About GISD
With an enrollment of over 57,000 students, the Garland Independent School District is the second largest district in Dallas County and one of the largest districts in the state of Texas. The community maintains a “small town” feeling, yet our teachers have access to the increased resources that large districts offer.
Every school in the district provides the same high level of instruction. However, that doesn’t mean that you will find “clone” schools in Garland ISD. Schools, like students, are unique with personalities that reflect the attitudes of the staff, students, and parents.
Site-based decision making is a major component of campus management. Each school has a Campus Improvement Team comprised of teachers, parents, administrators and community representatives. Together, they develop unique plans for the school to continue to build student achievement and to improve the school environment for everyone.
Often, successful strategies that were implemented by a CIT and piloted on a single campus have become common practice at campuses throughout the district in subsequent years. Some notable examples include high school block scheduling and standardized dress codes.
Magnet Programming
Within the list of campuses, GISD has a variety of magnet programs. Elementary level magnets include a mix of students who live nearby and students from all three cities who qualified for the magnet programs. At the secondary level, the magnet programs are usually “school within a school” programs, offering a mix of regular curriculum and specialized magnet courses.
Elementary and middle school magnet programs include gifted and talented, math, science & technology, and classical curriculum. High school magnets expand upon these offerings to include television production and broadcasting, law and criminal justice, and concurrent college enrollment.
“Freedom of Choice” Enrollment
Only a handful of districts nationwide offer open enrollment options for students. However, none have a “choice” plan as far-reaching as Garland ISD. While other districts use attendance zones to determine who goes where, in GISD, parents are able to choose the campus they wish to have their child attend. The “Choice of School” period takes place each year in January for the following school year. Each year, between 97% and 98% of our students receive their first choice school!
Diversity
The community is both ethnically and economically diverse. We currently have well over 60 different native languages spoken by students in our district. All of our campuses reflect minority/majority ratios of the district as a whole.
District Growth
Garland ISD has grown at a steady rate over the years. On the average, each fall sees enrollment figures increase by about 1000 students. To illustrate the effect of this growth, the average elementary school has a capacity of approximately 800 students. Demographers predict that the district growth will top out at around 75,000 students. District staff closely monitors the population growth patterns to ensure construction of new facilities on a timely basis.
Facilities
A point of pride is our school maintenance program. While we are always building new schools, we do not ignore the ones already existing. All campuses are on a regular schedule of large-scale maintenance, ensuring that inside, even the oldest schools are kept in condition comparable to that of the newest ones. In addition, older schools regularly undergo major remodeling to accommodate the changing needs of the educational environment.
District Facilities:
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Early Childhood - 2 Prekindergarten Schools
- Elementary
- 47 Elementary Schools
- Secondary
- 13 Middle Schools
7 High Schools - Other School Facilities
- 1 Cooperative Behavior Center
1 Evening High School
1 Alternative Education Center
1 Agriculture Farm
2 Athletic Stadiums
1 Special Events Center
7 Administrative / Support Service Facilities