Lancaster Independent School District is a public school district based in Lancaster, Texas (US). The district serves most of the city of Lancaster, a small portion of Dallas, and a small portion of the city of Hutchins.
In 2010, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.
Schools
High School (Grades 10-12) Lancaster High School
Middle School (Grades 6-8) Elsie Robertson Lancaster Middle School STEM Engagement Center George Washington Carver 6th Grade Center
Elementary Schools (Grades PK-5) Belt Line Elementary School (opened fall 2006; formerly Lancaster Intermediate) Houston Elementary School Lancaster Elementary School (opened fall 2006; formerly Lancaster Junior High) Pleasant Run Elementary School Rolling Hills Elementary School Rosa Parks/Millbrook Elementary School West Main Elementary School
Leadership
The district is led by a superintendent as well as a seven-member board of trustees. The superintendent is appointed by the board of trustees as its chief executive officer. The current superintendent is Dr. A. Katrise Lee-Perera.
Members of the board of trustees are elected from seven single-member districts to serve staggered three-year terms. The board's main responsibilities include funding the maintenance and operation of district schools, approving district personnel, submitting bond issues to voters for the construction of school facilities, and general management of the district. School board elections take place in May.
LISD Board of Trustees (current term) District 1 – Marion Hamilton (2009–2012) District 2 – Cynthia Corbin-Jarvis (2009–2012) District 3 – Jeff Melcher (2010–2013) District 4 – Irene Mejia (2008–2011) District 5 – Joe Kana (2008–2011) District 6 – Marjorie King (2007–2010) District 7 – Ellen Clark (2009–2011)
District history
Early years
The history of education in Lancaster dates back to 1846. That year, the first school – housed in a one-room log cabin – opened in the area. A tuition of ten cents per student per day was the initial teacher pay. In 1857, the first frame school house was built near the present-day intersection of Jefferson and Third Streets. It was private and tuition based. A school tax was instituted in 1869.
Creation of LISD
In 1902, citizens petitioned for a bond and tax election to be held for the purpose of constructing a public school building. The Lancaster Independent School District was established in 1905. The William L. White School opened that same year, serving students in grades 1-12. A new high school located on Centre Avenue (site of the current administration building) opened in 1923. Lancaster High School was accepted to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1929, becoming the first such in Dallas County to receive this designation.
Growth and change
Lancaster's population began to rise significantly during the 1950s. Three schools were built during this period to accommodate the growing number of students. The first, Lancaster Elementary (present-day West Main Elementary) opened in 1951. Pleasant Run Elementary and Rocky Crest Elementary, a campus for African-Americans, both opened in 1955. In 1965, Lancaster High School moved to another location – 822 West Pleasant Run Road. This was followed two years later by the opening of Houston Elementary. Houston became the first school in Lancaster to have a Kindergarten program.
In 1970, Lancaster Middle School was built at 1005 Westridge Avenue to house the district's 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. The name of Lancaster High School was officially changed to Lancaster Elsie Robertson High School in 1980 to honor Elsie Robertson, a teacher who had served Lancaster students for 47 years. Lancaster Intermediate School (currently Belt Line Elementary) opened in 1984 to serve 5th and 6th graders. Three additional campuses opened in the late 1980s – Millbrook (now Rosa Parks/Millbrook) Elementary in 1986, Rolling Hills Elementary in 1989, and Lancaster Junior High in 1989.