

Dallas ISD has dramatically increased the number of Hispanic and Black students in honors classes, according to a report from The 74, a nonprofit news organization covering education.
Why it matters: Far more students are on track to take eighth-grade algebra, a prerequisite for more advanced coursework in high school, per The 74. Prior to a 2019 policy change, only 20% of Dallas ISD eighth graders were enrolled in Algebra I, compared with 60% today.
- "The policy has not led to a decrease in student scores as some speculated," according to The 74.
By the numbers: The district told The 74 that the pass rates for eighth-grade Algebra I students are similar to prior years, with 95% of Hispanic students passing the state algebra exam and 76% meeting grade-level proficiency, and 91% of Black students passing the test and 65% meeting grade level proficiency.
How it happened: The district decided to move from an opt-in model to an opt-out policy in the 2019-20 school year. Any student who scores well on state exams is automatically enrolled in advanced mathematics, reading, science or social studies — or some combination of the four.
- Under the new model, students can opt out only with parents' written permission.
- Before the policy change, students who wanted to join honors classes in sixth, seventh and eighth grade had to opt in themselves or get a recommendation — usually from a teacher or parent.
Context: Dallas ISD has nearly 154,000 students, the second-largest district in Texas behind Houston. Hispanic students make up 71% of Dallas ISD's enrollment, according to the district's most recent data. Black students account for 20%.
Flashback: Dallas ISD was one of the only urban school districts in the country that didn't have significant drops in fourth-grade math or reading scores, according to last year's National Report Card from the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
Yes, but: Eighth graders in Texas have fallen behind their peers in other states.
What they're saying: "Advanced coursework in high school is a pipeline," Shannon Trejo, Dallas ISD's chief academic officer, told The 74.
- "You have to get in in middle school. The question was, 'How do we ensure students who are prepared are enrolling?'"

Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Dallas.
More Dallas stories
No stories could be found

Get a free daily digest of the most important news in your backyard with Axios Dallas.