Dallas, TX
Fewer Dallas teachers will get bonuses as school turnaround model shifts
Dallas school leaders are overhauling how they support struggling schools in a move that will cut the number of campuses receiving intensive resources and curtail the number of teachers who qualify for bonuses.
The district is moving to a new campus turnaround model, which will limit the number of schools targeted for extra support from more than 80 currently to roughly 50 after the change. Doing so will also shrink the number of educators eligible for salary stipends of up to $12,000.
Two programs – Accelerating Campus Excellence and High Priority Campuses – are sunsetting at the end of next school year, district officials confirmed. Dallas ISD will transition into a three-tiered model that officials are calling the District Support Initiative.
“This initiative will truly prioritize campuses of greatest need,” according to an online DISD statement.
Over the past decade, district leaders have credited the ACE model for several campus turnaround success stories. The program evolved since 2015 but its hallmark – paying great teachers more money to teach at challenging schools – remained in place.
“The whole concept behind ACE was to get our very best teachers in the places they’re needed the most. That idea is very much still alive here. It’s just more focused,” DISD trustee president Joe Carreón said. “Every school can’t be ACE – that defeats the logical purpose of the program.”
This year, roughly one-third of DISD campuses were included in either the Accelerating Campus Excellence program or designated High Priority Campuses. Both models involve teacher stipends, though ACE bonuses are generally larger.
The new initiative will target only about 20% of Dallas’ 233 campuses.
Low-performing elementary schools, many of which in high-poverty communities, will be the main focus, according to district documents.
Nine of those low-performing elementary schools will receive the highest level of support next year. These campuses will get funding for two literacy specialists and one math expert. Students will have access to expanded afterschool sessions, a mentoring book club, a home library program and more.
Highly effective teachers who work at these campuses, meanwhile, will be eligible for stipends between $4,000 and $12,000.
Thirty elementary and middle schools will get a second-tier of support, while 10 high schools were chosen for staffing help – including stipends for some teachers.
Right now, educators at more than 80 campuses are eligible for these kinds of bonuses.
Of those, 48 schools were not chosen for the District Support Initiative next year. Teachers at these campuses will instead receive a “bridge year stipend,” valued at half of their previous amount.
That money will end in the 2026-27 school year, with bonuses only continuing for the campuses that are part of the new model.
DISD turnaround schools
Dallas ISD’s signature turnaround program, launched in 2015, centered on flooding a small number of struggling schools with extra time, money and some of the best teachers in the district.
Officials persuaded effective educators to work in ACE schools by offering them large bonuses intended to compensate for the extra work.
It relied on a districtwide pay-for-performance evaluation system to define which educators were the “best.” That model led to a statewide merit pay push and lawmakers are now funneling millions of dollars a year toward such stipends.
The ACE program also inspired similar models in other districts.
But questions quickly emerged about the ACE’s sustainability. It was intensive – and expensive – to pour so much into a small cohort of campuses, though it generated many positive results.
One elementary, Annie Webb Blanton, improved enough to beat the results of a campus in affluent Highland Park in 2018.
However, once money and programming was pulled back, some schools reverted.
For example, Dade Middle School received passing grades during its three turnaround years. But immediately after losing resources, the school earned a D in state academic accountability ratings.
“When ACE stipends are largely eliminated, a substantial fraction of highly effective teachers leaves, and test scores fall,” a 2023 study of the program found.
ACE saw several iterations. Then, a few years after it launched, the district designated dozens of additional schools as High Priority Campuses to allow a broader array of schools to get extra resources and attention.
Now, DISD leaders are evolving the model again.
“This has been something under careful consideration,” DISD spokeswoman Robyn Harris said. “We are retooling to once again really support our most fragile and critical schools.”
The DMN Education Lab deepens the coverage and conversation about urgent education issues critical to the future of North Texas.
The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with support from Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Garrett and Cecilia Boone, The Meadows Foundation, The Murrell Foundation, Ron and Phyllis Steinhart, Solutions Journalism Network, Southern Methodist University, Sydney Smith Hicks and the University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of the Education Lab’s journalism.
The search for the next general manager or president of basketball operations of the Dallas Mavericks has begun. They terminated Nico Harrison in November, which was about nine months too late, and gave any available candidates clear notice that they were open for business.
The plan was always to wait until after the season to start the search. While names popped up as the season reached an end, they didn’t begin turning over the staff until the Monday after the season ended. However, Dallas Mavericks fans are not going to like how the team is going about the search.
Patrick Dumont Leading Search for General Manager
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Mavericks are not hiring a search firm in their hunt for a new lead executive. Instead, team governor Patrick Dumont is “acting as his own point person.”
This is an… interesting decision, to say the least. Dumont is not a basketball person whatsoever, and most organizations usually hire a search firm. The Chicago Bulls hired one as they look for their replacement for Arturas Karnisovas. Just because a firm is hired doesn’t mean a team will listen, though.
The Mavericks hired a firm in their last search for a GM. They let Donnie Nelson go in 2021 after a long tenure with the Mavs. Instead of listening to the firm, though, Mark Cuban ignored it to hire Nico Harrison, who had no previous NBA front office experience. Harrison had been an executive with Nike, which gave him connections with players like Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and plenty of others.
For a while, that seemed to be working out okay. While he still had some questionable transactions, such as trading for Christian Wood and letting Jalen Brunson walk in free agency, they were still able to make a run to the NBA Finals in 2024. Then, he blew it all up, trading away Luka Doncic for an older and injured Anthony Davis, and the team hasn’t been the same since.
It’s imperative that the Mavericks get this hire correct. The interim Co-GM setup with Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley has performed admirably, but the 2026 NBA Draft is important for the Mavs to get right. It’s their best chance to pair Cooper Flagg with another young star, as they don’t own their first-round pick again until 2031 after this.
Hiring the right GM could help bring in more draft capital by bringing in bad contracts or flipping veterans into picks.
Dumont was able to convince Rick Welts, a Hall of Famer, to come out of retirement to be the CEO and lead the charge for a new arena. Maybe Dumont pulls another rabbit out of his hat for the GM.
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For a moment, it looked like FC Dallas was on its way to another statement win at home tonight.
Petar Musa scored two first half goals, to extend his Golden Boot leading tally to nine goals. But after Dallas grabbed control, the Galaxy found a way back before halftime with goals from Lucas Sanabria and Joseph Paintsil.
The second half brought more chances and more frustration for Dallas, which finished the night with 13 shots to LA’s nine. In the end, the point stretched Dallas’ unbeaten run to five games, though just like last week, it felt like another match where Dallas left points on the table.
Key Moments
7’ – GOAL! After a poor pass back by a LA defender, Petar Musa was free to go one-on-one with the LA goalkeeper. After a touch to get ahead of a defender, Musa slotted home his eighth goal of the season from outside the penalty box.
21’ – Offside! Joaquin Valiente sent a floating ball over the Galaxy defense, where Musa was able to get behind the defense and make an easy play for what appeared to be his second goal of the night. The play was called offside despite a fairly lengthy review period.
38’ – GOAL! This one counts! Musa gets his second of the night off a great ball from Chris Cappis. Logan Farrington picked off the ball in the midfield. He then played Cappis wide to the left of the penalty area. Cappis immediately played a ball back across the goal for Musa to slide in and finish for his ninth of the season.
43’ – Goal LA. Lucas Sanabria got the ball near the top of the penalty area. He took a couple of touches to get outside the penalty box before firing a shot that beat Michael Collodi at the near post.
45+4’ – Goal LA. Gabriel Pec got the ball near the top of the penalty area. He pulled the ball back a bit, which caught a pair of Dallas defenders. This allowed Joseph Painstil to get free behind the Dallas defense as Pec played him through inside the penalty area. Pec immediately smashed home a shot above Collodi to tie the game.
75’ – Another offside goal. This time on a corner kick for Dallas, after a scrum in the penalty box, Kaick hammered home what looked to be the go-ahead goal. But after a few seconds the flag was raised due to a deflection on Osaze Urhoghide, who was in an offside position.
Instant Reaction
Yeah, this is another disappointing result for this team. In a real way, it felt like the first half against Houston from last month. Dallas grabbed the lead, looked in control, but some defensive miscues opened the game up for the visitors to climb back.
With a double-game week coming up, this will certainly be another game where Dallas will wonder ‘what if’ more than anything else…especially when you factor in the two goals called off for offside.
About the Subs
Eric Quill went to his bench for the first time in the 66th minute, as he brought on Santiago Moreno for Logan Farrington. Quill went to his bench again 81st minute with Ran Binyamin and Nolan Norris coming on for Sebastien Ibeagha and Deedson. The final sub came during stoppage time with Herman Johansson and Joaquin Valiente coming off for Sam Sarver and rookie Nick Simmonds, who made his MLS debut.
Man of the Match
No question about it tonight, it has to be Musa.
Where does this fit into the season
As of this writing, the draw puts Dallas into a three-way tie for 5th place with Real Salt Lake and Seattle. Both are in action right now and look firmly in control of their games. I’d expect Dallas to be in 7th place by the end of the night.
What’s next for FC Dallas
Dallas wraps up a three-game homestand next Wednesday night as they host Minnesota United.
Dallas, TX
Akheem Mesidor selected by Cowboys by Blogging The Boys in SB Nation’s community mock draft
Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami
Pass rush has been an issue since the Micah Parsons trade. The Rashan Gary trade helped, but Dallas still needs an injection of talent. Akheem Mesidor fits here because his body size allows for some versatility inside and out, something DC Christian Parker utilizes. Mesidor is also a high-motor player with a deep bag of pass rush moves.
His last season at Miami was full of disruption in the offensive backfield and he shows an all-around game, not just a bend-around-the-edge pass rusher. Yes, he’s a little older than you’d like in a rookie (25), but his motor, pass rush toolbox, and ability to play the run matches up with a need and makes him a quality pick at number 20.
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