Report: Mayor Considers Taking Over DISD

Mayor Tom Leppert is considering taking over the Dallas Independent School District, the Dallas Morning News reported Sunday.

According to the newspaper, the mayor has talked to "at least one state senator and a prominent business leader" about the idea.

DISD is trying to work through a budget crisis. The district has laid off 500 employees, but is still tens of millions of dollars over budget.

In a statement, Leppert's office said no one should be surprised that the mayor has had conversations with lots of people about ways everyone can be helpful. Leppert "will continue having those conversations," the statement said.

"Our children's education is too important to leave any ideas off the table," the statement said.

But Leppert said Superintendent Michael Hinojosa is "doing everything he can" and has the mayor's full support.

Mayors in other large U.S. cities such as Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. have control of the school districts in their cities, the Dallas Morning News reports.

School board members and City Council members told the Dallas Morning News they had not heard about the idea of the city taking over the schools.

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