Lancaster ISD cites attendance gains but flags vaping as a major discipline challenge
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Summary
District attendance reached 92% and several campuses saw improvement, but administrators described a vaping "epidemic" that drove discipline cases and increased DAEP placements; the board formed a small committee to advise on House Bill 6 handbook changes.
Lancaster ISD officials reported districtwide attendance gains and said several campuses improved year over year, while also warning trustees about a surge in vaping and related disciplinary actions.
Dr. Jackson presented the attendance and discipline report, telling the board the district met a 92% attendance goal this year and that secondary campuses led improvement among the most‑improved schools. "This is our quick overview...This is our first time since we've been here where everybody's at 90%," Dr. Jackson said.
On discipline, Dr. Jackson described a large number of vape‑detector activations and cited vaping as a primary driver of suspensions and other disciplinary actions at middle and high schools. He said the district recorded 24,276 hits on high‑school vape detectors and 1,274 hits at the middle school this year. "We had 24,276 hits on our vape detectors," Dr. Jackson said, calling vaping an "epidemic" and describing district partnerships with MetroCare and Dallas Behavioral Health to provide student and family supports.
Dr. Jackson also noted an increase in DAEP (disciplinary alternative education program) enrollments and said some DAEP placements stem from expulsions or placements originating at charter schools; those placements affect Lancaster’s reported DAEP totals. He cited examples where incidents that led to long out‑of‑school placement involved circumstances such as students taking food off another student’s tray and stressed the need for careful investigation before long DAEP assignments.
Trustees and staff discussed recent state legislation (House Bill 6 and others) that change disciplinary options, including expanded options for in‑school suspensions and teacher removal authority. Dr. Jackson said the district is forming committees and will craft discipline and handbook responses tailored to the district. Trustees volunteered to serve on a House Bill 6 handbook committee; Trustees Cortez, Nichols and Mora volunteered.
District leaders said they will expand restorative practices, increase professional learning and provide additional social‑emotional and mental‑health supports to reduce repeat incidents and lower discipline counts next year.
