The Dallas Independent School District’s chess program has exploded to 6,000 students across 200 campuses, with participation among kindergarten through second-grade students doubling since last year.
The district hosted 10 competitive tournaments this year to meet surging demand. The rapid growth signals chess’s emerging role in early education, and young players are discovering unexpected benefits beyond the game itself.
Michelle Read, student activity coordinator, attributes the boom to elementary students embracing the challenge.
“This is a clear sign of growing interest in chess amongst our youngest students,” she said.
The program’s expansion reflects broader educational trends. Chess teaches problem-solving and critical thinking while correlating with stronger math performance.
“It has been interesting to watch young chess players challenge themselves in unexpected ways and have fun at our districtwide tournaments,” Read added.
Tournament days transform school gyms into competitive arenas with hundreds of tables and chessboards.
Secondary students compete in five-round tournaments organized by skill level. Winners at each grade receive gold, silver, and bronze medals, while schools earn team trophies based on cumulative scores.
Parents are noticing the impact beyond academics. Jose Delgado, a Dallas ISD teacher and parent, watched his daughter transform through chess after starting in second grade.
“She started playing in second grade, and it helped her build a community, learn to slow down, and think through a problem,” he said.
The benefits extend schoolwide.
“Students who get involved build stronger communities in their school, and it gives them a sense of pride when they get a chance to compete and show what they learned all year,” Delgado explained.
That said, sustaining this growth requires resources. The Student Activities Department provides each participating campus with chessboards and pieces to support their programs.
The initiative appears to be working. With participation doubling among the youngest students and tournaments drawing hundreds of competitors, chess has become a cornerstone of Dallas ISD’s extracurricular offerings.