Dallas County
About the County
Dallas County is the eighth-most populous county in the United States and has close to 500,000 students enrolled in its public schools. Of this student population, 89% are students of color, 73% are economically disadvantaged, and 36% are English language learners.
Sadly, many of our students are underserved and not receiving the education they need. Among all school districts in Dallas County, there is only a 37% post-secondary completion rate, and a recent report showed that only 28% of young adults in Dallas County, ages 25-34, earn a living wage of $50,000 or more annually.
Leadership ISD is committed to improving outcomes for all students in Dallas County and ensuring every child is fully prepared to reach their boldest dreams.
$5B
in public education spending
36%
of graduates college ready
515,000
public school students
14
school districts
8%
voter participation
(in school board elections)
100
school board trustees
Our Impact
Since graduating our first cohort in 2012, we have trained nearly 1,200 community and school leaders through our fellowship programs. Additionally, we have developed successful coalitions, community partnerships, and Get Out The Vote efforts, while building strong, supportive relationships with over 70 trustees and trustee candidates in Dallas County.
Through our collaborative efforts with partners and other like-minded community members, we have successfully advocated for significant policy and practice changes that have a tremendous impact on student experience and student outcomes, including:
FO(Local) Student Discipline Policy - LISD fellows and alumni served on the task force that provided policy recommendations to the board, leading to a ban on suspension of Pre-K-2nd graders for minor offenses.
Districts of Innovation (DOI) - LISD successfully generated support from key stakeholder groups for this program giving Dallas ISD flexibility in several areas such as staffing and calendar to better serve our students.
Dallas ISD Tax Ratification Election (TRE) - For several years, LISD’s fellows and alumni worked with trustees, advocated, and mobilized broad support for this critical TRE which infused our underfunded school district with much-needed financial resources to better serve students and teachers.
2020 Bond - LISD fellows and alumni comprised approximately one-third of the Bond Committee that helped structure this important bond focused on updating critical infrastructure, particularly facilities, safety, and technology.
Racial Equity Policy - LISD’s network led vital efforts in support of this policy institutionalizing the importance of utilizing equity policies, practices, and resource allocations as a tool to close gaps for our most underserved students and improve outcomes for all students.
Student Experience Constraint - LISD Fellows successfully advocated for this constraint which strengthens the data collection, transparency, and accountability around how our kids experience their education by meeting with trustees, sending emails, educating voters, and speaking at board meetings.
District Information
Click on the map below to find pertinent information about each district in Dallas County, including the superintendent, trustees, student demographics, a link to the district website, and more.
Voter Information
Our kids are counting on us to vote in every election!
With only 8% average voter turnout in Dallas County school board elections, your vote in local elections is critical to the success of our public schools. School board trustees, along with county and state elected positions have the decision-making power to uplift our school communities and impact student outcomes in many substantial ways.
Voter Lookup
Visit dallascountyvotes.org for information about upcoming elections, find your districts and representatives, and register to vote.
Voting Checklist
Make a Plan: Select the date, time, and location that works best for your schedule!
Know Your Ballot: Research candidates and learn about their positions on public education by viewing their websites, reading articles, and attending candidate forums.
Bring a Friend: Take a family member or friend to the polls with you so they can vote, too!
Get Involved
If you would like to get involved with Leadership ISD in Dallas County or have questions about how you can be a better advocate for our public school students, please email us at dallas@leadershipisd.org.