It's Time to Get Rid of Dallas County Schools, DISD Officials Tell Lawmakers

AUSTIN -- Even as administrators from the embattled Dallas County Schools tried to save their agency, Dallas ISD officials urged lawmakers to shut it down.Lawmakers discussed a bill Tuesday that would scrap the countywide agency -- which provides busing, technology and other services -- and give dependent districts a year to transition to other providers.The bill’s author Sen. Don Huffines, R-Dallas, said he began looking into DCS initially thinking it was just a duplicate layer of bureaucracy but was disturbed to find questionable business deals across Texas, seemingly mismanaged finances and reports of bus drivers running red lights.Many DCS officials have stepped down or were fired in recent months, including former superintendent Rick Sorrells. who abruptly retired.Dallas ISD superintendent Michael Hinojosa told the Senate education committee that his school district has had to pick up a lot of slack due to the shortcomings of DCS. District officials have said they pay more than they should for transportation services and scramble to help students whose buses are late or missing."The one and only reason I'm here is to protect the interest of the Dallas Independent School district,” Hinojosa said. “I have enough work to do. I'm not looking for any extra work."  Continue reading...