It’s good news for students, administrators, parents and teachers as Dublin ISD pupils performed better than the state average on every single category in STAAR testing.
Administrators shared the 2022 preliminary scores at the Monday, July 28 DISD school board meeting.
“On the low end we were 6% above state average and in some cases we are 27% or higher,” Assistant Superintendent Terri White said. “It’s the best I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been here 30 years.”
Dublin also scored higher than every single district in Region 11 and is awaiting scores in Region 14 for comparison.
Results for passing scores are included in the spreadsheet accompanying this article.
The DISD school board also approved its proposed tax rate for its upcoming budget work setting the rate the same as last year, but anticipating the final rate to become lower because of higher property evaluations.
The total proposed rate is $1.1150 for the 2022-23 fiscal year per $100 valuation. Ninety-six cents of the rate is for maintenance and operations and 15 cents is for interest and sinking, or the district’s debt services. On a $100,000 home, a citizen would pay approximately $1,110 a year in school taxes.
The school board also approved its 2022-23 student and employee handbooks.
During public comments, citizen and parent Danielle Meador spoke about allowing a more gender neutral dress code after speaking to administration previously about changes. Superintendent Melissa Summers thanked Meador for her professionalism in speaking with administration and offering her input during public comments.
Ultimately, the school board approved a gender neutral dress code, which would allow boys and girls to wear earrings and have long hair. However, all guidelines are still up to principal discretion when it comes to whether an item is distracting.
Other changes to the handbook include requiring students who have a lifethreatening illness to have a doctor’s note, making sure a screen shot is taken from every student filing the FAFSA form for college financial aid and notifying both the victim’s parents and the perpetrator’s parents in instances of dating violence.
Heidi Haby, a parent, also spoke in public comment regarding if the district must implement gender neutral bathrooms in order to receive federal funding to maintain the free and reduced lunch program.
Summers said that the board had not received any information regarding the subject.
DISD also gave notice that they will be withdrawing from the the Greater Erath County Shared Services Arrangement as a fiscal agent and as a member district effective June 30, 2023. Summers explained that the district would be resigning from the co-op and would have their own special education program.
The next board meeting will be moved from its regular night because of a tax rate/budget public hearing being included. The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 29 and all meetings are open to the public.