Dallas ISD: No issues found at nine schools built by Ratcliff Constructors

DALLAS - Dallas ISD has now re-inspected all nine schools in the district built by Ratcliff Constructors following a FOX 4 Investigation into school construction.

At an April 28 school board meeting, the district told trustees all nine campuses were up to standards.

The school board voted that same day to approve a new contract with Ratcliff Constructors to build an addition at Casa View Elementary School.

Ratcliff Constructors first came under scrutiny after an EF-3 tornado hit Shields Elementary School in Red Oak ISD the day after Christmas last year. A wall toppled over in the storm.

According to a January report from Red Oak ISD, an independent engineer found none of Shields Elementary's exterior walls had been properly fastened. Ratcliff has since agreed to pay for repairs at that school.

A FOX 4 Investigation identified 65 schools in North Texas built or renovated by Ratcliff Constructors, including nine schools built from the ground up for Dallas ISD.

Dallas ISD initially told FOX 4 it would be too difficult to re-inspect those schools.

After our investigation, school board trustees pushed the district for inspections.

Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD is in the process of re-inspecting its nine schools built or renovated by Ratcliff.

So far, engineers there have found a problem with the way one wall was secured at Prairie Vista Middle School. That wall has since been repaired. You can read EMS ISD’s full update here.