Dallas ISD board OKs up to $72M for buses, expands CTE spending in September meetings

Dallas ISD trustees approved major fleet and career-tech investments at their Sept. 24 board meeting and put a proposed rewrite of the district's campus renaming rules on hold until October, the district said in a Hub board-meetings recap posted Sept. 25.

School bus fleet

Trustees approved spending of up to $72 million over five years for school buses, repairs and parts, Dallas ISD said. The district plans to replace 398 buses that are 10 years old or older. Officials said the investment is meant to cut risks tied to an aging fleet, reduce ongoing maintenance needs and improve safety for students traveling to and from campus.

Career and technical education

The board also approved up to $25.5 million over five years for Career and Technical Education supplies, equipment and services, including professional-grade gear and instructor training, according to the district.

Separately, trustees approved up to $1.5 million over three years for flight simulation systems, equipment and maintenance to support aviation pathways. Dallas ISD said the simulators let students practice flight planning, navigation, weather and aircraft controls as part of CTE training.

Campus naming policy postponed

Trustees postponed amendments to the policy for renaming schools and district facilities. The district said the changes aim at a clearer process and more meaningful community input, and that the proposal would also limit renamings to four per trustee district per year. The board plans to revisit the amendment in October.

Bond work accepted at two elementaries

Trustees accepted completed bond renovations at William Brown Miller Elementary School and John F. Peeler Elementary School, Dallas ISD said.

At Miller, work included renovations to the gymnasium and administration areas, a new security vestibule and new corridor flooring, among other improvements. At Peeler, renovations included the main entrance and administration suite, security upgrades, exterior window replacements and a new school marquee, the district said.

September briefing highlights

The Hub recap also summarized a Sept. 10 board briefing. District leaders reported that 94.5% of recent high school graduates met college, career and military readiness criteria, and that 94% of students in grades nine through 11 for the 2025-2026 school year were on track to graduate - six percentage points above the district's target.

About 20% of last year's graduates completed a personal financial literacy course, above a 5% district goal, Dallas ISD said.

Officials also outlined a kindergarten-through-12th-grade push to strengthen writing instruction, including teacher professional learning and writing practice beyond reading language arts. Ongoing Bond Program work at Birdie Alexander Elementary School and Urban Park Elementary School was also noted in the recap.

The full September board-meetings summary is posted on The Hub, Dallas ISD's news site.

Sources

thehub.dallasisd.org