Plano Independent School District
Encyclopedia
Plano Independent School District (PISD or Plano ISD) is a public school district
in southeastern Collin County
, Texas
, with its headquarters in Plano
. Plano ISD serves about 100 square mile of land, with 66 square mile of it within the City of Plano. The district also takes students from northern portions of Dallas
and Richardson
, and portions of Allen
, Carrollton
, Garland
, Lucas
, Murphy
, Parker
, and Wylie
.
Led by Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Douglas Otto
, PISD serves 53,000 students and employs 6,500 faculty members spread across 65 schools and 3 special and early education centers. The district is known for its high academic standards. PISD has an operating budget of 479 million U.S. dollars. This size of the budget is due to the high property values in the city of Plano, though a large amount of the budget is redistributed to less affluent districts.
In 2010, the school district was rated "recognized
" by the Texas Education Agency
.
Around 2011 increasing numbers of parents within the Plano ISD district sent their children to private schools, because the student populations at Plano ISD schools were growing larger, because of reduced state funding, and because of demographic shifts in the district. Around that period, every year 500 students left Plano ISD to go to private schools. By September 2011, in the 2011-2012 school year, 400 students left PISD to go to private school. Private schools in the Plano area saw increased populations. Jessica Meyers of The Dallas Morning News
said that the "trickle" of White students leaving the Plano ISD district was not anywhere near as large as the "exodus" that left the Dallas Independent School District
after a desegregation ruling in the 1970s.
Directors of admissions of area private schools said that parents were concerned with the entire school experience at Plano ISD, and not just the academic rankings and test scores. David Chard, the dean of the School of Education and Human Development of Southern Methodist University
, said that the perceived difficulties of teaching English as a foreign language students who originate from other cultures is one of the "red flags" for parents within the Plano ISD. Chard added that the "the reality of Plano is changing pretty dramatically." Chard also cited the ease of accessing school performance data and the larger range of alternatives to district public schools, including increasing numbers of charter and private schools.
. 9% of the students were low income.
In 2011, 55,000 students attended Plano ISD schools, making up 62% of school aged children within the Plano ISD boundary. As of the same year, white students made up 49% of the population in the district's schools. Asian students made up over over 20 percent of the Plano ISD school population. 24% of the Plano ISD students are low income.
in PISD, following the typical U.S. structure, consists of 44 elementary school
s that serve the kindergarten through fifth grades. However, PISD's system of secondary education
consists of 12 middle school
s that serve the sixth through eighth grades, 5 'high schools' that serve the ninth and tenth grades, and 3 'senior high schools' that serve the eleventh and twelfth grades. The 'high school' and 'senior high school' system is a departure from the standard U.S. high school
that serves the ninth through twelfth grades.
PISD students attend schools based primarily on the geographic location of their homes. Schools of a lower level feed into specific schools at the next highest level. The one exception to the feeder system is for students wishing to participate in the International Baccalaureate program, which is only offered at Clark High School, Williams High School, and Plano East Senior High School. Parents of students may also request transfers out of their students' assigned schools for various reasons (such as to take classes unique to a particular school).
This system leads to very large graduating classes and overall student populations. At Plano Senior High School
, Plano East Senior High School
, and Plano West Senior High School
, the current student populations are listed as 2,567, 2,795, and 1,855 students, respectively. Each year's graduating class is approximately half of each number. Previous years' Graduation Commencement Ceremonies have taken place at Reunion Arena
and the Dallas Convention Center
.
All three of PISD's senior high schools were recently listed in the top 500 of Newsweek
's list of 1000 top high schools in America which ranked schools using the ratio of Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests taken by all students in 2004 to the number of graduating seniors. In 2011, Plano West Senior High School
was ranked 98 on Newsweek's "America's Best High Schools, and Plano East Senior High School
was ranked 461. The 2011 list was more comprehensive in ranking criteria, taking into account other factors such as mean SAT
score and percent of college bound students. Plano ISD schools reportedly administer more Advanced Placement tests than any other school district west of the Mississippi River
.
, as part of his "War on Christmas" segment, news commentator, Bill O'Reilly
falsely claimed that the district had banned students from wearing red
and green
clothing "because they were Christmas
colors." An attorney from the school district requested a retraction. O'Reilly later retracted his allegation on 20 December. O'Reilly had mistakenly included clothing among the items banned by PISD, while the ongoing lawsuit against the district only alleges the banning of the distribution of written religious materials.
That lawsuit was originally filed against PISD on Dec 15, 2004 (Jonathan Morgan, et al., v. the Plano Independent School District, et al.). On Dec 16, 2004, prior to the school "winter parties, Judge Paul Brown of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued a Temporary Restraining Order, requiring PISD to lift these restrictions. The Morgan, et al., v. Plano Independent School District (PISD) case began in 2003, with school officials even banning students from using red and green napkins and paper plates to a school-sponsored "holiday" party.
In another more serious legal dispute, Plano ISD was found to have violated First Amendment
rights of parents during public meetings about the implementation of a controversial new math curriculum, "Connected Math
". During several years of appeals by PISD, the ruling was consistently upheld at all levels, including the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (in July 2003.) The district briefly considered an appeal to the United States Supreme Court, but instead reached a settlement of $400,000. It is important to note that this was a settlement of the judgment, not the ruling of a First Amendment rights violation by the district.
The most recent Federal lawsuit against PISD was filed in March, 2006 by a religious group, Students Witnessing Absolute Truth (SWAT), alleging religious discrimination
. In a Decision of the US District Court granting a preliminary injunction against Plano ISD, the judge said, part, "The issue in this case is not one of sponsorship or the lack thereof, but of the flagrant denial for equal access guaranteed to S.W.A.T…The harm at issue is irreparable because it inhibits the exercise of Plaintiff’s First Amendment freedoms of speech and religion.” On April 26, 2006, Plano ISD offered, and SWAT accepted, an Offer of Settlement, which included the district's promise to change its discriminatory policy.
In the November of 2010, following a complaint by the parents of a student, the Plano ISD textbook board decided to remove the textbook, Culture and Values: A Survey of the Humanities: Alternative Volume by Lawrence S. Cunningham, from its Humanities curriculum because the illustrations of works of art included nudity and various sex acts. After a public outcry, the decision was reversed within days.
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
in southeastern Collin County
Collin County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 491,675 people, 181,970 households, and 132,292 families residing in the county. The population density was 580 people per square mile . There were 194,892 housing units at an average density of 230 per square mile...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, with its headquarters in Plano
Plano, Texas
Plano is a city in the state of Texas, located mostly within Collin County. The city's population was 259,841 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Texas and the 71st most populous city in the United States. Plano is located within the metropolitan area commonly referred to as...
. Plano ISD serves about 100 square mile of land, with 66 square mile of it within the City of Plano. The district also takes students from northern portions of Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
and Richardson
Richardson, Texas
Richardson is a city in Dallas and Collin Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 99,223. In 2011 the population was estimated to be 107,684. Richardson is an affluent inner suburb of Dallas and home of the Telecom Corridor with a high...
, and portions of Allen
Allen, Texas
Allen is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States, a northern suburb of Dallas. As of the 2010 census the city had a total population of 84,246.-Geography:According to the City of Allen, the city has a total area of...
, Carrollton
Carrollton, Texas
-Climate:*On average, the warmest month is July.*The highest recorded temperature was 112°F in 1980.*The average coolest month is January.*The lowest recorded temperature was 1°F in 1989.*The most precipitation on average occurs in May....
, Garland
Garland, Texas
-Climate:* The average warmest month is July.* The highest recorded temperature was in 2000.* On average, the coolest month is January.* The lowest recorded temperature was in 1989.* The maximum average precipitation occurs in May....
, Lucas
Lucas, Texas
Block quoteLucas is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,890 at the 2000 census. Recent population statistics show Lucas to have a population above 5,000 people ; however, the current population signs within the city limits state a population of 5015.-Geography:Lucas...
, Murphy
Murphy, Texas
Murphy is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States and a suburb of Dallas, located to the north east of the city. The 2010 census reported Murphy's population as 17,708.-About:...
, Parker
Parker, Texas
Parker is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,379 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Parker is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land...
, and Wylie
Wylie, Texas
Not to be confused with the unincorporated area of Wylie, Texas just outside Abilene, Texas.Wylie is a city in Collin, Dallas, and Rockwall Counties in the U.S. state of Texas, and a suburb of Dallas. At the 2000 Census, the population was 15,132; 2004 estimates pegged it at 25,850...
.
Led by Superintendent of Schools
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
Dr. Douglas Otto
Doug Otto
Dr. Douglas Otto is the current Superintendent of Schools for the Plano Independent School District.Otto completed his Bachelor's degree in business education from Illinois State University. He also received a Master's degree and Doctorate degree in educational administration from the same...
, PISD serves 53,000 students and employs 6,500 faculty members spread across 65 schools and 3 special and early education centers. The district is known for its high academic standards. PISD has an operating budget of 479 million U.S. dollars. This size of the budget is due to the high property values in the city of Plano, though a large amount of the budget is redistributed to less affluent districts.
In 2010, the school district was rated "recognized
Texas Education Agency accountability ratings system
The Texas Education Agency accountability ratings system rates all public schools, charter schools, and school districts in the State of Texas.The criteria are the same for schools and districts, and are discussed below...
" by the Texas Education Agency
Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B...
.
History
In December 2010 disputes about Plano ISD's west side zoning boundaries arose. Parents complained that the district zoned too many students to western Plano schools.Around 2011 increasing numbers of parents within the Plano ISD district sent their children to private schools, because the student populations at Plano ISD schools were growing larger, because of reduced state funding, and because of demographic shifts in the district. Around that period, every year 500 students left Plano ISD to go to private schools. By September 2011, in the 2011-2012 school year, 400 students left PISD to go to private school. Private schools in the Plano area saw increased populations. Jessica Meyers of The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
said that the "trickle" of White students leaving the Plano ISD district was not anywhere near as large as the "exodus" that left the Dallas Independent School District
Dallas Independent School District
The Dallas Independent School District is a school district based in Dallas, Texas . Dallas ISD, which operates schools in much of Dallas County, is the second largest school district in Texas and the twelfth largest in the United States.In 2009, the school district was rated "academically...
after a desegregation ruling in the 1970s.
Directors of admissions of area private schools said that parents were concerned with the entire school experience at Plano ISD, and not just the academic rankings and test scores. David Chard, the dean of the School of Education and Human Development of Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
, said that the perceived difficulties of teaching English as a foreign language students who originate from other cultures is one of the "red flags" for parents within the Plano ISD. Chard added that the "the reality of Plano is changing pretty dramatically." Chard also cited the ease of accessing school performance data and the larger range of alternatives to district public schools, including increasing numbers of charter and private schools.
Demographics
Around 2001 83% of the school aged children within Plano ISD attended Plano ISD schools. 69% of the students were White AmericanWhite American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
. 9% of the students were low income.
In 2011, 55,000 students attended Plano ISD schools, making up 62% of school aged children within the Plano ISD boundary. As of the same year, white students made up 49% of the population in the district's schools. Asian students made up over over 20 percent of the Plano ISD school population. 24% of the Plano ISD students are low income.
Educational Structure
Plano ISD has an educational structure that differs from the typical U.S. educational pattern. Primary educationPrimary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
in PISD, following the typical U.S. structure, consists of 44 elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
s that serve the kindergarten through fifth grades. However, PISD's system of secondary education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
consists of 12 middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
s that serve the sixth through eighth grades, 5 'high schools' that serve the ninth and tenth grades, and 3 'senior high schools' that serve the eleventh and twelfth grades. The 'high school' and 'senior high school' system is a departure from the standard U.S. high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
that serves the ninth through twelfth grades.
PISD students attend schools based primarily on the geographic location of their homes. Schools of a lower level feed into specific schools at the next highest level. The one exception to the feeder system is for students wishing to participate in the International Baccalaureate program, which is only offered at Clark High School, Williams High School, and Plano East Senior High School. Parents of students may also request transfers out of their students' assigned schools for various reasons (such as to take classes unique to a particular school).
This system leads to very large graduating classes and overall student populations. At Plano Senior High School
Plano Senior High School
Plano Senior High School is a public secondary school in Plano, Texas, USA, serving students in grades 11–12. The school is part of the Plano Independent School District, with admission based primarily on the locations of students' homes...
, Plano East Senior High School
Plano East Senior High School
Plano East Senior High School is a secondary school in Plano, Texas serving high school juniors and seniors. It is part of the Plano Independent School District....
, and Plano West Senior High School
Plano West Senior High School
Plano West Senior High School is a public secondary school in Plano, Texas serving high school juniors and seniors. The school is part of the Plano Independent School District, with admission based primarily on the locations of students' homes. Students at Plano West attended one of two high...
, the current student populations are listed as 2,567, 2,795, and 1,855 students, respectively. Each year's graduating class is approximately half of each number. Previous years' Graduation Commencement Ceremonies have taken place at Reunion Arena
Reunion Arena
Reunion Arena was an indoor arena, in the Reunion district of downtown Dallas, Texas . It held 18,293 for basketball and 17,001 for ice hockey.It was demolished in November 2009 and the site was cleared by the end of the year.-History:...
and the Dallas Convention Center
Dallas Convention Center
The Dallas Convention Center, originally the Dallas Memorial Auditorium, is a meeting hall, event/convention center and civic center in the Convention Center District of downtown Dallas, Texas...
.
All three of PISD's senior high schools were recently listed in the top 500 of Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
's list of 1000 top high schools in America which ranked schools using the ratio of Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests taken by all students in 2004 to the number of graduating seniors. In 2011, Plano West Senior High School
Plano West Senior High School
Plano West Senior High School is a public secondary school in Plano, Texas serving high school juniors and seniors. The school is part of the Plano Independent School District, with admission based primarily on the locations of students' homes. Students at Plano West attended one of two high...
was ranked 98 on Newsweek's "America's Best High Schools, and Plano East Senior High School
Plano East Senior High School
Plano East Senior High School is a secondary school in Plano, Texas serving high school juniors and seniors. It is part of the Plano Independent School District....
was ranked 461. The 2011 list was more comprehensive in ranking criteria, taking into account other factors such as mean SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
score and percent of college bound students. Plano ISD schools reportedly administer more Advanced Placement tests than any other school district west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
.
Controversies
On the 9 December 2005, edition of The O'Reilly FactorThe O'Reilly Factor
The O'Reilly Factor, originally titled The O'Reilly Report from 1996 to 1998 and often called The Factor, is an American talk show on the Fox News Channel hosted by commentator Bill O'Reilly, who often discusses current controversial political issues with guests.The program was the most watched...
, as part of his "War on Christmas" segment, news commentator, Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (commentator)
William James "Bill" O'Reilly, Jr. is an American television host, author, syndicated columnist and political commentator. He is the host of the political commentary program The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel, which is the most watched cable news television program on American television...
falsely claimed that the district had banned students from wearing red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
and green
Green
Green is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
clothing "because they were Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
colors." An attorney from the school district requested a retraction. O'Reilly later retracted his allegation on 20 December. O'Reilly had mistakenly included clothing among the items banned by PISD, while the ongoing lawsuit against the district only alleges the banning of the distribution of written religious materials.
That lawsuit was originally filed against PISD on Dec 15, 2004 (Jonathan Morgan, et al., v. the Plano Independent School District, et al.). On Dec 16, 2004, prior to the school "winter parties, Judge Paul Brown of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued a Temporary Restraining Order, requiring PISD to lift these restrictions. The Morgan, et al., v. Plano Independent School District (PISD) case began in 2003, with school officials even banning students from using red and green napkins and paper plates to a school-sponsored "holiday" party.
In another more serious legal dispute, Plano ISD was found to have violated First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
rights of parents during public meetings about the implementation of a controversial new math curriculum, "Connected Math
Connected Mathematics
Connected Mathematics is a comprehensive, problem-centered curriculum designed for all students in grades 6-8 based on the NCTM standards. The curriculum was developed by the at Michigan State University and funded by the National Science Foundation....
". During several years of appeals by PISD, the ruling was consistently upheld at all levels, including the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (in July 2003.) The district briefly considered an appeal to the United States Supreme Court, but instead reached a settlement of $400,000. It is important to note that this was a settlement of the judgment, not the ruling of a First Amendment rights violation by the district.
The most recent Federal lawsuit against PISD was filed in March, 2006 by a religious group, Students Witnessing Absolute Truth (SWAT), alleging religious discrimination
Religious discrimination
Religious discrimination is valuing or treating a person or group differently because of what they do or do not believe.A concept like that of 'religious discrimination' is necessary to take into account ambiguities of the term religious persecution. The infamous cases in which people have been...
. In a Decision of the US District Court granting a preliminary injunction against Plano ISD, the judge said, part, "The issue in this case is not one of sponsorship or the lack thereof, but of the flagrant denial for equal access guaranteed to S.W.A.T…The harm at issue is irreparable because it inhibits the exercise of Plaintiff’s First Amendment freedoms of speech and religion.” On April 26, 2006, Plano ISD offered, and SWAT accepted, an Offer of Settlement, which included the district's promise to change its discriminatory policy.
In the November of 2010, following a complaint by the parents of a student, the Plano ISD textbook board decided to remove the textbook, Culture and Values: A Survey of the Humanities: Alternative Volume by Lawrence S. Cunningham, from its Humanities curriculum because the illustrations of works of art included nudity and various sex acts. After a public outcry, the decision was reversed within days.
List of schools
Each household in Plano ISD is zoned to an elementary school, a middle school, a high school, and a senior high school. High schools serve grades 9-10 while senior high schools serve grades 11-12; however, any 9th or 10th grader is eligible to participate in extracurricular sports at the senior high level.Secondary schools
Senior high schools
- Plano West Senior High SchoolPlano West Senior High SchoolPlano West Senior High School is a public secondary school in Plano, Texas serving high school juniors and seniors. The school is part of the Plano Independent School District, with admission based primarily on the locations of students' homes. Students at Plano West attended one of two high...
- Plano Senior High SchoolPlano Senior High SchoolPlano Senior High School is a public secondary school in Plano, Texas, USA, serving students in grades 11–12. The school is part of the Plano Independent School District, with admission based primarily on the locations of students' homes...
- Plano East Senior High SchoolPlano East Senior High SchoolPlano East Senior High School is a secondary school in Plano, Texas serving high school juniors and seniors. It is part of the Plano Independent School District....
High schools
- Clark High SchoolR. C. Clark High SchoolR. C. Clark High School is a secondary school in Plano, Texas serving grades nine and ten. It is part of the Plano Independent School District. In Plano ISD, high school freshmen and sophomores attend one of five high schools; juniors and seniors attend separate "senior high schools"...
- Jasper High SchoolJasper High School (Plano, Texas)T. C. Jasper High School is a free co-educational secondary school in Plano, Texas serving grades nine and ten. Founded in 1996, the school is part of the Plano Independent School District. Rice and Robinson Middle Schools feed into Jasper. Students leaving Jasper will attend Plano West Senior...
- McMillen High SchoolMcMillen High School- Principals :George King has been the principal of McMillen High School since its inaugural year in 2011.-Athletics:McMillen has a Football, Basketball, Volleyball, Tennis and Drill Team.There is also a Marching Band during the Fall, during football season....
- Shepton High SchoolShepton High SchoolShepton High School is a secondary school in Plano, Texas serving grades nine and ten. It is part of the Plano Independent School District. In Plano ISD, high school freshmen and sophomores attend one of six high schools...
- Vines High SchoolVines High SchoolW. A. Vines High School is a free co-educational secondary school in Plano, Texas serving grades nine and ten. Wilson and Haggard Middle Schools feed into Vines. Founded in 1976, the school is part of the Plano Independent School District. Vines is accredited by the Texas Education Agency, which...
- Williams High SchoolWilliams High SchoolT. H. Williams High School is a secondary school in Plano, Texas serving grades nine and ten. It is part of the Plano Independent School District. In Plano ISD, high school freshmen and sophomores attend one of five high schools. Juniors and seniors attend "senior high schools"...
Middle schools
- Armstrong Middle School
-
- 1992-93 National Blue Ribbon School
- Bowman Middle School
- Carpenter Middle SchoolCarpenter Middle School (Plano, Texas)Carpenter Middle School is a public school serving grades 6-8 within the Plano Independent School District . Established in 1978, the school was named for Captain Robert Washington "R.W." Carpenter, a prominent early settler in the Plano area. Land formerly farmed by his son, Gip Carpenter,...
- 1992-93 National Blue Ribbon School
- Frankford Middle SchoolFrankford Middle SchoolFrankford Middle School is a public secondary school in Dallas, Texas and part of the Plano Independent School District. Grade levels at the middle school are 6th through 8th grade. Incoming students are from Haggar Elementary, Hightower Elementary, Jackson Elementary and Mitchell Elementary Schools...
- Haggard Middle SchoolHaggard Middle SchoolC.S. Haggard Middle School is a secondary school serving grades six, seven, and eight. It is part of the Plano Independent School District. Haggard feeds into Vines High School with the students from Wilson Middle School...
- 1999-2000 National Blue Ribbon School
- Hendrick Middle SchoolHendrick Middle SchoolHendrick Middle School is a free co-educational secondary school in Plano, Texas serving grades six, seven, and eight. The school is part of the Plano Independent School District. Beverly, Hedgcoxe, and Rasor Elementary Schools feed into Hendrick...
- Murphy Middle School
- Otto Middle School
- Renner Middle School
- 1994-96 National Blue Ribbon School
- Rice Middle SchoolRice Middle SchoolC. M. Rice Middle School is a public secondary school within the Plano Independent School District. Sixth through eighth graders attend, feeding from Andrews Elementary, Skaggs Elementary, and Wyatt Elementary Schools...
- Robinson Middle SchoolRobinson Middle SchoolJ.W. Robinson Middle School is a public secondary school within the Plano Independent School District. Sixth through eighth graders attend, feeding from Gulledge, Haun, and Daffron. Robinson, along with Rice Middle School and Schimelpfenig Middle School, feeds into Jasper High School , and then...
- Schimelpfenig Middle School
- 1988-89 National Blue Ribbon School
- Wilson Middle SchoolWilson Middle SchoolWilson Middle School is a public secondary school serving grades six through eight. It is part of the Wyandotte School District and is located at 1001 Custer Road in Wyandotte, Michigan. The principle, as of 2011, is Thomas Kell....
- 1988-89 National Blue Ribbon School
Primary schools
- Aldridge Elementary School (within RichardsonRichardson, TexasRichardson is a city in Dallas and Collin Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 99,223. In 2011 the population was estimated to be 107,684. Richardson is an affluent inner suburb of Dallas and home of the Telecom Corridor with a high...
city limits) - Andrews Elementary School
- Barksdale Elementary School
- Barron Elementary School (reopening fall 2009)
- Bethany Elementary School
- Beverly Elementary School
- 2006 National Blue Ribbon School
- Boggess Elementary School (within Murphy city limits)
- Brinker Elementary School
- 1996-97 National Blue Ribbon School
- Carlisle Elementary School
- 1987-88 National Blue Ribbon School
- Centennial Elementary School
- Christie Elementary School
- 1998-99 National Blue Ribbon School
- Daffron Elementary School
- Davis Elementary School
- 1993-94 National Blue Ribbon School
- Dooley Elementary School
- 1989-90 National Blue Ribbon School
- Forman Elementary School
- 1993-94 National Blue Ribbon School
- Gulledge Elementary School
- Haggar Elementary School
- Harrington Elementary School
- Haun Elementary School
- Hedgcoxe Elementary School
- 1993-94 National Blue Ribbon School
- Hickey Elementary School
- Hightower Elementary School
- Huffman Elementary School
- 1991-92 National Blue Ribbon School
- Hughston Elementary School
- Hunt Elementary School (within Murphy city limits)
- Jackson Elementary School
- Mathews Elementary School
- 2000-01 National Blue Ribbon School and 2005
- McCall Elementary School
- Meadows Elementary School
- 1996-97 National Blue Ribbon School
- Memorial Elementary School
- Mendenhall Elementary School
- Miller Elementary School (within Richardson city limits)
- Mitchell Elementary School
- Rasor Elementary SchoolRasor Elementary SchoolRasor Elementary School is a primary school in Plano, Texas . It is located on Hedgcoxe Road east of Alma Drive. The Texas Education Agency awarded Rasor a Recognized rating for 2004-2005....
- Saigling Elementary School
- 1991-92 National Blue Ribbon School and 2005
- Schell Elementary School (within Richardson city limits)
- Shepard Elementary School
- 1991-92 and 2008 National Blue Ribbon School
- Sigler Elementary School
- Skaggs Elementary School
- 2006 National Blue Ribbon School
- Stinson Elementary School (within Richardson city limits)
- Thomas Elementary School
- Weatherford Elementary School
- Wells Elementary School
- 1991-92 National Blue Ribbon School and 2007
- Wyatt Elementary School
Early childhood schools
- Beaty Early Childhood School
- Jupiter Center (currently closed)
- Isaacs Early Childhood School (opening fall 2009)
- Pearson Early Childhood School