Since Support Our Public Schools launched its petition pushing for home-rule last month, the committee has been criticized for not detailing specifics. Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, who has publically supported Dallas ISD becoming a home-rule district, has asked for specific solutions.
He also apologized for suggesting the district could be restructured with "a blank page." Rawlings said during a press conference this morning, “The strategic mistake I made was believing in the power of the blank page. I thought it was fabulous that we as a community could write anything we wanted on this blank page … I was wrong..”
Rawlings has offered to help form groups to seek specific solutions. He hopes that these groups will focus on answering three questions:
What are the true DISD performance numbers?
Are there ways to improve the governance structure?
What tools could the superintendent be given that he doesn’t currently have because of state mandates?
How can the district retain the best teachers possible?
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