Dallas ISD Board of Trustees Dan Micciche, District 3

New heights, new beginnings 

A new school year is an opportunity to celebrate how far we have come while setting our sights on what comes next. In District 3, we are beginning the 2026–2027 school year with much to celebrate, and even more to build upon.

Recent state accountability results show Dallas ISD continuing to make significant academic progress. The district earned an 85, or B rating, an increase of nine points since 2023. Nearly 70 percent of Dallas ISD schools earned an A or B while nearly 94 percent earned an A, B or C.

Here in District 3, I am especially proud of the progress at W.H. Gaston Middle School. Gaston rose six points to an 87, putting the campus just three points away from an A rating. That kind of growth does not happen overnight. It represents students challenging themselves, educators maintaining high expectations, families supporting learning at home and an entire school community believing in what is possible.

The legacy continues in another meaningful way at Victor H. Hexter Elementary School, where students began the school year in a newly renovated campus. The $30 million investment, made possible through the 2020 Bond Program, provides students and educators with an updated learning environment designed to support their growth and success.

For a school with 70 years of history in its community, the new Hexter represents a powerful connection between past and future. Generations of families have helped shape the school we know today, and now a new generation of students gets to write its chapter in a campus built for what comes next.

That is what “the legacy continues” means to me.

It means honoring the foundation built by those who came before us while continuing to move forward. It means celebrating an 87 at Gaston while continuing the work toward an A. It means preserving the history and community of Hexter while giving its students a modern space where they can learn, discover and dream.

As we begin this new school year, I am excited about what lies ahead for District 3. To our students, educators, families and staff: thank you for continuing to raise expectations, embrace new opportunities and build on the proud tradition of our schools.

The legacy continues. And together, we are shaping what comes next.