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Air Force
School Liaison
215 5th Street
Bldg 7401
Dyess AFB, TX 79607
325-696-4591
312-461-4591
325-201-6016
Contact information for key programs and services at this installation.
Each installation provides information about the types of schools and programs offered on or near your installation for your child. Learn about the types of programs, guidelines and requirements for each school. Whether you choose to send your child to a Department of Defense School, a private school or public school, your installation can help you explore all of your options to make the right decision for you and your child.
In Abilene, Texas, various types of schools can be found for Pre-K through 12th grade including public schools, private schools, and charter schools. There are no schools on the installation.
There are 43 public school districts in Region 14, and Dyess Air Force Base sits in the center. Due to the proximity to the base, the large majority of the Dyess AFB families choose Abilene Independent School District (ISD) and Wylie ISD as their preferred district. However, those living outside of town in more rural areas attend smaller districts including Clyde, Jim Ned, Merkel, and Sweetwater school districts to name a few. Texas Leadership Academy is a public charter school near Dyess AFB with about 80 military-connected students currently enrolled in their program. Any school district’s state accountability rating and demographical information can be reviewed at this website.
With the passing of Texas House Bill 2892, students who are children of service members can be transferred to a preferred school regardless of domicile. However, a school district is not required to provide transportation to a student who transfers to another campus or district. For a student to attend a district outside of zoned residency, enrollment in the zoned school must occur first. Then, a transfer request form will need to be completed (located on the district website) - list “Military Request-HB 2892” as the reason for the transfer. Wylie ISD is the only district in our area that does not require a transfer request form and enrollment can simply occur online.
Meals are available for purchase at all schools and some students may qualify for the free/reduced-rate lunches depending on household income.
Before and After School Programs are available in the local area for a fee. School sports programs and band are available and are popular community events.
Private and charter schools are also available throughout the area and many private schools offer military discounts to the Dyess AFB families.
More and more military-connected families are choosing homeschooling as the preferred method for educating their children. Dyess AFB and the Abilene area have many resources and support options available to homeschooling families.
Registration Requirements
The following checklist of items to either bring or have sent from your current school district should help ease the transition of your student into a new school district:
Others:
Attendance Requirements in Texas
The Texas attendance rules state that a student must be in a class at least 90% of the time to get credit for that class. This rule applies even for students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 plan. *Attendance is typically taken between 9:15 and 9:45 a.m. each day. As long as students are present at that time, they will be marked present for that school day. The school year is approximately 180 days. Although Texas schools moved away from counting days to counting minutes, it works out to be pretty much 180 days for a school year. (House Bill 2610, passed by the 84th Texas Legislature, amends Section 25.081, Texas Education Code, by striking language requiring 180 days of instruction and replacing this language with a requirement that districts provide at least 75,600 minutes of instruction, including intermissions and recess).
Texas Grading System
In Texas, the standards for education are known as the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). These are statewide standards that outline what students should know and be able to do at each grade level and in each subject. The grading scale is a PASS/FAIL system. A passing grade is 70 or above. (100-90= A; 89-80=B; 79-70=C; 69 and below is failing)
Kindergarten
While the typical age for kindergarten enrollment is five years old by September 1 of the current school year, it is not mandatory for children to start school at this age. Texas does not have compulsory kindergarten attendance. However, from age 6 to 19, children must attend school either public or private (includes homeschooling) until they graduate or get a GED. If a child has been enrolled in school for Pre-K, kindergarten, or 1st grade, the child must continue going to school that academic year, even if he or she is not yet 6.
Early Entrance Into 1st Grade
Early entrance into 1st grade is specifically permitted by state policy. TEC §42.003(c) states that a child may be enrolled in the first grade if he or she is 6 years old by the beginning of the school year, has been enrolled in a first-grade program in another state, or has successfully completed kindergarten in another state. Any five-year-old child may be assigned to 1st grade if the local district determines it is appropriate.
Keep in mind, according to the Military Interstate Compact Sec 3.102(b), military-connected students shall be allowed to continue their enrollment at grade level in the receiving state commensurate with their grade level (including kindergarten) from a local education agency in the sending state at the time of transition, regardless of age. In the case of a kindergarten student, the student must have been enrolled and attended class in the sending state in order to assure continued attendance in kindergarten in the receiving state.
A student that has satisfactorily completed the prerequisite grade level in the local education agency in the sending state shall be eligible for enrollment in the next highest grade level in the receiving state, regardless of age. A student transferring after the start of the school year in the receiving state shall enter the school in the receiving state on their validated level from an accredited school in the sending state.
Graduation Requirements in Texas
Currently in Texas there are four graduation programs:
A credit is a unit of measure awarded for successful completion of a high school course. To graduate under the Foundation High School Program, students must earn a minimum of 22 credits in the following areas:
End of Course (EOC) Exam Requirement
In addition to meeting graduation credit requirements, students are required to pass five EOC exams to earn a diploma from a Texas public high school (also named State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness or STAAR tests). Those five exams are given when a student takes English I and II, Biology, Algebra I, and U.S. History. A student who fails an EOC exam for no more than two of five courses can still receive a diploma if he or she qualifies to graduate as a result of an individual graduation committee review. Under the Foundation program only, the Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee, which includes you and your child, can decide whether your student will need to pass the end of course assessments in order to graduate.
Refer to the TEA Graduation Toolkit for more information.
Gifted Education
Gifted education is offered in each district. Parents may request gifted education for their children each school year during a designated referral window. If a student received gifted education services at their previous school, they will qualify for similar services at their new school upon enrollment. However, the new school has the right to reevaluate the student to determine continued eligibility at their discretion.
Purple Star Schools
The Purple Star designation was established by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to recognize public schools that provide high-quality support to meet the unique needs of military-connected students and their families. Last year, TEA designated seven Abilene ISD schools as Purple Star campuses to include Abilene High School, Cooper High School, ATEMS High School, Clack Middle School, and Bassetti, Dyess, and Ward Elementary Schools. Wylie ISD boasts Wylie High School as the first school in the Abilene area to earn the Purple Star. Texas Leadership Academy has also received this designation.
Bus Service
Abilene ISD provides bus service to Clack Middle School and Cooper High School for students living on base. No other school districts currently transport to and from the base.
In Abilene, Texas, there are various types of schools for Pre-K through 12th grade, including public schools, private schools, and charter schools. There are no schools on the installation.
There are 43 public School Districts in Region 14 and Dyess Air Force Base sits in the center. Due to the proximity to the base, the large majority of the Dyess AFB families choose Abilene Independent School District (ISD) and Wylie ISD as their preferred district. However, those living outside of town in more rural areas attend smaller districts including Clyde, Jim Ned, Merkel, and Sweetwater School Districts to name a few. Texas Leadership Academy is a public charter school near Dyess AFB with about 80 military-connected students currently enrolled in their program. Any school district’s state accountability rating and demographical information can be reviewed at this website .
With the passing of Texas House Bill 2892, students who are children of service members can be transferred to a preferred school regardless of domicile. However, a school district is not required to provide transportation to a student who transfers to another campus or district. For a student to attend a district outside of zoned residency, enrollment in the zoned school must occur first. Then, a transfer request form will need to be completed (located on the district website) - list “Military Request - HB 2892” as the reason for the transfer. Wylie ISD is the only district in our area that does not require a transfer request form and enrollment can simply occur online.
Meals are available for purchase at all schools and some students may qualify for the free/reduced-rate lunches depending on household income. Abilene ISD offers free breakfast and lunch to students at every campus in the district throughout the 2023-2024 school year.
Before and After School Programs are available in the local area for a fee. School sports and band programs are available and they are popular community events.
Abilene has two school districts, the larger of the two is the Abilene Independent School District with 13 elementary, four middle and four high schools, One large Head Start and two alternative campuses scattered across a majority of the city from the Mall of Abilene-area in the south to the city's northern- most areas.
Abilene Independent School District (AISD)
Abilene Independent School District educates roughly 17,600 students each year. The district employs 2,600 employees locally. Student-teacher ratios for elementary school is 22:1 (state mandated). Middle School and High School do not have a maximum class size. AISD Special Education currently has 19 teachers and 150 para-professionals to work with special education and/or the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP). Special Education includes PALS, ADAPT, and Resource Programs with over 2,400 students enrolled in special Education. The curriculum is designed to challenge the college-bound and the vocational mind. The AISD has developed a nationally known Special Education department and award-winning Chapter 1, Head Start and writing programs. Students in the district continue to rank above the state and national norms in standardized achievement tests.
Schedule -- Holidays usually include: Labor Day, Columbus Day,Thanksgiving, Christmas, Martin Luther King Day, and Spring Break. There are inclement weather days built into the schedule, and provided they are not taken during the winter months because of snow or ice, they are usually taken during the Easter weekend.
The first period in the high schools begins at 7:50 am and 7th period ends at 3:25 pm. The middle school day begins at 7:50 am and end at 3:15 pm. Kindergarten through fifth grade students attend school from 7:50 am to 3:15 pm, while Pre-K classes start at 8:00 am and end at 2:00 pm.
Bus Service -- Children living in on-base housing attend Dyess Elementary, Clack Middle and Cooper High School. The school district provides bus service to Clack and Cooper.
The following guidelines apply to the evaluation of the transcripts of students transferring to the Abilene Independent School District (AISD) - No credit will be offered for office aide and Driver's Education. Units of credit granted by high schools accredited by Texas Education Agency, Texas Private School Accreditation Association, other state education agencies, or Department of Defense Schools. Units of credit earned from non accredited schools and home study programs will require validation according to guidelines established by the school. The procedure for validation is as follows - Credit for elective courses may be accepted subject to review. Required courses taken in sequence can validate credit in previous courses, i.e., English III completed successfully will validate English I and English II, Algebra II completed successfully will validate Algebra I.
Wylie Independent School District (WISD)
Wylie Independent School District, located in Southern Abilene and encompassing an area of 165 square miles. WISD has approximately 4,600 students and 300 full time employees on seven campuses. The student- teacher ratios for Elementary School is 22:1 (stat mandated) with no mandated ratio on middle and high school campuses. Wylie Special Education Program has 16 teachers and 24 para-professionals to work with approximately 200 Special Education students. Programs are offered in regular education, special education, career and technology education, technology preparation, and Chapter 1 Reading and Math. Wylie students continue to consistently perform above the regional and state averages on achievement tests, TAAS tests, and ACT and SAT college entrance exams.
Wylie Independent School District is a smaller district that will work with each student to achieve graduation requirements. Twenty-six units are required for graduation. They also have an honors program. WISD has two elementary schools, one middle school (grades 5 & 6), one junior high school (grades 7 & 8), and one high school.
Jim Ned Consolidated Independent School District (JNCISD) has 1,030 students with 104 enrolled in Special Education.
Hawley ISD, Trent ISD, Merkel ISD, Clyde ISD, and Eula ISD in the local area also serve the military community.
There are several private schools to choose from in Abilene, TX.
These are some of the most popular private schools in Abilene: Abilene Christian School, St. John’s Episcopal, Cornerstone Christian School, Kenley School, PEAK Christian Academy, Abilene Classical Academy, Abilene Junior Academy, and A Habitat for Learning.
Enrollment for private schools can be done in person and online. More information about each can be found on their respective websites.
Abilene Independent School District offers Adult Education Programs that are open to anyone over the age of 19 for GED Preparation, English as a Second Language, and Career Training Opportunites.
Four major universities are housed in Abilene offering associate, bachelor's, and master's degree programs, with a doctorate program available in Bible/Seminary Studies. Other programs are also offered at a state technical college, a community college, a school of cosmetology, and a truck driving/commercial driver’s license program. In addition, assistance may be available through the State Employment Agency's Workforce Investment Act which assists qualified applicants in obtaining an associate degree from a local college or technical school or on-the-job training with local employers. Acceptance for financial assistance for the My Career Advancement Account scholarship program varies by school - call the Dyess Military and Readiness Center at DSN: 312-461-5999 or Comm: 325-696-5999 for more information.
Adult Education services for the military members are available through the Dyess AFB Education Office. Professional guidance counselors are available at the Education Office and at the colleges on an appointment basis. Testing facilities are available at the McMurry University Campus to include testing for CLEP, Dantes, GRE, and GMAT. Contact the Dyess Education Center at DSN: 312-461-5004 or Comm: 325-696-5004 for more information.
School Liaison Contact Information
The Dyess AFB School Liaison's (SL) mission is to help military connected parents ease the impact of the mobile military lifestyle at any point in the military life cycle. The following are means to obtain more information about the program or to make contact:
Dyess AFB School Liaison phone number: DSN: 461-4591 and Comm: 325-696-4591Facebook Page: Dyess AFB School Liaison Office
Exceptional Family Member Support
The SL works with all the area schools to ensure quality education for families under the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) in conjunction with the school counselors, teachers, principals, base personnel, and local/state politicians/dignitaries to ensure compliance with federal and state laws governing education. The SL also works closely with the Exceptional Family Member Program-Family Support (EFMP-FS), the Exceptional Family Member Program-Medical (EFMP-M), and the Exceptional Family Member Program-Assignments (EFMP-A) to provide comprehensive assistance including Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and information and referral regarding educational, medical, financial, and social services resources to families. Homeschooling in Abilene
Homeschoolers are not regulated in the same ways that traditional or accredited private schools are regulated in Texas. Homeschools in Texas are private schools for the purpose of compulsory attendance and private schools are not regulated by the state (Texas does not regulate the number of days per year that private schools must be in session or the number of days a student must attend). There is also no minimum amount of hours of instruction for each day. The school district also has no authority to approve curricula used by private schools. Read more about the differences in regulation of private schools and homeschools in Texas on the Texas Home School Coalition website.
Dyess AFB has plenty of great support on base and throughout the community to enhance your child’s learning. There is a Dyess AFB Homeschoolers Group that meets several times each month for STEM activities at the base library, cooking class at the base chapel, and fellowship events around base and there are also special field trips offered on base.
There are also several popular off-base co-ops and learning groups for homeschoolers, including Big Country Home Educators (BCHE), Classical Conversations of Abilene, X Dot Academy, Abilene Homeschool Association, Big Country Homeschool Forum, and Friday School Homeschool Co-Op.
Extracurricular Participation for Homeschoolers
The Dyess AFB Youth Center offers one-hour Physical Education classes twice per week for military-connected homeschoolers for $50 per family per semester. Immunizations are required. Call 325-696-4797 to register.
Homeschool students are permitted to participate in the University Interscholastic League (UIL) athletic and arts programs within the district they are zoned. Contact the student services department at your zoned district for enrollment and your School Liaison if you would like to participate at a different school.
Other Community-Based Opportunities:
Abilene Youth Sports Authority offers open gym daily; X Dot Academy offers opportunities for homeschool athletic teams; Grace Museum Art Classes- three classes are held once a month (September-May) - pre-registration is required; Abilene Homeschool Choir; Abilene Zoo offers preschool and homeschool classes.
Texas Homeschool Coalition, National Homeschool Association, and Homeschool Legal Defense Association are all associations that educate homeschoolers on their rights and protections.
Contact the Dyess AFB School Liaison (DSN: 461-54591 and Comm: 325-696-4591) for more details on available resources and learning opportunities.