Theory of Action Newsletter

We are happy to announce that the 2022-2023 Theory of Action Campus Scorecards are now available. These scorecards provide campus specific information about available autonomies and supports through the Theory of Action. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to access your scorecard on the Theory of Action Google Site, or follow this link to go directly to the site (EAD login is required).

We appreciate your feedback! Please share your thoughts, ideas, and questions about the Theory of Action via this survey. If you're interested in having information added to an upcoming newsletter, please submit a request here.

Don’t Miss this Opportunity for $15K in Racial Equity Funding!

To support principals of High Priority, Developing and Focus campuses in eliminating systemic disparities on their campuses, The Racial Equity Office is providing $15K in additional discretionary funding to advance equity for African American and Emergent Bilingual students in academics, attendance, and behavior.

High Priority, Developing and Focus Campus Principals, to better serve you because we understand this time of year is incredibly busy, REO no longer requires you to attend a virtual session to receive funding. To continue to provide support as needed, REO has virtual help sessions available on September 28 & 29, 2022. Executive Directors, we gladly welcome your attendance. The Racial Equity Office looks forward to supporting you through the process, making connections, and building together!

Click here for details and to apply for $15K in Racial Equity Funding Support!

​For additional information or questions, email Tommy Van Sickle at tvansickle@dallasisd.org.

Dallas ISD will approve and facilitate transportation for campus-funded field trips as outlined in FMG (REGULATION). Through the Theory of Action, Accomplished and Breakthrough campuses may receive free or reduced price transportation to one field trip within the county boundaries on a district-owned bus.

For more information, click here.

Accomplished campuses may receive one free security guard for one after-school event (no more than 2 hours). Breakthrough campuses may receive one security guard at 50% off for one after-school event (no more than 2 hours).

This autonomy is subject to availability from October 15-March 15th.

For more information, click here.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) skill development is essential for success in school, work, and in life. These skills are developed over time and through application in our personal, professional, and academic life. There is strong research to support that “SEL leads to beneficial outcomes related to attitudes about self, school, and civic engagement; social behaviors; conduct problems; emotional distress; and academic performance.” CASEL,n.d. https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/what-does-the-research-say.

The Social and Emotional Learning Department is excited to announce the SEL explicit skills resource for weekly lessons to be taught at Competing, Developing, and Focus schools during morning meetings in elementary schools and during advisory period in secondary schools.

Accomplished and Breakthrough campuses may exercise their SEL autonomy and use their campus budget or other funding source to purchase a different approved SEL curricular resource for weekly SEL morning meeting/advisory lessons, supplemental resources, and professional learning, by consulting with the SEL Department and completing this form by October 26, 2022.

For additional information, please click here.

Senior transcripts with updated class rank will be available for pick up beginning Monday, October 3, 2022.

For more information about transcript updates and timelines, click here.

Dallas ISD Mental Health Services is...At Your Service! We are excited about the school year and eager to do our part to help remove barriers for students by addressing their mental and physical health needs. Mental health services are provided by our 115 school clinicians who serve students at the elementary, middle and high school campuses and 47 clinic clinicians who provide services at our 12 Youth & Family Center locations.

September is Suicide Prevention Month! We have partnered with The Defensive Line to offer ongoing suicide prevention training for Dallas ISD staff. We will also offer training opportunities related to trauma and grief, trust-based relationship intervention, and mental health first aid for select campus staff. More information regarding these trainings are coming soon!

Our motto is..."Healthy Hearts, Healthy Minds, Healthy YOU!"

MHS...we are "At Your Service"!!!

For additional information about this program please click here.

The LEAD department is excited about the return of Bridge2LEAD, a professional development series designed specifically for individuals who have their Masters’ degree and principal certification and have not served as campus administrators. The LEAD team has developed this series specifically for individuals who have a strong desire and commitment to grow themselves as a leader. Should you decide to participate, you will receive targeted support from the LEAD team, providing you with the opportunity to deepen your leadership.

Participants will benefit from a custom curriculum and authentic learning experiences led by current Dallas ISD principals, equipping them with research-based instructional leadership skills. For individuals who would like an opportunity to deepen their leadership skills, please register at tiny.cc/B2LRegistration by October 13, 2022.

You can find more Bridge2LEAD information here, or you can email the LEAD department at LEAD@dallasisd.org.

School Leadership provides regularly scheduled meetings for office managers and financial clerks with required attendance to share updates to ensure consistent and compliant processes across the District, identify and address areas of need, and provide support. The first meeting for the 2022-2023 school year is Thursday, September 29th.

For additional information on future dates and times, please click here.

The Texas Reading Academies launched in the fall of 2020 as part of a House Bill 3 requirement for elementary principals and kindergarten to third-grade teachers. Dallas ISD jumped at the opportunity to transform literacy instruction and improve student outcomes by building teacher and administrator capacity.

As part of ongoing efforts to sustain learning and ensure support for campuses with the highest priority, implementation tools that include instructional “look-fors'' and Professional Learning Community opportunities have been developed and incorporated within the curriculum.

Click here to continue reading.

Beginning with 2023 annual graduates, TEA will award College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) credit for graduates who enlist in the military by December 31 following graduation. Districts must obtain a completed DD Form 4 “Enlistment/Reenlistment Document-Armed Forces of the United States” from a student who has enlisted. The DD Form 4 must be completed in full, including all required signatures by the student and the enlistment officer, and submitted via a secure upload process which is expected be available from March through June of 2024. An example of the DD Form 4 is available from the DoD site here.

STAAR Released Question Types

New Question Types Scoring and Reporting Guides

• Math (PDF posted 8/15/22)
• Reading Language Arts (PDF posted 08/19/22)
• Science (PDF posted 1/27/22)
• Social Studies (PDF posted 1/27/22)
• Spanish Reading Language Arts (PDF posted 1/27/22)

LAS and State Accountability report cards are available for each campus over multiple school years. Follow this link to access.

Campus Theory of Action Scorecards are now available. Visit the Theory of Action Resources page, here, to access your scorecard.

You can find more information about the Theory of Action below. This newsletter is for you and we appreciate your feedback. Please share your thoughts and ideas about the Theory of Action via this feedback form.

Email: theoryofaction@dallasisd.org
Website: dallasisd.org/TheoryofAction
Phone: 9729253700