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DISD Touting Academic Gains At Troubled Campuses

August 9, 2016 / 7:42 PM CDT / CBS Texas

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DALLAS (CBS11) - Pouring extra resources into troubled DISD campuses appears to be paying off.

According to DISD, six of seven campuses labeled 'Improvement Required' are expected to come off the low performing list.

"I wasn't surprised," said Troy Tyson, Principal at Zumwalt Middle School. "We were able to recruit the best and brightest teachers to come on and serve our kids and that was the expectation. Anything beneath that--I would have been surprised if we didn't meet our goals."

The Texas Education Agency is expected to formally release campus accountability ratings on Monday—but, Dallas school leaders are already celebrating a marked improvement at the so-called 'ACE' campuses.

ACE stands for 'Accelerating Campus Excellence.'

"Everything was happening at the speed of light,"said Tyson who adds that the academic success was built on a determination by the teachers and staff to build relationships—and remove the challenges to learning.

The DISD campuses targeted for improvement under the plan include Blanton, Umphrey Lee, Thomas Edison, Roger Mills, Peace, Dade and Zumwalt Middle School. It's expected that only Thomas Edison will remain as an 'Improvement Required' campus-- and they will get a new principal this school year.

ACE campuses have extended learning days, extra help happens on campus, breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided—there's even transportation provided in the evenings. Call it a 'no excuses' approach to learning.

"The school is located in one of the poorest areas of Dallas," said Tyson, "so we try to tell them that their environment does not determine where they end up. So regardless of what's going on around you, this is a safe place for you to receive adequate enrichment, intervention, and just to be social. You have a place to hang out, you don't have to go down the street and do things that aren't favorable. You can be here with us and be safe."

Financial incentives were offered to lure the district's most talented teachers to the poverty scarred areas. New leaders were put in place to change the culture.

"At the beginning our children were reluctant," said Blanton Elementary Principal Laura Garza while attending a professional development session at Dade Middle School Tuesday. "But, once they started to see that teachers weren't walking away—we really reinforced our belief about what we felt they can do."

Garza says she wanted students at the Pleasant Grove area school to have a "new history." The school had been labeled low performing for years. But, not any more. "How awesome to be able to tell our students 'you've come this far, now imagine what you can do'."

Both Garza and Tyson say the gains wouldn't have been possible without the dedication of the teachers who are "committed to making a difference" in the lives of at risk children. And they insist that parents play a critical role as well. Parents at the ACE campuses were required to sign a contract outlining expectations of them.

The contract wasn't a problem for Dade Middle School mom Jennifer Jackson—but, she first needed to get past the school's 'low performing' label.

"True enough, we did hear negative things, so I was a little reluctant," said Jackson, who enrolled her daughter last year. But, she says she was impressed by the district's plans for the school. She had heard great things about the new principal, and says during a visit the school was bursting with "positive" energy. Her daughter Camille's verdict, though, sealed the deal.

"I can only say it's amazing," exclaimed the incoming 7th grader in between giggles. "I had one of the best experiences at a school I could ever have." When asked why, her response spoke volumes: "teachers. And kids' positive attitudes."

Now, her mom says news of the school's academic gains provide "100 percent validation. Yes. We are there for good, 7, 8, we're locked in. we're not going anywhere."

Dallas school leaders admit that there are other low performing campuses that still require attention and improvement— but, it is both validation and victory that the ACE approach appears to link adequate resources to positive results.