Plano ISD and the City of Plano are getting ready to host their annual Back to School Fair.
The event will be held on July 26 at 4 p.m. inside the Plano Event Center at 2000 E Spring Creek Pkwy.
Plano previously had two competing back-to-school fairs, one organized by Plano ISD and the other by Plano Mayor John Muns’ Families First campaign. However, the two joined forces in order to reach more families. The upcoming fair will be the fifth combined effort, according to the Plano Star Courier.
Local organizations and businesses supporting the fair include the Plano Education Foundation, NTT Data, Credit Union of Texas, JCPenney, Lovepacs, and Minnie’s Food Pantry.
The fair is meant to help lower-income families get everything they need for their children to have a successful school year. Families can get free school supplies, backpacks, and some pantry food. The fair is also offering access to immunizations, enrollment help, mental health services, dental and eye screenings, and haircuts.
“It started with two neighborhood schools, then the following year, we were in three schools. During COVID-19, we had a mobile back to school fair at Clark Stadium, then last year was the first year we held it on this level at the Plano Event Center,” explained Sharon Bradley, director of family and social services at Plano ISD, per the Plano Star Courier.
The event served over 4,000 students last year, growing from 800.
“It gets bigger and bigger each year, which is great because we’re able to help more families,” Bradley said.
The 2023-2024 school year is swiftly approaching for students in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, as previously reported by The Dallas Express. While some districts are starting the school year as late as August 29, Plano ISD kicks off classes on August 9.
School systems around the state are trying to overcome the learning loss wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the 2022-2023 school year, only 62% of Plano ISD students scored at grade level on their STAAR exams. Still, Plano ISD performed far better that year than Dallas ISD, which saw only 41% of its students score at grade level.
To attend Plano’s Back to School Fair, interested families must register online.
Anyone wishing to donate backpacks, school supplies, or other resources can get in touch with Sharon Bradley at [email protected] or the Education Foundation at [email protected].