Dallas ISD is set to host its first “credit catch-up” event amid ongoing struggles with student achievement outcomes.
The district is holding a “GrA²D Fair,” which will be hosted by its Graduation, Recovery, Attendance, Advocacy & Dropout Intervention Department. The fair aims to help Dallas ISD students who have fallen behind in their classes, previously dropped out of school, or are dealing with truancy issues.
The fair teaches students how to prioritize their education through credit recovery programs, attendance improvement programs, a Q&A session, and student success stories.
Representatives from Dallas ISD reconnection centers will be at the fair. The centers assist students before and after school hours with completing failed or incomplete courses.
Additionally, representatives from other Dallas ISD programs, such as Evening Academy, Freshman On-Track Initiative, Grad Lab, and Phoenix, will be at the fair to match students with the help they need to get back on track.
Students can access personalized “blueprint” plans for graduation, success coaches, and other educational resources.
Outside of the academic resources, there will be prizes, food, and student performances at the event.
Parents, educators, and community stakeholders are also invited to attend and learn more about the resources available to help students.
The fair will be held on September 14 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Sprague Athletic Complex Center in Dallas.
Relatedly, in the hopes of encouraging the trend, an attendance competition was launched across Dallas ISD to fight staggeringly low attendance rates. Students with perfect attendance through August 30 were entered into a raffle for a chance to win a prize. One student will be selected from each school board trustee’s district.
Dallas ISD has seen an unexpectedly high number of students enroll this school year, as reported by The Dallas Express. The district saw a nearly 2,800-student increase compared to this time last year, and enrollment is expected to rise throughout September.
The district has faced enrollment struggles in recent years, partly due to its low student achievement outcomes. According to Texas Education Agency accountability reports, only 41% of students within the district hit the at-grade-level mark on their STAAR tests during the 2021-2022 school year.
Additionally, almost 20% of the graduating Class of 2022 failed to earn a diploma in four years despite the hard work of the system’s dedicated teachers.