The Brief
- Dallas ISD welcomed over 140,000 students with a record number of teacher applications and improved STAAR test results.
- Fort Worth ISD started its school year with new elementary school start times and an extended calendar for 15 low-rated campuses.
- New state laws are in effect this school year, including a total ban on cell phones and a requirement to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
For more than 20 districts across North Texas, the first day of school has arrived. Teachers and students are navigating an academic year marked by significant changes and new challenges.
Dallas ISD Welcomes 140,000 Students with Record Teacher Applications
What we know:
Dallas ISD welcomed more than 140,000 students back for the 2025-26 school year with a record number of teacher applications and improved test scores.
Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Elizalde told a FOX 4 reporter that the higher number of applicants allowed the district to select from the “best of the best” to lead classrooms in its 238 public schools. She noted that the district had fewer than 100 teacher vacancies at the end of the summer, a goal for the administration.…