Students in Dallas, Fort Worth ISDs head back to school

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DALLAS - Students in the two largest districts in North Texas will head back to school.

The Dallas and Fort Worth ISDs are among the nearly two dozen districts starting the new school year Monday.

MORE: Back-to-School News

Some other larger districts include Richardson, Irving, Cedar Hill, and Rockwall ISDs.

Dallas ISD

The new year starts as the Dallas Independent School District scrambles to comply with the state’s new security laws.

Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde said this school year looks better than years past for getting teachers in the classroom.

Dallas ISD still has more than 100 openings. But that doesn’t sound bad considering there are over 10,000 positions in the district.

Dallas, Fort Worth ISD students kick off the new year

More North Texas students are back in school. The bells rang Monday morning at 23 more school districts in our area including Dallas ISD and Fort Worth ISD. The superintendents of those large districts say school security is top of mind this year because of a new state law.

The real problem is complying with House Bill 3, Elizalde explained.

The new law requires Texas school dsitricts to have at least one armed security guard at every school campus by Sept. 1.

Dallas ISD still needs more than 160 officers to make good on that.

It is working with the Texas Education Agency to find alternative options like hiring licensed peace officers as well as armed security guards.

"We already have licensed peace officers at our secondary schools. So, this is a new unfunded mandate because it doesn’t cover the cost. But we’re going to take it on as we want all our locations to be as safe as possible," the superintendent said.

Elizalde said public schools aren’t receiving the necessary funding to cover costs for those security guards.

She feels that the governor’s school voucher program hurts districts like Dallas ISD because they already can’t pay their staff what they deserve, let alone compete with private schools.

Fort Worth ISD

It's the first day of school for FWISD students

Thousands of kids across North Texas are heading back to school on Monday. FOX 4's Dan Godwin reports live from T.A. Sims Elementary School in Fort Worth where students are just arriving.

Fort Worth is also working to comply with the state’s new security mandate.

In a statement, Fort Worth ISD said it is working with the Fort Worth Police Department and the Benbrook Police Department to make sure it has the necessary personnel in place.

But the district also said the TEA has indicated it may grant extensions beyond Sept. 1 for districts to fully comply with the new law.

Another change for the district this year is that all campuses will offer free breakfast and lunch to all students with no application necessary.

Plus, school supplies will be free to all elementary school students.

Fort Worth ISD is also trying to get the word out that the district’s pre-K program is free and there is room for every student.

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School Districts Starting on Aug. 14

Bryson ISD
Cedar Hill ISD
Dallas ISD
DeSoto ISD
Eagle Mountain Saginaw ISD
Everman ISD
Fort Worth ISD
Gorman ISD
Greenville ISD
Irving ISD
Kemp ISD
La Poynor ISD
Lake Worth ISD
Lancaster ISD
Murchison ISD
Paris ISD
Penelope ISD
Richardson ISD
Rockwall ISD
Sherman ISD
Sidney ISD
Tom Bean ISD
Trinidad ISD