Career Institute Could Replace Elementary School in Northwest Dallas

Changes could be on the way for a Dallas elementary school.

According to officials with the Dallas Independent School District, Tom Field Elementary School in northwest Dallas could become a new career institute for high school students.

Brian Lusk, chief of strategic initiatives at Dallas ISD, said the transformation would happen in various phases.

First, trustees would have to approve closing Tom Field Elementary School at a meeting scheduled for Jan. 24.

"The need to re-draw attendance boundaries due to the enrollment lends itself well to the opportunity for the possible career institute," Lusk said.

Around 229 students are currently enrolled in the school, but the building could hold nearly double that amount.

Lusk said if trustees voted to close the school, the district would then move forward with a plan to consider putting a career institute in its place.

'The career institute will focus on two particular areas of logistics and aerospace," he said.

The school would serve high school students around northwest Dallas.

Students would still attend their normal high school, while also taking unique courses at the career institute.

Lusk said DISD has already had businesses reach out to partner with it on the institute, but he wouldn't name any of the businesses Monday.

If the career institute is successful, Lusk said DISD would ultimately like to add more of them to cater to students outside of northwest Dallas.

"Essentially, we would have four quadrants of the city that would have career institutes that would provide access to all of our students," he said.

If the plan is approved, students at Tom Field Elementary School would attend Jose "Joe" May and Julian T. Saldivar elementary schools.

Lusk said DISD is planning to have community meetings to hear from the public.