DeSoto Leadership in Meetings about Future of School District

From Staff Reports

Officials from Texas Education Agency (TEA) are meeting with DeSoto officials and legislators today, according to Texas Metro News sources. 

State Reps. Yvonne Davis and Carl Sherman, DeSoto Mayor Rachel Proctor, DeSoto ISD Interim Superintendent Larry Lewis, DeSoto City Manager Brandon Wright and DeSoto ISD Board of Trustees President and VP DeAndrea Fleming and Dr. Tiffany Clark were among those reportedly in the closed meeting at DeSoto City Hall.

DeSoto has made headlines recently for a number of positive reasons; most recently with basketball championships.  Those victories  have become overshadowed by school fights, various assaults and improper behavior from students and staffers/educators. 

One parent has gone viral since she started using social media to share information about conditions in the District as witnessed by her daughter.

 It has now come to the attention of Texas Metro News that there appears to be a violation of procedures in reporting truancy within the district.

This is a serious issue involving money coming into the District, said one source, noting that students have missed as many as several months in the past year alone.

The District, which has come under fire previously, was informed in 2020 that the TEA Board had decided to appoint a conservator to assist in the reorganization of staff and resources, reduce the budget and spending, guide the District’s preparations to rebuild a fund balance and provide guidance and support to an administrative body and the Board of Trustees in the efforts.

That conservator was AJ Crabill, former Deputy Commissioner for Governance for TEA. 

In late 2021 Dr. Lewis was appointed Interim Superintendent after then Superintendent D’Andre Weaver tendered his resignation.  A long-time educator, Lewis had previously served in Lancaster ISD.

* This is a developing story.