The district is considering the 2013-2014 Student Academic Calendar. The school year would begin on Monday, August 26, 2013 and conclude on Thursday, June 5, 2014, with a second snow make up day on June 6, 2014, if needed.

Please click here to view the draft of RISD's 2013-2014 Student Academic Calendar.

Parents, staff and other stakeholders are encouraged to share feedback about the calendar draft, and may do so my emailing risd@risd.org or calling 469-593-0301. The final version of the 2013-14 calendar is likely to be considered for formal Board adoption in early 2013.>Top

The district is participating in a national survey related to the use of technology in education, and is asking stakeholders to consider taking a moment to complete an online survey.

The survey is conducted by Speak Up, and will help RISD understand more about student, parent and employee attitudes related to technology.

Participation is anonymous and easy:

1. Follow the link below.
2. Select the survey for student, parent or educator.
3. Select your state and find your school or district.
4. If prompted, enter the password 'risd'.

The survey should take approximately 10 minutes - RISD appreciates your time and feedback! >Top

Thirty-nine RISD campuses will hold classes on November 6 while also serving as polling places for community members to vote.

RISD safety & security personnel work with each campus and Dallas County Elections to develop a plan for Election Day to accommodate voters, minimize the impact on school operations, and keep all students, staff and visitors as safe as possible.

Parents and guardians, please be aware there may be variations to pick up or drop off locations on this day, as well as changes to traffic patterns and parking availability. Your school will notify you if there is a significant change to morning or afternoon routines.

In general, the district requests that parents or potential visitors who do not have urgent business at a school on November 6 delay any visits to minimize the amount of traffic, parking and number of visitors on each campus that day.

RISD schools are proud to be able to serve as the polling location in many neighborhoods on this important day, and appreciate the cooperation and understanding of visitors, staff and students as we work to make the day safe and successful. >Top

Richardson ISD representatives attended an event that explained how to help students increase their chances of successfully attending college. The event, which was sponsored by Lumina Foundation, Kresge Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation brought together representatives of 87 school districts from across the nation and focused on kicking off the US Department of Education FAFSA Completion Pilot Project.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form that provides access to all types of federal financial aid, including Pell Grants and federal student loans. The FAFSA also acts as an application for state and institutional aid in many cases. Research shows that 90% of students who complete the FAFSA will enroll in postsecondary education within 12 months of high school graduation. The FAFSA Completion Pilot Project will enable participating districts to track student completion of the form, and target efforts to ensure that many more students take that step.

"Other districts that successfully implemented the FAFSA Completion Pilot Project have seen a significant increase in the number of students enrolling in postsecondary education," explains Mel Fuller, Executive Director of Secondary College and Career Readiness. "The districts have worked with their cities and communities to give students the financial ability to follow their dreams. We are excited about the possibilities that the program offers our students and our community." >Top

Richardson ISD, working in conjunction with Education Service Center 18 (ESC 18), has been awarded a Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) grant by the U.S. Department of Education to improve student achievement. The five-year grant, known as the Texas TIF Project, will provide $40.7 million among the partner districts to improve student achievement by increasing teacher and principal effectiveness. The following RISD schools are slated to begin participating in this project during the 2013-14 school year: Audelia Creek Elementary, Thurgood Marshall Elementary, Wallace Elementary, Forest Meadow Junior High and Liberty Junior High.

During 2012-13, the Texas TIF Project will operate a planning year to work with stakeholder groups of teachers, principals, and district personnel. Stakeholder input will be used to develop a Human Capital Management System (HCMS) that will meet the needs of the district. The HCMS will include a new teacher and principal evaluation system, an integrated data management system to assess student growth, professional development opportunities, and a performance pay system for educators.

The Texas TIF Project is operating in partnership with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) and is aligned with efforts to revise Texas' current teacher evaluation system, known as the Professional Development Appraisal System (PDAS). TEA is piloting two evaluation systems during the 2012-13 school year – The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching's (NIET) Best Practices Center and Charlotte Danielson's Framework for Teaching. >Top