Dallas ISD Board Takes Key Steps To Improve Student Experience

In the summer of 2022, the Dallas Independent School District Board adopted a new student experience constraint that strengthens data collection, transparency, and accountability around how our kids experience their education. Leadership ISD fellows and alumni successfully advocated for this constraint by meeting with trustees, sending emails, educating voters, and speaking at board meetings.  

Dallas ISD is one of a very small number of districts that have proactively taken steps to incorporate student experience data into their decision-making process and underscore its importance by tying it to the superintendent's evaluation.

Mindsets drive behaviors and behaviors drive outcomes–the way that our kids feel in our schools will absolutely impact their ability to learn and achieve. Dallas ISD has been a leader and an innovator in their approach to improving student outcomes, and this is another example of how they are leading the way.

Dallas ISD’s student experience constraint update included the development and implementation of an improved student experience survey. The board reviewed the constraint and monitored survey results for the first time at their December 1st briefing. It was reported that 63% of students responded positively to their campus climate, 48% responded positively to their campus safety, and 56% responded positively to their campus sense of belonging. For more details, see Slide 6 of Dallas Kids First’s December 2022 Board Briefing Recap.

Nationally normed, the results put Dallas ISD in the 53rd percentile, meaning there is a significant opportunity for students and adults to collaborate on how to identify root causes and improve. And, because student experience is now being accurately measured and reported on, the district is already looking at strategies to address the issue and make improvements.

Ben Mackey, Dallas ISD Trustee, D7, commented saying, “The trustees and administration care deeply about the experiences of our students and the impact it has on them, both socially and academically. This data provides an important opportunity to work in partnership with our students to continuously improve experiences and increase student voice, agency, and leadership in the district. We are discussing strategies, including engaging student ambassadors to ensure every student has a positive and uplifting experience on each of our campuses.”

Although the initial data is not what we would like it to be, it is a concrete starting point for deeper engagement with our students and a great opportunity for increased youth/adult partnership which benefits everyone in the short term and long term. We are deeply grateful for our LISD fellows and alumni who worked tirelessly on this project and for our Dallas ISD Trustees who faithfully put students at the center.

Leadership ISD will continue to encourage other districts to follow Dallas ISD's example to institutionalize excellent student experience as a necessary lever to improve the quality of public education. Through leadership training, coalition building, and trustee engagement, Leadership ISD builds and supports ecosystems of trust and accountability that lead to improved outcomes for all students. Together with our network, we are transforming public education to ensure every student is prepared to reach their boldest and brightest dreams.