“I want Plano to win,” said Plano ISD Board President Dr. Lauren Tyra on the district standing out during a time of uncertainty and vouchers.
PLANO, Texas — As students across Plano ISD returned to classrooms, Superintendent Dr. Theresa Williams made her traditional first-day rounds — this time with a few new challenges and a continued sense of purpose.
The district gave WFAA an opportunity to the join the superintendent and school board President Dr. Lauren Tyra on a ride-along to several schools, especially those schools who have new principals at the helm.
“Happy First Day,” Williams exclaimed to a group of educators at the first stop at Aldridge Elementary in Richardson.
Watch the full interview with Theresa Williams and Lauren Tyra here:
Williams, who has been in education three decades, said the excitement of the first day never gets old.
The next stop was to the parents, students, and staff at Haggard Middle School, one of the oldest schools in the district. It’s a school that will be replaced by a brand new building the following school year, thanks to a 2022 bond.
“We’re building today’s learners to be tomorrow’s leaders,” said Williams.
While Plano ISD has long been known for academic excellence, the district is adapting to shifting realities. Enrollment has dropped to 45,000 students, driven by a confluence of factors including declining birth rates and high housing values.
“The enrollment changes are largely driven by forces outside of the school district, whether they are larger societal forces or housing prices,” explained Tyra.
Plano ISD has seen a change in demographics too.
Asian and Hispanic students represent nearly half the student population, and white students represent roughly 30% of the population. Fifteen to 20 years ago, that demographic was heavily-tilted the other way. Meanwhile, 38% of students are identified as economically-disadvantaged and qualify for free or reduced lunches.
Dr. Williams said none of this should take away from the district or the city. She maintains that the district still holds the highest standard for public education, and the city is still a destination for many families.
“We’re one of the happiest places to live in the US, one of the safest places, it’s one of the best places to raise a family, it’s also one of the best places to retire,” said Williams.
Dr. Tyra sees opportunity in these demographics. She said many Plano ISD students have a second language spoken in the home. That exposes more students to dual language programs offered at a number of Plano schools.
“The more we can grow that dual language program at the elementary level, the more it will benefit our students,” said Tyra.
Another yearly reality has become the district passing a deficit budget. Sadly, that is a reality for the vast majority of schools in Texas. This year, the district passed a $7.8 million deficit — a notable improvement compared to years past.
“That’s the lowest we’ve seen in the last five years,” said Williams. “However, we still have gaps and there’s more work to be done.”
“Fuel went up, property casualty insurance went up, cost of buses went up, cost of buses went up. A lot of our core costs, meat and potatoes costs, and we did not see the increase in funding to manage that,” said Tyra, referring to budgets in the past where the deficit climbed over $30 million.
Among those gaps: special education and transportation funding. And while state law limits how much tax revenue the district can retain — Tyra said they do not get to choose how much of their tax levy they keep — there are also signs of progress.
The 2022 bond package is funding major upgrades: Haggard Middle School will be rebuilt, elementary schools will see new playgrounds, and high schools are due for renovations.
A new Career and Technical Education facility is also under construction. That building will utilize industry partners to bring together some vocational studies like a student-run bank, a car mechanic shop, robotics, graphic design, welding, and even information technology.
“It’s a 24-7 job. We’re on all the time,” said Williams.
After the superintendent and board president spent time at the elementary and middle school, they also stopped by Plano Senior High School and Academy High School. Plano Senior is due for upgrades because of that same 2022 bond.
Academy is a project-based learning STEAM school (Science, Tech, Engineering, Arts, and Math). It also houses an award-winning robotics program.
This year also brings new policy shifts, including a state-mandated ban on phones during instructional time. The first week will serve as an amnesty period before stricter enforcement begins.
“We’re gonna help students adjust and understand state law,” said Tyra.
WFAA asked about another new state law that requires the Ten Commandments be posted in every classroom by Sept. 1.
“We’re presently under litigation, we are one of the litigants in the lawsuit, so we unfortunately will not be able to talk about that today,” said the board president.
WFAA also asked about the impact of vouchers on Plano schools. Both Williams and Tyra said it is unclear what the full impact will look like. The duo told WFAA they are solely focused on what Plano schools have to do to stand out.
“We have great outcomes for students. We have great academic, CTE, and athletic and fine arts outcomes for kids.” said Dr. Williams.
Williams said she is the biggest cheerleader for the district and the proof is in the students and their achievement.
“As a trustee, what I’m concerned about is that we’re the best choice and we’re competing,” added Dr. Tyra. “I want Plano to win.”