A Commentary on Dallas Schools

It is important when considering a move to a new citybudget. For the 2007-2008 school-year, Dallas Schools
or state to know as much about the schools aswill be operating with $14.7 million dollars less than they
possible. Facts are important, but so are the opinions ofdid the previous year. The district has had to make
people in the know - residents, new co-workers,cuts in many areas in order to increase teacher pay
researchers, websites and journalists are a few of theand per student spending, indeed the most important
resources that one might consult in order to gain aparts of any school system budget. While money
clear perspective of the big picture.doesn't solve everything, it certainly does help!
Awards in Dallas SchoolsArts Education in the Dallas Schools
Dallas Schools have won numerous awards for theirA new Dallas Schools Arts Coalition was recently
excellent education. IBM has recognized several Dallasannounced in February 2007. The Wallace Foundation
Schools as "exemplary" or "recognized". Thisis donating $8 million dollars to help finance the
recognition is vital to Dallas Public Schools. It shows thecoalition's goals to hire more art and music teachers
general public that the schools are doing the right thingfor Dallas Schools, and to ensure that all Dallas
for their students. It affirms to the teachers andSchools students have 45 minutes of arts education
administrators that all their hard work has paid off. Forby 2009. Not only does education in the arts - be it
the students, it is proof positive that they have gottenmusic, art, dance, or drama - give students an outlet
the job done.for their emotions and a way to express themselves,
Lower Budget in the Dallas Schoolstaking part in any art actually helps improve their
Even though Dallas Schools are great institutions oflearning in other, more traditional classes.
learning, they are doing so on a substantially lower