Alief ISD superintendent announces all‑girls STEM school after $1 million donation

Dr. Anthony Mays, superintendent of ALIEF ISD, announced that the district will open its first gender‑based, all‑girls school focused on science, technology, engineering and math in the 2026–27 school year, backed by a $1,000,000 donation from the All Girl School Leadership Network.

Mays said the announcement grew out of the district’s strategic‑planning process and multiple family surveys that ranked STEM as the top priority and performing/visual arts as a close second. “STEM was number one,” he said, adding that the single‑gender option placed third in parent responses.

Mays credited recent district actions and community feedback for creating more in‑district pathways for students: “If a student wants to do fine arts, you’re not waiting until you get to high school; you’re gonna get fine arts from elementary to middle school to intermediate school,” he said, using those same principles to describe the planned all‑girls STEM campus.

The superintendent said the $1,000,000 gift will support the school’s launch; he described the donation as coming from the All Girl School Leadership Network. He framed the new campus as part of a broader effort to increase access to high‑quality programs and to retain families who might otherwise enroll elsewhere.

Mays also tied the program development to workforce and college goals: he said the district wants students to leave ALIEF with skills that allow them to pursue higher education or enter the workforce in high‑paying STEM fields. He portrayed the new school as one component of those longer‑term goals.

Next steps: Mays said district staff will continue outreach and planning with families in the months ahead. He characterized the announcement as part of an ongoing listening and implementation cycle; no opening date beyond the 2026–27 school year was specified in the recording.