremarkable successes.