Plano Independent School District broke ground on its second “Welcome and Enrollment Center” last week.
By this time next year, officials at Plano ISD hope to open the doors of a new facility that will provide an array of “wraparound” services to students in a bid to “promote student success,” according to a news release.
Located at 6210 Mapleshade Ln. in Dallas, the Welcome Center is the second for the district, with its first established in 2021 within the Bird Educational Center.
The new facility will stretch across 11,000 square feet and aim to serve the academic, social, and emotional needs of students.
“This center is a tangible expression of our belief that education extends far beyond the classroom,” said Plano ISD Superintendent Dr. Theresa Williams at the groundbreaking ceremony. “This building represents hope and a promise to our community — a promise that we will continue to innovate, invest, and strive for excellence in providing the best possible educational experience for every child.”
While various administrative operations will be performed there, such as new student enrollments, transfers, and notarization of district documents, a part of the facility will also be dedicated to providing immunizations and immunization screenings.
The Welcome Center will also act as an important resource for families to receive help and counseling. Several of these community-based and social services will be available right on-site, including a clothes closet, a food pantry, and a mobile education lab, where parents can learn IT skills.
Like many North Texas taxpayer-funded schools, Plano ISD has been steadily losing students due to an array of issues ranging from demographic shifts, rising housing costs, and competition from alternatives, such as charter schools, as covered in The Dallas Express.
Due to the funding challenges that fewer students entail, school board officials suggested that future school closures were on the horizon, yet these decisions would not be made until June and would not come into effect until the 2025-2026 school term.
Plano ISD was previously one of the more sought-after districts in the region, alongside Frisco ISD.
In terms of academics, it outperformed Dallas ISD, the second-largest district in the state. During the 2021-2022 school year, 62% of Plano ISD students scored at grade level on their STAAR exams whereas only 41% of Dallas ISD students scored at grade level.
