Public schools in Dallas have received a rock bottom rating in a new resident survey released by the City of Dallas this week.
The survey of more than 1,400 people rated infrastructure, like streets, at the highest importance above public safety, which was number two. Overall, 72 percent of residents said Dallas' quality of life is good or excellent.
Councilman Casey Thomas said the survey reflects what he hears from residents.
“When we hear from them, we’re hearing generally good things about the city,” Thomas said.
But only 28 percent of survey respondents said public education is good or excellent; the lowest of nine scores.
Are public schools dragging Dallas neighborhoods down?
Thomas is a former teacher, married to a Dallas school principal.
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“I think that goes back to perception versus reality,” he said.
Thomas said Adele Turner Elementary is an example of an improving school in his Red Bird-area district.
“Schools in this area are doing great,” Thomas said. “We just want them to continue to tell that story, so as we bring more young families here, they see the value of putting their kids in Dallas ISD schools.”
The Dallas Independent School District has been losing students to Charter Schools the past few years which reduces state funding for the public schools. Despite perceptions about the public schools, property values are rising and they’ve made Dallas ISD a property-rich district that must return money under the Robin Hood school funding formula. Texas takes money from the rich and gives to poor districts.
To help make up the difference and provide funding for needed programs, Dallas school trustees are considering a property tax rate increase that could go before voters in a November referendum. It could help expand Pre-K programs, give more kids a better start on education early in life and improve future outcomes.
Dallas ISD has a relatively low property tax rate, but rate increases have been unpopular with taxpayers since values are also going up.
“That would be one way to support a lot of new initiatives,” said Nakia Douglas, the former principal at Barack Obama Leadership Academy, one of the Dallas ISD high schools with an early college credit program that helps keep bright students from leaving the public school district.
“It does get a bad rap,” Douglas said. “Dallas has made a lot of improvement over the course of the years.”
Douglas works now at the University of North Texas at Dallas, in very close contact with Dallas ISD, promoting early college programs and helping disadvantaged students.
“We have to have those honest conversations about what we are providing and what we are considering providing for our schools. What we do to the least of these will impact all of us,” Douglas explained. “Collectively as a city, we need to understand this platform that we have. Yes, we are making some great strides, but are there even greater strides we could make at an even faster pace if we give the greatest attention to our education system.”
The tax rate is a major issue in Saturday’s Dallas school board election where trustee Bernadette Nutall is facing three challengers. Two other trustees are running unopposed.
The citizen survey is an update of a similar survey several years ago. Scores went down in some areas, but Dallas officials said the quality of life results for Dallas overall are better than other large cities in the U.S.
