Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts

Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
Booker T. Washington HSPVA courtyard
Address
Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
2501 Flora Street
Dallas, Texas 75201
United States
Coordinates Coordinates: 32°47′28″N 96°47′48″W / 32.791185°N 96.796564°W / 32.791185; -96.796564
Information
Type Secondary
Motto To provide intensive training in the arts and academics.[1]
School district Dallas Independent School District
Principal Scott Rudes[1]
Faculty 79[1]
Grades 9-12
Number of students 903[2]
Color(s) Blue and Black[1]          
Mascot Pegasus[1]
Trustee dist.  9[3]
Learning Community   Magnet Schools Learning Community, Tiffany Huitt[4]
Website

http://www.dallasisd.org/bookert

Designated 24 April 2006

Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts is a public secondary school located in the Arts District of downtown Dallas, Texas (USA). Booker T. Washington HSPVA enrolls students in grades 9-12 and is the Dallas Independent School District's arts magnet school (thus, it is often locally referred to simply as Arts Magnet). Many accomplished performers and artists have been educated in the school. Some examples include Ernie Banks, Norah Jones, Erykah Badu, Adario Strange, Valarie Rae Miller, Edie Brickell, Kennedy Davenport, Sandra St. Victor, Roy Hargrove, and Scott Westerfeld.

History

Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts

In 1892, Dallas established its first high school for African American pupils. In 1911, the school was enlarged and named the Dallas Colored High School. The school was moved in 1922 to larger quarters, designed by famed Dallas architects Lang & Witchell, and renamed Booker T. Washington High School, after the African-American education pioneer Booker T. Washington. For many years, it was the only Dallas high school that allowed students of color.

In 1939, Wilmer-Hutchins Colored High School of the Wilmer-Hutchins ISD burned down in a fire. Afterwards, African-American WHISD students were sent to DISD high schools for "colored" people such as Washington.[5]

In 1942, teacher Thelma Paige Richardson sued the Dallas School District, demanding equalization of pay based upon tenure and merit; the school district denied that any discrimination was taking place. Richardson, with the help of the NAACP, won the case, increasing general awareness of discrimination in the public school system.

In 1952, it was enlarged yet again, and given the new name as Booker T. Washington Technical High School.

In 1976, the school was repurposed as the Arts Magnet at Booker T. Washington High School, inheriting and expanding the magnet-school arts curriculum that had been in place in the Performing Arts Cluster at Skyline High School since 1970. The Arts Magnet would become a prototype for magnet schools across the country. The repurposing was part of the Federal Court Desegregation Orders that created the Magnet School system in Dallas ISD (Tasby v. Estes[6]). Paul Baker was selected by Superintendent Estes has Founding Director of the School.

In 2008, the building was enlarged a third time. After receiving many grants, the school underwent a $65,000,000 expansion. .

The surrounding neighborhood has evolved into the Dallas Arts District and the school building is an official Dallas Landmark.

In 2008, a new $65 million facility designed by Brad Cloepfil, was completed. The main building, incorporated as an historical landmark, has been preserved.

Statistics

The attendance rate for students at the school is 96%, equal with the state average of 96%. 32% of the students at Washington are economically disadvantaged, 2% enroll in special education, 31% enroll in gifted and talent programs, and 1% are considered "limited English proficient."[7] The class of 2017 managed to receive over $60 million in offered scholarships and grants.

The ethnic makeup of the school is 42% White American, 21% African American, 30% Hispanic American, 3% Asian American/Pacific Islander American, and 1% American Indian/Alaskan Native.[7]

The average class sizes at Washington are 20 students for English, 27 for foreign language, 19 for math, 22 for science, and 25 for social studies.[7]

Alumni

Notable alumni include:

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Dallas ISD - Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Retrieved 4 October 2006.
  2. ↑ Texas Education Agency - School Directory Archived 2006-04-18 at the Wayback Machine. - type in school number "057905034" and select "view report." Retrieved 4 October 2006.
  3. ↑ Dallas ISD - Schools by Trustee Archived 2007-10-04 at the Wayback Machine.. (PDF). Retrieved 4 October 2006.
  4. ↑ Dallas ISD - Schools by Area. (PDF). Retrieved 4 October 2006.
  5. ↑ Benton, Joshua (2005-07-15). "A family on both sides of district's demise; Pioneer fought to save W-H; granddaughter cast key vote to close it". The Dallas Morning News. p. 1A. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved 2009-08-22. ()
  6. ↑ "Desegregating Dallas Schools: Tasby v. Estes". SMU Underwood Law Library.
  7. 1 2 3 Great Schools - Booker T. Washington High School - Dallas, Texas. Information originally from the Texas Education Agency. Retrieved 4 October 2006.
  8. 1 2 3 Larson, J. Louise (2008-02-16). "Dallas performing, visual arts school set for Taste of the Arts". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 2008-05-01.
  9. ↑ Erykah Badu biography, VH1. Retrieved on 7 April 2007.
  10. ↑ "Fete for Banks Here Tuesday." The Dallas Morning News, October 9, 1955. Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  11. ↑ Arlo Eisenberg: Burgers, Hookers and Art Archived February 14, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  12. ↑ Biography, DariusHolbert.com. Retrieved: 11 December 2012.
  13. ↑ Norah Jones biography, VH1. Retrieved on 7 April 2007.
  14. ↑ "Music of Shaun Martin". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 2018-09-15.
  15. ↑ Biography Archived 2007-04-04 at the Wayback Machine., Elizabeth Mitchell Central. Retrieved on 7 April 2007.
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