Lake Highlands - Lakewood | January 2023

EDUCATION

OTHER STORIES TO FOLLOW IN 2023

Dallas launches app to protect residents’ digital data DALLAS ISD City leaders announced Dallas Secure, a mobile security application developed by local technology startup Zimperium, on Dec. 5. “Public safety comes rst in Dallas— and cybersecurity is a form of public safety,” Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said in a statement. “It is critical for our residents and for businesses to remain vigilant about their online safety in a 21st century economy.” Available for free on the Apple iOS and Android platforms, the app automatically detects text and QR code phishing attempts in addition to malicious websites and Wi-Fi networks in real time, then provides information on how to handle the threats. Filing process opens for Richardson ISD trustees election RICHARDSON ISD The ling process for the upcoming board of trustees election in May began Jan. 18. According to RISD ocials, district residents can ll out an online form to obtain an emailed application packet. A packet can also be picked up at the RISD Administration Building at 400 S. Greenville Ave. The election, which will feature two board seats on the ballot, will be held May 6. The two seats up for election are at-large Place 6 and single member District 3, which are currently lled by Eric Eager and Debbie Renteria, respectively. Applications for Dallas ISD elections open DALLAS ISD Applications for candidates running in the May 6 Dallas ISD board of trustees election opened Jan. 18. Three of DISD’s nine districts will be on the ballot, including districts 2, 6 and 8. The District 2 seat, which is held by Dustin Marshall, includes the Lakewood area. Joyce Foreman represents District 6, and Joe Carreón represents District 8. Applications can be submitted from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. through Feb. 17. Dallas ISD board of trustees meets at 6 p.m. Jan. 26 at the DISD Governance and Training Center, 5151 Samuell Blvd., Dallas. www.dallasisd.org Richardson ISD board of trustees meets at 6 p.m. Jan. 26 and Feb. 16 at the RISD Administration Building, 400 S. Greenville Ave., Richardson. www.risd.org MEETINGS WE COVER

BY JACKSON KING

the calendar can be adopted ahead of the spring. Similar to the 2022-23 calendar, both options include 174 instructional days and 13 days for teacher profes- sional learning. The major dierence between both calendars is a later end to the school year and the use of April 1 as a weather makeup day. Under Option A, April 1 is a makeup day, with the last day of school set for May 24. Option B proposes making May 23 the last day of school, with a makeup day May 24.

RICHARDSON ISD The district is requesting public feedback on two draft calendar options for the 2023-24 school year. The Richardson ISD board of trust- ees reviewed the calendar options during its Dec. 8 meeting. The district plans to collect feedback on both options as part of RISD’s Let’s Talk initiative, which allows community members to voice their opinions. The board reviewed the feedback at a Jan. 12 meeting so

BY JACKSON KING

DALLAS ISD District ocials nalized the base, or traditional, academic calendars for both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years during a meeting of the board of trustees on Dec. 15. According to the approved calendars, the 2023-24 school year is expected to start Aug. 9 with 175 days of instruction, including 88 in the fall semester and 87 in the spring semester. Under the base 2024-25 academic calendar, the school year will start Aug. 7, 2024, with the school year set to end May 22, 2025. Winter break is scheduled to be held Dec. 23, 2024-Jan. 7, 2025. The district began using three academic calendars—base, inter- session and redesign—across its campuses to address learning needs after returning from remote learn- ing in 2021. The decision aects schools using the base calendar.

COMPARING CALENDARS

Similar to the 2022-23 calendar, both options include 174 instructional days and 13 additional days for teacher professional learning.

OPTION A

OPTION B

First day: Aug. 15 Winter break: Dec. 22-Jan. 8 Spring break: March 11-15 Weather makeup day: April 1 Last day: May 24

First day: Aug. 15 Winter break: Dec. 22-Jan. 8 Spring break: March 11-15 Weather makeup day: May 24 Last day: May 23

SOURCE: RICHARDSON ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Major education bills led for 88th Texas legislative session

BY HANNAH NORTON From public school funding to the student assessment model, educa- tion is expected to be a hot topic as lawmakers return to Austin. The 88th Texas legislative session began Jan. 10, and public education is once again the focus of many prospec- tive bills. Public school funding remains a top priority for lawmakers, educators and advocates. Because schools receive funding based on attendance, some administrators said their districts lost funding during the 2021-22 school year. The state nances schools through the basic allotment, which is the amount of money schools receive per student. Funding is based on average daily attendance. Average daily atten- dance is the sum of students present throughout the school year divided by the number of days that schools are required to be open, according to the

Texas Education Agency. Schools then earn $6,160 per student who meets the average daily atten- dance threshold. But when a student is frequently absent, their school loses money, even if the school’s day-to-day operations do not change. House Bill 31, led by Rep. Gina Hinojosa, DAustin, would require schools to be funded based on the average number of students enrolled during the academic year. This would protect districts from losing money when students miss school. An identical bill, Senate Bill 263, was led by Sen. Nathan Johnson, DDallas. Two bills in favor of enroll- ment-based funding—HB 1246 and SB 728—were led during the 2021 legislative session. Even with bipar- tisan support, neither bill received a hearing or reached the chamber oors. For this session, Johnson also led SB 88, which would increase

SESSION TO ADDRESS SCHOOL FUNDING

Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, led Senate Bill 88 to increase the per-pupil funding in Texas public schools, which, according to Education Week, trails the national average by over $4,000.

$8K

$7,075

$6,106

Up by $969 (16%)

$6K

$4K

$2K

SOURCES: EDUCATION WEEK, STATE OF TEXASCOMMUNITY IMPACT

the state’s per pupil basic allotment to $7,075.

LAKE HIGHLANDS LAKEWOOD EDITION • JANUARY 2023