Board Brief – Aug. 1, 2024
Arlington ISD’s Board of Trustees held its first meeting of the upcoming 2024-2025 school year, and here are a few of the highlights.
With the first day of school – Aug. 14 – just two weeks away, a lot of the board business had to do with approving new hires and making purchases for the school year.
One of the new hires is the district’s new deputy superintendent, Dr. Jennifer Collins. Collins has decades of experience in education in several school districts throughout the state. Her move to Arlington was a short one though, as she was previously the assistant superintendent for education services in the Highland Park ISD. Welcome Dr. Collins.
During the meeting, the board heard an update on accountability from Dr. Natalie Lopez, Arlington ISD’s assistant superintendent of research and accountability. She reviewed the changes that TEA – the Texas Education Agency – has made to the STAAR test and the A-F accountability system since 2019 along with the anticipated impact of the recent updates to the A-F ratings assigned to schools and districts.
The board also re-approved an interlocal agreement that the district has with Tarrant County College and the Arlington Fire Department. These partners help the district offer its outstanding Fire Academy program for 11th and 12th graders. The academy provides a rigorous academic model and curriculum that gives students the opportunity to earn their Basic Fire Fighter’s certificate and dual credit.
There were a lot of items on the agenda, so those are just a few of the highlights. If you would like more details on any of these, or any of the items not covered in this Board Brief, please click here to watch the entire meeting.