I recently had the chance to visit with the new Superintendent of The Museum School, Loren Colman, tour their new space and learn more about East Dallas’ latest charter school! They are located off Garland Road behind the Gospel Light Eritrean Baptist Church, whom they share space with. They will open their doors for the first time on August 11^th. As of July, they have 151 kids registered for school, ranging from kindergarten age to fifth grade. Their long-term plan is to expand and grow and let the current student population continue through the 8^th grade. For the 2026-2027 school year, they will have 1 class per grade, with 7 classroom teachers, 2 special education teachers, 1 Explore Coordinator, 1 teaching assistant and 1 special populations coordinator.

The road for the school to get here has been long and competitive. Opening a new public charter school in Texas is a competitive and extensive process. During their application cycle with the State of Texas, 25 groups applied to open new public charter schools. After a thorough review process, the Texas Education Agency recommended six applicants to the State Board of Education. During the process, two of the six recommendations were ultimately not approved, leaving 4 authorized schools. One of those chose to delay it’s opening, leaving 3 new public charter schools opening in Texas for the 2026-2027 school year. The Museum school is proud to be one those 3 schools, and the only new Charter School opening in East Dallas! The TEA process requires applicants to demonstrate a strong academic model, financial sustainability, governance capacity, operational readiness, a community need and a long-term viable plan before receiving authorization.

One of the defining features of The Museum School is their “extended day” model. Students will spend the mornings focused on core academics, because research consistently shows students are most engaged and retain new learning best during the early hours of the day. In the afternoon, students will transition into their “Explorer Program”, where they will participate in enrichment experiences while the classroom teachers receive approximately two hours of protected planning time each day. The Explorer Program is much more than traditional “specials”, with ever student participating in experiences such as piano, visual arts, music, drama, makerspace and engineering, STEM exploration, physical education and wellness, museum-based learning, leadership development and targeted intervention or enrichment based on individual student needs. These experiences are led by Museum School staff alongside approximately 10 community partners who bring specialized expertise into the school every afternoon!

Before the school opens on August 11^th, they will have a Grand Opening event with a community ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, August 8^th at 10:30 am. They will have campus tours and a family orientation for founding families and community partners. This seems like an exciting new option for East Dallas families! If you are interested in more information or want to connect with the school, let me know!