Click here to apply to a DeSoto ISD School of Choice
DeSoto ISD is reintroducing the power of CHOICE. Starting in the 2023-2024 academic year, DeSoto ISD will restructure schools to offer the following academic opportunities:
K-5 Neighborhood Schools:
Neighborhood schools reflect the character, investment, partnership, and needs of the neighborhoods in which they reside. These schools are built on the premise of community and engagement, a space that feels like home and where students and families find belongingness and inclusion within the campus community.
- Frank Moates Elementary
- Cockrell Hill Elementary
- The Meadows Elementary
Choice Programs:
DeSoto ISD plans to reintroduce EIGHT special programs for the 2023-2024 academic year to provide clear and strong programmatic choices for families in DeSoto and Glenn Heights.
The programs will offer a range of specializations across a number of academic disciplines for K-12 scholars in the district.
The programs are as follows:
Early Childhood for PK3 and PK4 scholars
- Accepting applications for rising PK3 and PK4 scholars for 2023-2024 starting April 2023.
Woodridge Classical Academy for Arts and Humanities
- Accepting applications for rising K-2 grade scholars for 2023-2024.
Katherine Johnson Tech Magnet Academy specializes in aviation and aeronautics for scholars in grades K-8
- Accepting applications for rising K-7th grade scholars for 2023-2024.
- Please Note: Application may require additional documentation submissions, academic testing and a screening interview. Please contact the campus for additional information.
Ruby Young Personalized STEAM Academy for K-8 scholars specializing in horticulture, agriculture, and environmental science
- Accepting applications for rising K-7th grade scholars for 2023-2024.
- Please Note: Application may require additional documentation submissions, academic testing and a screening interview. Please contact the campus for additional information.
Curtistene S. McCowan Middle School Fine Arts Academy for rising 6th-grade applicants designed for the art-interested scholar.
- Accepting applications for rising 6th grade scholars for 2023-2024.
West Middle School Male Leadership Academy
- Accepting applications for rising 6th grade male scholars for 2023-2024
Early College High School for advanced academics and college credit in partnership with Dallas Colleges.
- Accepting applications for rising 9th grade scholars for 2023-2024
- Please Note: Application may require additional documentation submissions, academic testing and a screening interview. Please contact the campus for additional information.
Coming Soon: Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-TECH) for 9-12 scholars.
About DeSoto ISD Choice Programs
Early Childhood:
Early Childhood applications for rising PK3 and PK4 scholars will open April 2023. This environment will provide early childhood education designed to build a strong learning foundation rooted in literacy with opportunities for arts, project-based learning, and STEM.
Why DeSoto ISD Early Childhood?
- Children exposed to Early Childhood Education programs tend to outperform their peers academically as they matriculate.
- Children exposed to Early Childhood Education programs tend to have deeper emotional intelligence and develop relationship skills such as teamwork, collaboration and communication at an earlier age.
- Children exposed to Early Childhood Education tend to advance further than their peers regarding career advancement and are more likely to own a home.
Woodridge Classical Arts and Humanities Academy
Woodridge Classical Arts and Humanities Academy will accept applications for rising kindergarten through 2nd-grade scholars seeking opportunities in art- and humanities-focused elementary environments in which students will study and engage in the visual and performing arts such as foundational drawing, painting, sculpture, dance, music, and theatre alongside English/language arts, history, and cultural studies.
Why WRE Classical Arts and Humanities Academy?
- Scholars who are exposed to arts education tend to be more deeply invested in their core curricular learning.
- Scholars who are exposed to arts education tend to develop more complex critical and creative thinking skills.
- Scholars who are exposed to arts education tend to outperform their peers academically.
- The WRE CAHA will employ a school within-a-school model creates a focused learning environment where arts are center stage and embedded in the instructional day.
- The WRE CAHA will develop an environment that supports creativity, innovation and arts exploration.
- The WRE CAHA will afford scholars a safe space in which they dare to dream and are encouraged to dream big!
Ruby Young Personalized STEAM Academy
Ruby Young Personalized STEAM Academy will accept applications for scholars in K-8 grade interested in environmental science and agriculture as supported by partnerships like Texas A&M, Prairie View A&M, and Paul Quinn College among others. Imagine a world where students embark on daily learning adventures in nature where science and tech come to life to sustain the world around us.
Why Ruby Young PSA?
- K-8 campus structure provides consistency for scholars and families to learn and grow within a campus community Deep partnerships with colleges, universities, and content-related organizations widen, enrich and extend learning opportunities
- The outdoor learning garden provides real-world experiences through project-based learning and field excursions that will extend educational enrichment beyond the classroom.
- Opportunities for exposure to animal husbandry, agriculture, and STEM, particularly, technology for students at every grade level, exposure to other STEAM-based experiences like drone academy supported via a partnership with DeSoto PD and Fire; 3D printing, culinary arts, and more.
- Opportunities for extracurricular experiences for 7th and 8th-grade scholars including band, cheer, and athletics.
- Please Note: Application may require additional documentation submissions, academic testing and a screening interview. Please contact the campus for additional information.
Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy
Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy will accept applications for academically-inclined rising K-8 scholars who are interested in STEM with specializations in aerospace and aviation honoring the legacy of the school's namesake and her brave pursuit of math-focus space aviation in a time that required courage and an audacious spirit through project-based learning. The Defense industry in DFW is the 4th largest industry. All of the Defense companies in the industry focus on aerospace and aviation. Building a school that prepares a pipeline into companies like Boeing, SAFRAN, Bell, Northup Grumman, L3Harris, Raytheon Technologies, or Lockheed Martin would give our students a competitive advantage in the DFW job market in which minorities are sorely underrepresented.
Why KJTMA?
- Exposure to STEM and STEAM allows scholars exposure to real-world learning applications through hands on learning.
- Exposure to STEM and STEAM allows scholars to build critical thinking skills and explore intellectual creativity.
- Academic admissions-based setting designed for high-performing K-8 scholars
- Opportunities for family learning experiences that engage parents and caregivers.
- Opportunities for extracurricular experiences for 7th and 8th-grade scholars including band, cheer, and athletics.
- Please Note: Application may require additional documentation submissions, academic testing and a screening interview. Please contact the campus for additional information.
Curtistene S. McCowan Middle School Fine Arts Academy:
Curtistene S. McCowan Middle School Fine Arts Academy will accept applicants for rising 6th grade artists for the 2023-2024 academic year. The school-within-a-school model will create a focused learning environment for creative and arts-interested scholars. Through band, visual and performing arts and choir, scholars will have exposure to a range of disciplines designed to support their growth and development while building confidence and skills.
Why Curtistene S. McCowan Middle School Fine Arts Academy?
- Scholars who are exposed to arts education tend to be more deeply invested in their core curricular learning.
- Scholars who are exposed to arts education tend to develop more complex critical and creative thinking skills.
- Scholars who are exposed to arts education tend to outperform their peers academically.
- The CMMS FFA will employ a school within-a-school model creates a focused learning environment where arts are center stage and embedded in the instructional day.
- The CMMS FFA will develop an environment that supports creativity, innovation and arts exploration.
- The CMMS FAA will afford scholars a safe space in which they dare to dream and are encouraged to dream big!
West Middle School Male Leadership Academy:
WMS Male Leadership Academy will accept applicants for rising 6th-grade boys for the 2023-2024 academic year at West Middle School. The school-within-a-school model will create a focused learning environment for adolescent male scholars built on personal pride, belongingness, brotherhood, and camaraderie. Iron sharpens iron and in the WMS Male Leadership Academy, scholars will be positioned to soar.
Why West Male Leadership Academy?
- High expectations centered around the adolescent male psyche
- An environment that supports pride, brotherhood, camaraderie to increase scholar investment and academic achievement, and engagement
- Small school-within-a-school cohort model that will allow students to matriculate alongside their peers
- Male leadership-focused experiences and capstone projects designed to clarify, support, and enhance self-awareness and personal growth
Early College High School
Early College High School will accept applications for rising 9th and 10th grade scholars seeking opportunities in an academically accelerated, college-access setting via a partnership with Dallas Colleges which seeks to provide students the opportunity to pursue college credit and obtain an associate degree at no cost to the student or family.
Why ECHS?
- Scholars are provided to and from Dallas College and DeSoto High School.
- Scholars are provided books, tuition, course access led by college professors and college exposure.
- Scholars are provided the opportunity to obtain up to 60 college credit hours or an associate degree at no cost to the scholar or his or her family.
- Scholars and their families can save up to two years of college tuition costs towards completion of a bachelor's degree by obtaining an associate degree through ECHS.
- Scholars who attend college are more likely to out earn their peers, own a home and have higher-advancing careers.
- Please Note: Application may require additional documentation submissions, academic testing and a screening interview. Please contact the campus for additional information.
Coming Soon: Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-TECH) for 9-12 scholars.