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Dallas ISD’s Plan to Win Coveted Broad Prize for Urban EducationGets
Significant Boost with Financial Gifts and Community Support
DALLAS (October 9, 2007) – Three Dallas foundations, each with
$1 million gifts in hand, have embraced the Dallas Independent School
District’s (ISD) mission to ensure that every student graduate college
and workforce ready. The Texas Instruments Foundation, Harold Simmons
Foundation and W.W. Caruth, Jr. Foundation of Communities Foundation of
Texas were honored on October 9 at a celebration along with almost 50
other donors who are helping fund Dallas ISD’s mission to achieve
academic excellence for all students and ultimately win the nationally
coveted Broad Prize for Urban Education by 2010.
“Today we celebrate three extraordinary gifts illustrating the community’s
belief in and support for Dallas ISD, along with other significant gifts
from Dallas individuals and institutions, some of whom began helping us
almost two years ago,” said J. McDonald Williams, Co-Chair of the
Dallas Achieves Commission and founder/chairman of the Foundation for
Community Empowerment. “Their generous acts of early giving, together
with courageous leadership from Dr. Michael Hinojosa and the school board,
have launched Dallas ISD’s journey on the ‘Road To Broad.’”
Announcing the gifts were Thomas J. Engibous, chairman of Texas Instruments;
Charles J. Wyly, Jr., chairman of the board of Communities Foundation
of Texas; and Betsy Healy, program officer of the Harold Simmons Foundation.
“Dallas Achieves represents the most promising educational reform
initiative that we’ve seen, and the TI Foundation is very pleased
to support this outstanding effort. We believe this is the first time
the principles of campus and principal empowerment, data collection and
best practices deployment have been systematically put into use in a major
urban school district,” said Mr. Engibous. “Everywhere these
principles have been implemented effectively, they’ve worked, and
Dallas ISD has shown progress over the past two years. This is an ambitious
project with a critical mission, and resources from the private and non-profit
leaders in this community will be essential if it is to succeed. We must
do all we can, and, until every student is achieving, we cannot rest.”
The funding will support the execution of the Dallas Achieves Transformation
and Implementation Plan, which was formally adopted by the Dallas ISD
Board of Trustees in April 2007. The Transformation Plan focuses on two
key components – an Education Plan (emphasizing rigor, aligned common
curriculum, instructional improvement via data and professional learning)
and a comprehensive set of recommendations (and commendations), developed
in conjunction with Dallas ISD staff and trustees with the Dallas Achieves
Commission, an influential group of Dallas business and community leaders.
Also delivering remarks at the announcement were Dallas ISD Superintendent
of Schools Dr. Hinojosa; Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert; Jack Lowe, president
of the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees; and the three Dallas Achieves Co-Chairs:
Arcilia Acosta, Pettis Norman and J. McDonald Williams. Special guest
was Kerri L. Briggs, Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary
Education for the U.S. Department of Education. Brent Christopher, president
and CEO of Communities Foundation of Texas, hosted the event.
During his remarks, Dr. Hinojosa emphasized the importance and the long-lasting
impact of the community’s backing of Dallas ISD.
“It will take the support and effort from everyone in the city,
including donors, sponsors, the board, parents and, of course, district
staff and students, to reach the ambitious goals of the Dallas Achieves
initiative," said Dr. Hinojosa. "Thankfully, the donors who
were announced today, as well as those who have already contributed, understand
our collective commitment to making certain that all Dallas students are
college and workforce ready."
"With the Dallas Achieves Transformation Plan now in place, we have
a roadmap to change the culture to one that focuses on students and the
campuses that serve them,” said Dr. Hinojosa. “It’s
an exciting time at Dallas ISD, and to know that the community so strongly
supports our mission is powerful and energizing.”
For more
information about the ‘Road To Broad’ mission or to contribute
to Dallas Achieves, please go to www.dallasachieves.org
or call the Foundation for Community Empowerment at 469-221-0700.
# # #
About
the Texas Instruments Foundation
The Texas Instruments Foundation, founded in 1964, is a non-profit corporation
providing philanthropic support for educational and charitable purposes
primarily in the communities where Texas Instruments has a presence. With
a primary focus of education, the Foundation has a national reputation
for its role in fostering early childhood programs involving several university
partnerships. More information can be found at http://www.ti.com/tifoundation.
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