Only two* current DISD board members, Edwin Flores and Bernadette Nutall, have sent their children to traditional public schools in their neighborhood, and even then, only for a short stretch. Nutall also is one of only two board members who has opted for private school over DISD schools; the other is Dustin Marshall, who was plagued by private school questions during his 2016 and 2017 campaigns, both of which were close calls.

Two of the nine trustees, Joyce Foreman and Dan Micciche, don’t have children. Of the seven who do, five have school-age children, and four have a child attending a DISD school.

By and large, most trustees opt for one of the district’s specialized schools — either magnet schools with academic admission requirements or newer choice schools with lottery admission.

District 1: Edwin Flores

Currently zoned to: Anne Frank Elementary, Franklin Middle School, Hillcrest High School

Chosen schools: His two daughters attended a mix of traditional DISD schools — DeGolyer Elementary and T.C. Marsh Middle School — as well as magnets — Dealey Montessori elementary and middle school, and Booker T. Washington arts high school. His youngest daughter is will graduate this spring from Townview’s Talented and Gifted high school. Flores and his family also host exchange students; his current (and sixth) attends W.T. White High School.

District 2: Dustin Marshall

Currently zoned to: Preston Hollow Elementary, Franklin Middle School, Hillcrest High School

Chosen schools: His three oldest children attend Greenhill, a private school in Addison and Marshall’s alma mater, which he credits for much of his success in life. His youngest child isn’t old enough for school but Marshall hopes to send all four of his children to Greenhill.

District 3: Dan Micciche

Currently zoned to: Sanger Elementary, Gaston Middle School, Bryan Adams High School

Chosen schools: Micciche doesn’t have any children. “It just wasn’t in the cards,” he told us during a 2014 interview.

District 4: Jaime Resendez

Currently zoned to: Nancy Mosely Elementary, Young Men’s Leadership Academy at Florence Middle School or Young Women’s Steam Academy at Balch Springs, Spruce High School

Chosen schools: Resendez’ daughter attends Solar Preparatory, an all-girls, kindergarten through eighth-grade STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) school that opened in fall 2015 as a DISD school of choice.

District 5: Lew Blackburn

Currently zoned to: Carpenter Elementary, T.W. Browne Middle School, Kimball High School

Chosen schools: All of Blackburn’s children are DISD graduates and all of his grandchildren attend DISD schools. *When we pressed for specifics, Blackburn didn’t respond, so we don’t know which schools his children attended.

District 6: Joyce Foreman

Currently zoned to: Terry Elementary, Atwell Middle School, Carter High School

Chosen schools: Foreman doesn’t have any children.

District 7: Audrey Pinkerton

Currently zoned to: Rosemont Elementary, Greiner Middle School, Sunset High School

Chosen schools: Both of Pinkerton’s daughters attended Dallas magnet schools Harry Stone Montessori and Booker T. Washington, with one attending the Travis Talented and Gifted magnet in between. Her youngest is still at Booker T.

District 8: Miguel Solis

Currently zoned to: César Chávez Learning Center, Spence Middle School, North Dallas High School

Chosen schools: Solis’ first child was born last week. He plans to send her to a DISD school, his top preference being Solar Prep or one of the district’s four Montessori schools.

District 9: Bernadette Nutall

Currently zoned to: Edna Rowe Elementary, Harold Lang Middle School, Skyline Center

Chosen schools: Her oldest daughter attended DISD’s Billy Dade starting in pre-K (before it was converted into a middle school) then transferred to Hexter Elementary, then was admitted to Harry Stone for middle school and Townview for high school, where she graduated from the education cluster. Her youngest daughter attended Dallas Christian School in Mesquite starting in pre-K and remained at the private school through eighth-grade. She is now in her freshman year at the Townview law magnet.

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