Dallas Independent School District is ready to cash in their savings account and spend millions upon millions of dollars in the classroom after seeing the latest pandemic test scores.
In third grade alone, just 13% of students are meeting or exceeding their grade level. In a series of charts and graphs administrators in the district saw Thursday, board members saw data that showed significant losses in learning.
Students are scoring 50% below the levels they were at in the spring on math tests, and they're scoring 30% lower in reading.
Board member Joyce Foreman questioned how the district would bounce back during the pandemic.
"Teachers are being forced to teach in-person and online, it's a struggle. So while we sit around a horseshoe and talk about what’s best, I think we really need to be having more conversations with the people on the frontlines on a day-to-day basis," said Foreman.
Administrators said they could put more teachers in the classroom and teach in smaller groups but it would cost millions of dollars. Spending $80 million would only reach 30% of the district. Board members didn't seem phased, saying they have the money in a rainy day fund, and this is a flood.
"My heart hurts for these kids that have been so drastically impacted by COVID," said Dustin Marshall, DISD Trustee. "We've got to start thinking about very innovative, drastic interventions to get these kids back on track and that needs to be the core of everything this board does."
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As bad as the numbers are, the district says they are on par with other large urban districts.
