Kourtlan: From charter school to thriving in Dallas ISD 

DALLAS — As she watched her son help lead the David W. Carter High School swim team to a district championship last school year, Kathlyn Freeman thought about how much Dallas ISD has benefited her family.

Her son, Kourtlan Freeman, transferred from a charter school to attend the Innovation Design Entrepreneurship Academy at James W. Fannin, a personalized learning high school that is one of more than 100 choice school options offered in Dallas ISD. Students enrolled at a Dallas ISD choice school or program can participate in sports and extracurricular activities at their home school. In Kourtlan’s case, he joined David W. Carter High School’s swim team as a freshman last year.

“Participating in sports and extracurricular activities has helped Kourtlan grow academically and socially,” said Freeman. “We did not know what to expect when I decided to transfer him for the first time to a public school after attending charter schools all his life. It’s been such a great experience.”

Freeman wanted to transfer Kourtlan from a charter to public school so he could experience a more diverse school community that would help him learn about different cultures.

She has been very pleased because not only is Kourtlan surrounded by a broader diversity of students and staff, but he is also receiving a personalized education tailored to his needs and interests, which is what choice school options offer students in Dallas ISD.

“IDEA has given us an experience that we would not have found in a charter school,” Freeman said of Kourtlan’s school. “Dallas ISD offers many programs and inclusive environments for families, and there are a lot of opportunities for parents to get involved.”