DISDTrusteeNancyBinghamWillNotSeekReElection
Havingserved12yearsastheDallasIndependentSchoolDistrictTrusteeforDistrict4,NancyBinghamannouncedtodaythatshewillnotbeseekinga5thterminthisMayselection.Mrs.BinghamwasfirstelectedtotheBoardin2004,shortlyaftersheretiredfroma32yearteachingcareer.ThelongestservingelectedTrusteefortheDistrict,whichincludesPleasantGrove,SeagovilleandBalchSprings,Binghamsaidsheneverintendedtostaysolong.IfeltthatmyteachingexperiencewouldbringadifferentandvaluableperspectiveonpubliceducationtotheDISDandlikemanywhogointopublicservice,Iexpectedchangestohappenmorequicklythantheydid.
Whenshetookoffice,BinghamsdistricthadelementaryschoolsthatwereburstingattheseamsandsomeoftheworstperforminghighschoolsinDISD.ButmuchhasbeenaccomplishedduringBinghams12yearsontheBoardofTrustees.
Overthatperiod,votersapprovedthreebondprojectsthatprovidedover$3billioninfundingforschools,includingadding5newschoolsinDistrict4(AdelfaCallejoElementary,EbbyHallidayElementary,SeagovilleNorthElementary,AnnRichardsMiddleSchoolandBalchSpringsMiddleSchool)aswellasmajorrenovations,upgradesandadditionstoolderfacilities.Projectscoveredbythe2015bondelectionarenowinthedesignandplanningstagesandwillbeginconstructionwithinthenextyear.
ThemostrewardingaspectofmytenureontheBoardsaysBinghamisthatwehaveexpandedtheeducationalopportunitiesforstudentsintheirownneighborhoodswiththereturntoneighborhoodschools.IamalsoveryexcitedthatDistrict4willofferthefirstsinglegendermiddleschoolsinDISDthatareopentoallstudentswholivewithintheneighborhoodschoolboundariesandarenotcontingentontestingcriteria.AccordingtoBingham,afteranenthusiasticpilotprogramin2015,BalchSpringsMiddleSchoolwillbecomeanallgirlsschoolandFredFlorenceMiddleSchoolwillbecomeanallboysschooleffectiveinfall2016.Whenwerolledoutthepilot,theparentsweresoexcitedabouttheprogramsthatweactuallyhadstandingroomonlycrowdsandawaitinglistforadmission.
OthergoodnewsforDistrict4students:graduationrateshaveincreasedtremendously,thereareacademicincreasesateverygradelevel,andthose3lowperforminghighschoolsinDistrict4havecompletelyturnedaround.
In2012,SamuellHighSchool,partneringwithEastfieldCommunityCollege,openedanEarlyCollegeprogram,thefirstschoolwithinaschoolinDallasI.S.D.StudentsenrolledintheprogramwillgraduatethisMaywithboththeirHighSchoolDiplomaandanAssociateDegree.Thesuccessofthisprogrampavedthewayfor2otherEarlyCollegeprograms.Infallof2015,SpruceHighSchoollaunchedtheirprogramofferingstudentsanopportunitytograduatewithanAssociateDegreefocusingonCareerandTechnology,andtheSeagovilleHighSchoolEarlyCollegeprogramwillopenthisfall(2016),alsowithanemphasisontechnology.
OneofthemostcontroversialeffortstheBoardhasundertakenwastodevelopanewevaluationsystemforteachersandadministrators.Withover20,000employeesintheDistrict,itiscriticalthatwehavehighlyeffectiveteachersandadministratorsworkingwithourchildren.Thenewcomprehensiveevaluationtoolutilizesdatatohelpdetermineeffectivenessitsnotaperfectsystem,butisfarbetterthantheformerappraisalsystemsaysBingham.
ThereisstillmuchworktobedoneBinghamcontinues,inPublicEducationtherewillalwaysbechallengesandDistrict4willneedtoelectarepresentativethatwillcontinuetoputtheinterestsofthestudentsatthecenterofeveryvote.It'stimeforsomeoneelsetocontinuetheprogressthatwehavemadeoverthepast12years."
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