McKinney ISD believes that providing a rigorous education means more than mastering basics. Rigor is achieved by challenging students to do more than they ever thought possible. This holds true both inside and outside of the classroom. The educational philosophy of McKinney ISD is grounded in several tenets.

McKinney ISD Believes:

• All individuals are born with inherent value.
• Personal relationships and connections are vital to learning.
• All individuals deserve an environment that is conducive to mental, physical and spiritual growth.
• Honesty, integrity and trust are imperative.
• Individuals need to feel safe and secure.
• Embracing diversity enhances every individual’s experience.
• Choices enhance the opportunity for success.
• Excellence is a never ending journey requiring passion and purpose.
• Education is a shared responsibility; learning is an individual’s responsibility.
• A progressive education is relevant, adaptable and vital to a sustainable community.

Focusing on these beliefs has helped McKinney ISD earn a strong reputation for academic excellence and for developing well-rounded students. The District is one of the fastest-growing public school districts in Texas and currently enrolls over 24,000 students. McKinney ISD welcomes between 1,000 and 1,500 new students each year. This significant growth is due in part to its reputation for exemplary schools.

The District is comprised of 19 elementary schools, five middle schools, three high schools, four alternative schools, and one early childhood education center.

Community support for schools has always been strong in McKinney and residents consistently rate strong public schools as their top priority as the community continues to grow. A testament to this commitment to education was the most recent school bond election, held in 2005. Nearly 90 percent of voters supported the bond program that funded expansion of McKinney Boyd High School, one new middle school, four new elementary schools, and dedication of over $25 million towards technology over the next four years.

Schools in McKinney ISD have received recognition from the American Institute of Architects, School Planning and Management Magazine, the American Association of Administrators, the National School Boards Association and other prestigious organizations for innovative design and for being superior learning environments.

Academics

During the past three years McKinney ISD has consistently ranked in the Top 2% in the entire State of Texas in the percentage of students achieving Commended Performance on the TAKS exams. In addition, the District ranks in the Top 9% in Texas in the percentage of students meeting the TAKS standards. Roughly 60% of McKinney ISD campuses were recently rated “Exemplary” or “Recognized” by the Texas Education Agency.

Although performance on standardized testing is important, McKinney ISD gauges the quality of a child’s education by much more than simply tests. We focus on the “whole” child. This means that students are encouraged to explore areas of interest, develop social skills, become involved in extracurricular activities, be introduced to music and the arts, and more.

Elementary Education

Building a strong academic and social foundation is paramount at the elementary level. For this reason, McKinney ISD teachers and staff are committed to teaching the “whole child” in our elementary schools. The elementary curriculum is consistent from campus to campus, ensuring a high quality education regardless of the school, yet allows teachers the latitude to develop innovative strategies that are tailored to the individual child.

Secondary Education

Students at the middle school and high school levels are encouraged to continue to build a strong academic foundation, while at the same time allowing freedom to explore elective subjects and to develop unique talents and interests.

The academic program of studies includes general, college preparatory and advanced level courses. In addition, the high school programs offer a multitude of Career and Technology Education Programs in addition to the traditional core curriculum. Whether a student is interested in broadcasting and media, criminal justice, theatre, digital graphics and animation, health sciences, or any of the dozens of other courses offered they are certain to find their niche at a McKinney ISD middle and high school.

Fine Arts

The visual and performing arts have always been a priority in McKinney ISD. When other districts were cutting theatre, art, and music programs, McKinney ISD was finding ways to contribute more funds to these valuable areas of education. Award-winning marching bands, state-recognized choir programs, a rapidly growing orchestra program, concert performances, and visual arts programs are just a few reasons parents and teachers are attracted to the Fine Arts programs in McKinney ISD.

Student Involvement

Extracurricular activities allow students to become involved in specific areas of interest and to apply what they are learning in school to this activity. Student involvement in these programs helps develop well-rounded students, builds self-esteem, and self-discipline. They will carry these skills with them long after they graduate from school and into their higher education and career pursuits.

Students in grades 9-12 compete in 17 interscholastic sports including: baseball, boys basketball, girls basketball, boys cross country, girls cross country, football, boys golf, girls golf, boys soccer, girls soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, boys track, girls track, volleyball, and wrestling. In addition to athletics and band, students can participate in nearly 40 different clubs and organizations. Many of these programs have earned state and national recognition.

Safety and Security

We believe students learn best in a safe and secure environment. McKinney ISD has received national attention for its comprehensive crisis response plan. During the past year the school district embarked upon a year long journey of planning with local authorities that culminated in a mock disaster exercise at McKinney North High School, involving over 300 participants. The exercise enabled the District to partner with the McKinney Police Department, McKinney Fire Department, Medical Center of McKinney, American Red Cross, Salvation Army and other participants in a full-scale planning exercise. The level of collaboration between McKinney ISD and local law enforcement and emergency agencies is unique. We believe this partnership is imperative in preventing and responding to potential incidents.

This commitment to safety is also evidenced by campus security “buzz-in” systems and campus visitor registry systems that run checks against local, state, and national sex offender databases. Furthermore, each campus is required to practice (unannounced) lock-down drills and other precautionary exercises. These safety exercises are always performed in a positive and non-threatening manner. In addition, McKinney P.D. School Resource Officers (SRO’s) are assigned district-wide. We believe that these security measures, along with support from staff and parents, are the reason our schools have earned a reputation for being safe and positive learning environments.

Just a Few of the Many Reasons to Choose McKinney ISD

• Students perform in the top 2% in Texas in achieving Commended Performance on TAKS
• Four NCLB National Blue Ribbon Schools
• Nationally recognized facilities (American Institute of Architects, American Association of Administrators, School Planning and Management Magazine, National School Boards Association)
• State and national recognition for UIL programs every year
• SAT/ACT scores exceed national averages
• McKinney ISD was rated #1 in the State of Texas in districts of over 11,000 students, two years in a row (2004, 2005 TAKS)
• Five of the 14 schools in Collin County named to the Texas Business and Education Coalition (TBEC) Honor Roll were campuses in McKinney ISD (2006)
• Acclaimed Gifted and Talented Program
• Parents save over $1 million per year on college tuition due to students’ placing out of courses through the Advanced Placement (AP) program
• Nationally recognized school safety plan
• For more information visit our Profile & Statistics

Everyday Heroes

We all know that when it comes down to it, the quality of a child's education is impacted by people more than any other factor. A child needs teachers willing to nurture, guide, and challenge them. And, whether they know it or not, they need all ofthe other support staff working hard to make certain they have the resources and help to be successful. While we are proud of our beautiful schools and academic rigor, it is the people that we feel makes McKinney ISD so unique. We invite you to learn more about our faculty and staff by visiting our Everyday Heroes page.