Dallas Independent School District Packet Summary — August 13, 2026
The Dallas Independent School District Board of Trustees is scheduled for a Board Briefing at 4:00 p.m. on August 13, 2026. The packet combines student-outcome monitoring and informational reports with a substantial set of items proposed for possible action at the August 27, 2026 board meeting.
Student Outcomes and District Updates
Three of Four Student Outcome Goals Meet the 2025-26 Target
The board is scheduled to review results for Student Outcome Goals 1-4. The packet reports improvement in all four districtwide measures, with three meeting or exceeding the 2025-26 target.
- Grade 3 reading/writing: Domain 1 increased from 45 to 47, exceeding the 46.0 target.
- Grade 3 mathematics: Domain 1 increased from 41 to 42, narrowly below the 42.5 target.
- Grade 8 reading/writing: Domain 1 increased from 51 to 56, above the 52.0 target.
- Grade 8 mathematics: Domain 1 increased from 49 to 55, above the 50.0 target.
The long-term goals call for Grade 3 reading/writing to reach 55, Grade 3 mathematics to reach 52, Grade 8 reading/writing to reach 58, and Grade 8 mathematics to reach 54 by June 2030. Proposed next steps include limiting placement of novice teachers in third grade, providing writing-instruction professional development, assigning mentors and beginning-of-year support to novice third-grade teachers, and continuing Tier 1 implementation.
Summer Programming and Professional Development
The superintendent's informational report covers summer school and summer professional development. The packet reports 29,928 students involved in summer programs and identifies 28 enrichment camps.
The professional-development update reports more than 945 campus leaders, 800 new teachers, 4,700 participants in Flex Day activities, and more than 6,500 returning teachers. Specialized summer programming included an AI Summit and Montessori Summit, while instructional priorities highlighted Tier I curriculum, differentiation and engagement, student discourse, artificial intelligence, and digital productivity tools.
Major Financial Items
Proposed 2026 Tax Rate
For the August 27 meeting, the board is scheduled to consider a total 2026 tax rate of $0.985735 per $100 of taxable valuation. The proposed rate consists of:
- $0.733700 for maintenance and operations.
- $0.252035 for interest and sinking, used for principal and interest on debt.
The packet states that the proposed maintenance-and-operations rate would raise more maintenance-and-operations taxes than last year's tax rate and describes the effective increase as 4.62 percent. A related agenda item would set the $0.252035 interest-and-sinking rate above the district's calculated statutory minimum debt-service rate of $0.215964 per $100 valuation.
Approximately $75 Million in Debt Defeasance
The board is scheduled to consider a resolution authorizing the defeasance and redemption of currently outstanding obligations. District officials estimate approximately $75 million in principal could be defeased, although the resolution says the actual amount could be higher or lower depending on available collections.
The final amount is expected to become known after February 1, 2027, when current taxes become delinquent and available tax collections can be determined. The proposal would authorize district officials to establish and fund an escrow arrangement and carry out the defeasance or redemption.
August Budget Amendments
The packet includes proposed August 31 budget amendments for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The General Fund remains structured around approximately $1.768 billion in revenue and $1.872 billion in expenditures, with a projected $104 million decrease in fund balance.
The General Fund's projected June 30, 2027 ending fund balance is $769.34 million, including an estimated $531 million unassigned balance. The Debt Service Fund projects a $429.27 million ending balance, while the Food Service Fund projects an ending balance of approximately $7.99 million.
Attendance Credits and Excess Local Revenue
The August 27 proposed consent agenda includes an item to delegate contractual authority to the superintendent for the district's 2026-27 obligations under Texas Education Code provisions governing excess local revenue. The authority would include the Agreement for the Purchase of Attendance Credits.
The packet explains that the Texas Education Agency requires the district's Chapter 49 agreement to be submitted through the Excess Local Revenue subsystem and that the board must delegate the necessary authority to the superintendent each year.
Technology and Districtwide Purchasing
Several proposed consent-agenda items would establish multi-year purchasing authority for technology and administrative systems.
- Google products and services: Up to $10 million over five years. The packet says Google Workspace supports instruction, Google Classroom, communication, productivity, Chromebook administration and Google Gemini. A previous $2 million, three-year authority was approved in 2024, with $1,341,434.75 encumbered to date.
- General software products and services: Up to $12 million over three years for districtwide use.
- Laserfiche licensing and support: Up to $5.3 million over five years.
- Multi-factor authentication and identity security: Up to $1.7 million over five years. The packet describes identity security as part of the district's cybersecurity strategy for protecting employees, contractors, privileged accounts, critical systems and confidential data.
- Applicant Tracking System: Up to $5.5 million over five years for Human Capital Management. The district says the system would support recruiting, onboarding, staffing objectives and candidate experience.
- Cell phone-free devices or pouches: Up to $4.5 million over three years. The packet says the products are intended to create cell phone-free learning environments during school hours while minimizing disruption to instruction.
The packet also proposes an interlocal agreement with the University of Texas at Austin for Regional Security Operations Center services. The agreement describes cybersecurity monitoring, security-event notification and reporting services and states that the program is funded through the Texas Department of Information Resources, with no current charge to participating customers.
Policy and Governance Items
Superintendent Nonrenewal Policy
The board is scheduled to consider an amendment to BJCF (LOCAL), Superintendent Nonrenewal, as a single-read item. Proposed changes include language addressing a disability not otherwise protected by law that impairs performance of required duties, with or without reasonable accommodation.
The proposal also adds a reason addressing intentionally or knowingly engaging in, or assigning another person, instruction, guidance, activities or programming prohibited by law. The packet identifies references to policies BT and EMB.
Other Policies Scheduled for Possible Action
The agenda includes possible action on several additional policies:
- CW (LOCAL), Naming Facilities — third read.
- CJ (LOCAL), Contracted Services — proposed adoption.
- DF (LOCAL), Termination of Employment — proposed amendment.
- DFBB (LOCAL), Term Contracts—Nonrenewal — proposed amendment.
Other policies are presented as first-read discussion items rather than action items, including DBB (LOCAL) on medical examinations and communicable diseases, DFD (LOCAL) on hearings before a hearing examiner, DM (LOCAL) and DMA (LOCAL) on professional development, DMD (LOCAL) on professional meetings and visitations, and DME (LOCAL) on research and publication.
Early Learning Items
The proposed August 27 consent agenda includes submission of a Pre-K Partnership Pass-Through Waiver to the Texas Education Agency covering fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27. The packet says Texas law allows districts to request a waiver from the 85 percent Pre-K partnership pass-through funding requirement for those fiscal years.
The board is also expected to consider a one-year interlocal agreement with HIPPY Texas Inc. for the Home Instruction for Parents of Pre-School Youngsters home-based parent instruction program. The proposed agreement is not to exceed $26,000 for the 2026-27 school year.
Construction and Real Estate
Bond-Funded Construction Closeouts and Renovation
The proposed consent agenda contains several construction actions tied to the district's bond program:
- West Dallas Junior High: Proposed acceptance of completed renovation work, a $562,723.65 credit through Change Order #2, and $102,853.51 in final payment.
- Herbert Marcus Leadership Academy: Proposed acceptance of completed addition and renovation work, a $1,749 credit, and $187,258.29 in final payment.
- School for the Talented and Gifted at Pleasant Grove: Proposed acceptance of completed addition and renovation work, a $92,738.79 credit, and $37,521.96 in final payment.
- Geneva Heights Elementary School: Proposed acceptance of completed addition and renovation work, a $656,063.90 credit, and $159,700.57 in final payment.
- Buckner Terrace Montessori School: Proposed acceptance of completed renovation work, a $355,328.03 credit, and $6,681.75 in final payment.
- J.P. Starks Math, Science and Technology Vanguard: Proposed authority to negotiate and enter into an agreement for renovation work not to exceed $3,384,128 in bond funds.
The board is also scheduled to consider job-order contracting services for general construction and a 120-square-foot wastewater easement to the City of Dallas at Skyline High School with no new financial impact.
Paul Quinn College Lease Proposal
The board is scheduled to consider a first amendment to the district's lease agreement with Paul Quinn College involving Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III Global Preparatory at 3837 Simpson Stuart Road.
The proposed amendment calls for a 50-year lease-term extension with three 10-year renewal options, $3 million for renovation, and a stated lease value of $19,488,690.58.
A separate proposal for a 50-year ground lease and construction of a new school building at the same location, with a stated ground-lease value of $8.65 million, is explicitly marked pulled by the administration in the agenda and is therefore not presented as an active action item.
What to Watch at the Meeting
The August 13 briefing puts several major August 27 proposals before trustees for review rather than documenting final outcomes. Among the most consequential are the proposed $0.985735 tax rate, an estimated $75 million debt defeasance, multiple multi-million-dollar technology purchasing authorities, policy changes affecting employment and superintendent nonrenewal, and a long-term Paul Quinn College lease amendment.
The student-outcome presentation also provides an important performance backdrop: three of four 2025-26 districtwide goals met their targets, while Grade 3 mathematics improved but remained just below its target. The briefing gives trustees an opportunity to examine these results, proposed spending authorities, policy revisions and long-term financial and facilities commitments before items scheduled for possible action at the August 27 board meeting.
