Education
BY CONNOR PITTMAN
Education Edition
2024
Readers, welcome to your annual CI Education Edition! This guide features the latest updates and resources about local K-12 public school options in your community, ranging from new campuses to budget details to bond elections. All of the stories were written by our team of local journalists, and all of the advertisements are from nearby businesses who support our mission to provide free, useful news—show them your gratitude by supporting them. In this year’s public education edition, you can nd the continuation of our front-page story from Reporter Connor Pittman on Richardson ISD’s switch to a middle school model, which the district says will increase opportunities for students. Our special section also includes some highlights from the grand opening event for Lake Highlands Middle School, a roundup of how Richardson ISD students fared on the STAAR exams and several more stories that a ect local students and families.
What's inside
Lake Highlands Middle School holds ribbon cutting (Page 13)
Tracy Ruckel General Manager truckel@ communityimpact.com
Richardson ISD STAAR scores mostly in line with state averages (Page 14)
Plano ISD ne arts center lawsuit nearing settlement agreement (Page 15)
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Richardson ISD expands Yondr cellphone pouch program
The number of campuses in Richardson ISD utilizing Yondr cellphone pouches has grown to eight for the 2023-24 school year. The district’s three other high schools, Berkner, J.J. Pearce and Richardson, joined Lake Highlands High School in requiring students to check in cellphones at the start of the school day. Four other junior high schools, Forest Meadow, Lake Highlands, Apollo and Liberty, also participate in the program. The big picture Campuses like Richardson High School recognize how it helps support improved learning envi- ronments for students, Superintendent Tabitha Branum said. She added that the program has support at all levels of the district, from trustees to teachers. Branum added that the district has reclaimed around 40 minutes in a day in instructional time, or about 10 minutes per class period.
"We’re just trying to remove those distractions and those things that keep us away from the work of why we’re all here, which is to help grow our learning environment." TABITHA BRANUM, RISD SUPERINTENDENT
Richardson ISD students can unlock their Yondr pouches and access their cellphones at the end of the school day.
COURTESY RICHARDSON ISD
“We’re just trying to remove those distractions and those things that keep us away from the work of why we’re all here, which is to help grow our learning environment,” Branum said. The approach The district allows campuses interested in imple- menting the cellphone pouch program to opt in prior to the start of each school year, Branum said. Richardson High School Principal Chris Choat said that teachers on campus handed out Yondr
pouches on the third day of school and provided instructions on the process. At Richardson High, sta man all four entrances and oversee the daily check-in and unlocking process. The takeaway Choat said he has heard positive feedback from teachers, including that students are more engaged and that there is more time for instruction. District o cials said they also spend less time having to resolve potential disciplinary issues. COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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