Notice of Deadline to File Applications for Place on the Ballot

We have some exciting news! Earlier this week, the Grand Prairie Independent School District was notified that philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated $16 million dollars to the District.

“I believe the work we’re doing in Grand Prairie ISD is aligned with Ms. Scott’s philosophy of giving,” said GPISD Superintendent of School Linda Ellis. “While this isn’t something we applied for or sought out, we are truly grateful – and humbled - on behalf of our students and staff.”

Ms. Scott makes no specific demands for the use of the one-time, unrestricted donation; however, the District ensures that the money will be aimed at supporting student success.

“Our thanks also goes to our Board of Trustees,” Ms. Ellis added. “They continue to give our teachers the resources to be innovative to serve the unique needs of our students in a variety of ways. This donation will help us work toward our goal of growing quality teachers and providing the best education for all students in GPISD.”

Since October, several districts and other educational groups across the country have been among the first to receive such a donation - including GPISD, the first school district in Texas to become a beneficiary of Ms. Scott’s philanthropy.

To read the article in today’s Dallas Morning News, click here.

The Grand Prairie Independent School District received a Superior rating for 2021-2022 under Texas’ School FIRST financial accountability rating system. This rating system measures the quality of a school district’s financial management and reporting system.

“We are extremely proud to report this rating to our community,” said Superintendent of Schools Linda Ellis. “It demonstrates our commitment to fiscal responsibility and stability.”

The 2021-2022 School FIRST rating is based on financial data for the fiscal period that ended August 31, 2021.

The Grand Prairie Independent School District is proud to announce that Grand Prairie Collegiate Institute (GPCI) has been officially named a 2022 National Blue Ribbon School. Grand Prairie Collegiate Institute is one of only 31 schools in Texas, and one of 297 schools across the country, to be recognized today by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona as a Blue Ribbon School based on overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

“We are extremely proud of the students and staff of Grand Prairie Collegiate Institute,” said Linda Ellis, GPISD Superintendent of Schools. “This designation is the result of their commitment to educational excellence.”

The National Blue Ribbon School award affirms and validates the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in striving for – and attaining – exemplary achievement.

At a called meeting on August 25, 2022, the GPISD Board of Trustees voted to adopt the budget and set the tax rate for 2022-2023 at $1.3070 per $100 of valuation. This is a decrease of almost 7 cents from last year ($0.693).

The overall tax rate is made up of two parts:

• $0.9429 for the purpose of maintenance and operations
• $0.3641 for the purpose of payment of principal and interest on debts

Including this year’s tax rate decrease, the GPISD Board of Trustees has lowered the tax rate almost twenty-nine cents ($0.2888) over a four-year period.

For more information, please visit the District’s Financial Transparency page.

GPISD Maintains a “B” Rating for the 2021-2022 School Year

Grand Prairie ISD maintained its “B” rating for the 2021-2022 school year, according to the Texas Education Agency accountability rating system. Though the rating remains the same as the rating that was last given to the district in 2019, the district did see more schools with A or B ratings.

“I am extremely proud of our students and staff and the way they have persevered through the pandemic,” said Superintendent Linda Ellis. “This rating shows we are in recovery, headed in the right direction.”

District data shared at the July Board meeting, showed that the District is rebounding in every area. In some cases, the gap between pre- and post-pandemic scores are closing. While there were many highlights, one student group is outperforming the State and our comparable districts. Our emerging bilingual students continued to develop academically while learning English as a second language as well as navigating the pandemic.

“This rating shows that even though we have work to be done, we are rebounding,” said Chief Data and Information Systems Officer Dr. Melissa Steger.  “We are seeing positive signs on our journey to academic success despite the impact of the pandemic.”

Out of 34 schools eligible for distinctions, 16 received a total of 52 distinctions:

For more information about the rating, parents can visit TXSchools.gov for detailed information on GPISD’s district and campus ratings.

On December 16, 2021, the Board of Trustees approved the 2022-2023 school year calendar.

Using input from the District’s Education Improvement Council (EIC), Teacher Advisory Committee, and Leadership Team, a calendar survey was sent to staff, parents, and the community. A final draft calendar was presented to the Board for action at last night’s Board meeting. Trustees unanimously approved the proposed calendar.

Visit this page to view the approved 2022-2023 school year calendar.

Visit this page to see what GPISD is doing to support our students' social-emotional needs.