My wife and i have a son who is only a year and a half old. But it’s rare these days to meet a new family in our neighborhood without getting a classic Dallas question: “public or private?” That is, will we entrust our son’s education to the Dallas Independent School District or to a private school?
There’s much to consider. We’re fortunate to live near one of DISD’s best elementary schools. I grew up out of state, a product of public school; my wife grew up here and went to private school. And the big decisions ahead are made none easier by the lingering and regular notoriety of accounting and administrative problems at DISD. The details of each setback are difficult to recount briefly anymore. It seems it’s just one problem and one scandal after another.
These troubles don’t just affect my wife and me, and countless other parents of young children faced with the same decisions. As businesses consider relocating or keeping their corporate headquarters in a city, the quality of the public education system will always be a factor.
Patti Clapp, who’s the vice president for talent, workforce, and education issues for the Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce and served on the Richardson school board for 15 years, is on the front lines in wooing business to Dallas.
“I think DISD has made significant progress both academically and in cleaning up its operations,” Clapp says. “It still has miles to go from both the student achievement standpoint and ensuring the district operates efficiently and effectively.”
Ken Benson, who leads the Dallas Breakfast Group, a civic organization that identifies candidates for local government posts, including the DISD Board of Trustees, agrees with Clapp. “I think the DISD is doing as well as any other major school district that’s out there,” Benson says. “They’re having trouble managing themselves.”
Clapp says the district isn’t getting enough credit for its strides in improving academic achievement. Indeed, test scores are up, graduation rates are up, and two of DISD’s magnet schools have been repeatedly recognized as among the best public schools in the country. The trend lines, as they say, show clear improvement.
“Are they better today than they were 10 years ago? Definitely,” Benson says. “They’re making progress on every standard outside of administration. The question is: are the administrative problems something we will have to live with or can we fix it? It may be something we have to live with. Can it get better? Yes. Will it ever go away? Probably not.”
Which is a sobering thought. It’s the administrative problems and scandals that continue to grab the headlines and feed that perception that DISD remains a mess. Of course, we’ve weathered darker days. As superintendent, both Michael Hinojosa and Mike Moses before him have brought a long awaited breath of fresh air and credibility to the district, not to mention some continuity in leadership. For that reason, along with the district’s academic improvements, I hope Hinojosa will remain superintendent.
“The public perception sees the things that haven’t been fixed and the things that haven’t happened, and they’re not aware of the things that have happened,” Clapp says.
Let’s face it, though; perception is reality. And while Dallas may continue successfully attracting and keeping business based on our work force and other attributes, we cannot possibly allow DISD’s administrative hang-ups to continue unchecked. Our school leaders must be accountable, and we must do better, despite the inherent challenges of a gigantic urban school district. Because the scandals and setbacks make the real progress all that more difficult to see or believe—whether you’re making a business decision or just trying to do what’s best for your family.
Webb is director of corporate communications and corporate social responsibility for Mary Kay Inc. Previously, he was chief of staff for Dallas Mayor Laura Miller and an investigative reporter for CBS 11.
Head of the Class
School for the Talented and Gifted and School of Science and Engineering at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center
These two magnet campuses also have been repeatedly named the best high schools in the country by Newsweek, including in 2009.
Victor H. Hexter Elementary
This East Dallas school has made dramatic improvements in its test scores, according to the Department of Education, including having 100 percent of its students meet the standard on TAKS writing tests in 2009.
George Peabody Elementary
The Oak Cliff school has earned honors despite the hurdles of having 38 percent of its students with limited English proficiency and 96 percent economically disadvantaged.
George Bannerman Dealey International Academy
In 2009, this Preston Hollow magnet campus was also named the top middle school in North Texas by Children at Risk, a Houston-based nonprofit. —Jason Heid
