Richardson ISD students will head back to school tomorrow, Aug. 13, for the district’s first day of the 2024-25 school year.
At a Aug. 8 Board of Trustees meeting, RISD Superintendent Tabitha Branum said the district is looking forward to seeing its students back.
“The District is ready for August 13,” Branum said. “Thank you to the Board for all of the things you did and all of the things you put in place for us to be ready. It’s going to be a great year.”
At the board meeting, Branum said the district is reporting an enrollment of 36,224 students ahead of the 2024-25 school year. The Board also formally approved the names for its two recently completed middle schools, which will welcome sixth graders for the first time tomorrow. Forest Meadow and Lake Highlands will remain the schools’ names, with the addition of “Middle School” being the only change.
Forest Meadow Middle school will operate out of its usual building, with significant additions and renovations having been completed over the summer. The rebuilt Lake Highlands Middle School building will also open its doors for the first time tomorrow, with construction wrapping up over the summer as the old building was demolished. The projects, funded through a 2021 bond, have cost well over $150 million.
The move to a middle school model was board approved in 2021 after months of research and studies. According to the district, the move will align the district with over 95% of statewide districts operating on the model, and offer academic benefits and improve student wellness while easing capacity concerns. The district is expected to soon begin the process of transitioning its remaining junior highs, with a proposal for the remaining transitions expected to be on the next bond, according to the district.
The 2024-25 school year will also be the first time the district requires ID badges to be worn at an elementary level, which will be distributed during the first weeks. The measure is part of an initiative to enhance safety. The badges will be used to get on district buses, check out library books and purchase lunch.
