DeSoto Independent School District

DeSoto Independent School District is a school district based in DeSoto, Texas (USA). The district covers most of DeSoto, the Dallas County portion of Glenn Heights, and a section of Ovilla in Dallas County, as well as a small portion of Cedar Hill.[1]

DeSoto Independent School District
Location of DeSoto ISD in Dallas County
Location
DeSoto, Texas, USA
Information
TypePublic
Enrollment8,409 (2005-2006)
SuperintendentMr. D'Andre Weaver

In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.[2]

History

In 2005 Alton Frailey, superintendent of the district, said that the affluence within some students in the district lead to apathy regarding school performance. Frailey said that many African American parents from the previous generation had tried very hard to improve their socioeconomic status, but some of their children may believe that they will easily attain what they wish in life, or believe that education is not a priority.[3] With a current enrollment just over 9,000 students, DeSoto ISD is a small, suburban district 15 miles south of Dallas in north Texas. The 23-square-mile district serves students in DeSoto, Glenn Heights, and Ovilla with 12 campuses and 2,015 total of staff and employees.

Schools
High Schools (Grades 9-12)
  • DeSoto High School and DeSoto High School-Freshman Campus (DeSoto)
Middle Schools (Grades 6-8)
  • DeSoto East Middle School (DeSoto)
  • DeSoto West Middle School (DeSoto)
  • Curtistene S. McCowan Middle School (Glenn Heights)
Elementary Schools (Grades PK-5)
  • Amber Terrace Elementary School (DeSoto)
  • Cockrell Hill Elementary School (DeSoto)
  • Frank D. Moates Elementary School (Glenn Heights)
  • Northside Elementary School (DeSoto)
  • Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy (DeSoto)
  • Ruby Young Elementary School (DeSoto)
  • The Meadows Elementary School (DeSoto)
  • Woodridge Elementary School (DeSoto)

The district approved a plan to realign grades served at each school, which took effect at the beginning of the 2007-2008 school year. The plan affects all schools in the district that serve students in grades pre-kindergarten through eight. The main changes include:

  • The two existing junior high schools, DeSoto East and DeSoto West, will become Middle Schools serving grades six through eight.
  • The opening of a third middle school - Curtistene S. McCowan Middle School.
  • Abolishing the need intermediate campuses by adding fifth grade to the elementary schools and sixth grade to the middle schools.
  • Converting Amber Terrace Intermediate and The Meadows Intermediate into the district's sixth and seventh elementary schools.

Student Demographics

DeSoto ISD student demographic figures as of the 2005-2006 school year:

Enrollment
  • High Schools (2,641)
    • DeSoto High (1,832)
    • DeSoto High Freshman Campus (809)
  • Junior High Schools (1,464)
    • DeSoto East (637)
    • DeSoto West (827)
  • Intermediate Schools (1,249)
    • Amber Terrace (674)
    • The Meadows (575)
  • Elementary Schools (3,032)
    • Cockrell Hill (655)
    • Frank D. Moates (707)
    • Northside (473)
    • Ruby Young (523)
    • Woodridge (674)
  • Other (23)
    • PASS Learning Center (23)

Ethnicity and economic status

African American 6,243 74.24%
Hispanic 1,249 14.85%
White 834 9.92%
Asian 63 0.75%
Native American 20 0.24%
Total 8,409 100.00%

In 1997 over half of the DeSoto ISD students were non-Hispanic white. From that year until 2016 the number of non-Hispanic white students declined declined by 91% to 2016, when 3% of the students were non-Hispanic white. Eric Nicholson of the Dallas Observer wrote that because of the "relatively small" sizes of southern Dallas County school districts, the demographic changes were relatively more severe compared to districts in other parts of the county.[4]

From 1997 to 2016 the number of students on free or reduced lunches, a way of designating someone as low income, increased by 400%.[4]

Eric Nicholson of the Dallas Observer wrote that because of the "relatively small" sizes of southern Dallas County school districts, the demographic changes were relatively more severe compared to districts in other parts of the county.[4]

School uniforms

In the 2005-2006 school year, DeSoto ISD began a mandatory school uniform policy at all of its schools.

See also

References
  1. "SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Dallas County, TX" (PDF). 2010 U.S. Census. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  2. "2009 Accountability Rating System". Texas Education Agency. Archived from the original on 2015-10-25.
  3. Booth, Herb. "Black elite faces school-choice dilemma." The Dallas Morning News. Monday June 27, 2005. Retrieved on November 26, 2011.
  4. Nicholson, Eric (2016-05-03). "In Dallas, White Flight Never Ends". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 2019-10-29.

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