When it comes to writing the blurbs that accompany our annual feature on the best things in Dallas, which dropped yesterday, succinctness is the name of the game. This year, we picked 142 winners. There’s no room for exhaustive explanation. How do you say what makes Uchi or Midnight Rambler or Luka Doncic great in just 50 words? That’s the joy, and the challenge, of the assignment.
When it came to Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa, who was named our 2019 Best Public Official, here’s what we wrote:
He’s now in his 10th year and second term serving as Dallas ISD’s superintendent. Many people deserve credit for the district’s nationally recognized turnaround (especially the hard-charging interim super, Mike Miles), but the reforms started with Hinojosa, and they continue under him. Big bonus: his testimony and public support of HB3 helped overhaul Texas’ school-finance system.
But if you’re looking for more, I point you to a piece this week by a Forbes contributor. In 10 bullet points, Tom Vander Ark highlights district successes under Hinojosa, ranging from his leadership in getting bonds passed to the district’s emphasis on early learning, its heralded programs like ACE (which incentivizes teachers and principals toward schools of need), and its bevy of high school options. Vander Ark, an author and advocate for innovative learning techniques, delves into each further. Head to the story for a peek into what makes Hinojosa a deserving Best of Big D recipient.
