United_Independent_School_District
United Independent School District
School district in Texas, United States
United Independent School District is a school district headquartered in Laredo, Texas.
| United Independent School District | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
201 Lindenwood Dr
United StatesLaredo, Texas | |
| Coordinates | 27.574168°N 99.480182°W / 27.574168; -99.480182 |
| District information | |
| Type | Public |
| Grades | PK-12 |
| Established | 1961[1] |
| Superintendent | David H. Gonzalez[2] |
| Schools | 42[3] |
| Budget | $367,034,000[3] |
| NCES District ID | 4843650[3] |
| Students and staff | |
| Students | 40,885 as of 2010[3] |
| Teachers | 2,538.01 (on an FTE basis)[3] |
| Student–teacher ratio | 16.11[3] |
| Other information | |
| Website | www |
The district was created in 1961 via the consolidation of the former Cactus, Johnson, and Nye school districts. The "Big Three" involved in the establishment of UISD were rancher Joe B. Finley, Amparo Gutierrez, and John W. Arndt, all of whom have schools named in their honor.
By the 2000s, United ISD had a rapidly growing student population due to the burgeoning populations of many colonias along the Texas-Mexico border. As of the 2000s, United ISD gains about 1,500 students per year.[4]
On November 5, 2013, voters handily approved a $408.7 million school bond issue to acquire land, construct new schools, and expand other facilities. The tabulation in a low-turnout election was 5,148 (66.1 percent) in support and 2,643 (33.9 percent) in opposition.[5]
In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" under the accountability ratings system used by the Texas Education Agency.[6]
UISD serves portions of the city of Laredo, the cities of El Cenizo and Rio Bravo, and several unincorporated areas in Webb County. The census-designated places include:[7]
- Bonanza Hills
- Botines
- Colorado Acres
- Four Points
- Hillside Acres
- La Coma
- La Moca Ranch
- La Presa
- Las Haciendas
- Las Pilas
- Laredo Ranchettes
- Laredo Ranchettes West
- Los Altos
- Los Arcos
- Los Centenarios
- Los Corralitos
- Los Fresnos
- Los Huisaches
- Los Minerales
- Los Nopalitos
- Los Veteranos I
- Los Veteranos II
- Pueblo East
- Pueblo Nuevo
- Ranchitos East
- Ranchitos Las Lomas
- Ranchos Penitas West
- San Carlos
- San Carlos II
- Sunset Acres
- Tanquecitos South Acres
- Tanquecitos South Acres II
- Valle Verde
It also serves Larga Vista, now a part of Laredo.[8]
Students in pre-Kindergarten through 8th grades are required to follow standardized dress code provided by the district; the dress code began during the 2006-2007 school year. Since the 2007-2008 school year, high school students are also required to follow the same standardized dress code procedures as approved by the Board of Trustees.
The Texas Education Agency specified that the parents and/or guardians of students zoned to a school with uniforms may apply for a waiver to opt out of the uniform policy so their children do not have to wear the uniform; parents must specify "bona fide" reasons, such as religious reasons or philosophical objections.
Shortly before the 2021-2022 school year, the Board of Trustees passed a "casual dress code". However, some restrictions still apply.[10]
High schools
- John B. Alexander High School (1994)
- Lyndon B. Johnson High School (2001)
- United High School (1963)
- United South High School (1990)
- Step Academy
Middle schools
- Antonio Gonzalez Middle School (2002)
- Clark Middle School (1978)
- George Washington Middle School (1995)
- Lamar Bruni Vergara Middle School (2006)
- Los Obispos Middle School (1996)
- Raul Perales Middle School (2018)
- Ricardo Molina Middle School (2022)
- Salvador Garcia Middle School (1995)
- Trautmann Middle School (1996)
- United Middle School (1984)
- United South Middle School (1990)
- Elias Herrera Middle School (2020)
- Roberto Ramirez Middle School (2024)
- John W. Arndt Elementary School
- Colonel Santos Benavides Elementary School
- Freedom Elementary School
- Charles R. Borchers Elementary School, named for the former district attorney of the 49th Judicial District Court and former UISD board president Charles Robert Borchers of Laredo
- Centeno Elementary School
- Clark Elementary School
- Henry Cuellar Elementary School
- De Llano Elementary School
- Barbara Fasken Elementary School
- Finley Elementary School
- National Blue Ribbon School 1998-99
- Freedom Elementary School
- Bonnie L. Garcia Elementary School
- Amparo Gutierrez Elementary School
- Juarez-Lincoln Elementary School
- Kazen Elementary School
- John F. Kennedy-Emiliano Zapata Elementary School
- Killam Elementary School
- Malakoff Elementary School
- Julia Bird Jones Muller Elementary School
- Newman Elementary School
- Nye Elementary School
- Perez Elementary School
- Prada Elementary School
- Roosevelt Elementary School
- Ruiz Elementary School
- Salinas Elementary School
- San Isidro Elementary School
- Roberto J. Santos Elementary School
- Trautmann Elementary School
- Veterans Memorial Elementary School
- Senator Judith Zaffirini Elementary School
- Former school
- United D.D. Hachar Elementary School
- "About United ISD". United I.S.D. Archived from the original on November 10, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
The 1961-1962 school year was the first for UISD, serving about 340 students from first through ninth grades.
- "Office of the Superintendent". United I.S.D. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- "Texas Colonias - A Thumbnail Sketch of the Conditions, Issues, Challenges and Opportunities" (PDF). Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2004. Retrieved June 16, 2009.
- "LISD, UISD school bonds pass as final voting results are released". Laredo Morning Times. Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
- "2009 Accountability Rating System". Texas Education Agency. Archived from the original on 2015-10-25.
- "SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2020 CENSUS): Webb County, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2021-04-19. - 2010 map
- "CENSUS 2000 BLOCK MAP: LARGA VISTA CDP" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2021-04-19..
- "District Maps". United Independent School District. Archived from the original on 2003-10-20. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
- "UISD announces updated dress code for new school year". KGNS. 2021-08-11. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
