Carter in the classroom

Dallas Hybrid School Shows Solid Scores in Twice A Week In-Person Learning

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It's the newest alternate way to learn in Dallas ISD. Part virtual learning, part in-person. The school aims to prepare kids for college and beyond with more creative, one-on-one learning.

Fourth Grader Richard  Mathis will quickly tell you he wasn't a big fan of his school last year.

"It was a lot, a real big school," said Mathis. "It was just paperwork all day."

Richard jumped at the chance to visit a school where he only had to sit at a desk two days a week.

Dallas Hybrid Prep has students work from home part of the week and in the building the other half.

Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa and his team came up with this idea long before the pandemic believing some students work better without the structure that being in the building requires. 

The district got it up and running in January, even after educator after educator said virtual doesn't work.

"We are proving this is not true, they are completing their work, they are doing well, we are beating the district," said Natalia Rodriguez, teacher.

Scores here are not just higher than other schools in the district but even against some of the specialized schools with advanced learners.

Principal Olga Romero said the school is still in a pilot phase of seeing what works and doesn't and how to possibly roll some of this out to more students. She believes it's the future.

"85% or more take at least one class that is virtual and one class that is a hybrid model. For our kids to be exposed to this model, we're getting them ready for college," said Romero.

The school is for fourth, fifth, and sixth graders now with those oldest students learning via Stimuli, an online virtual world designed by a Plano native just for this school.

Everything is thought of to make the learning fun and effective.

Well everything except keeping Richard Mathis' little sister out of his room when he's learning from home.

"She comes in my room and is loud," he said.  

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