
DeSoto Independent School District
Hear from Tanya Dillard about the supportive energy in the DeSoto Independent School District.
Meet Tanya Dillard
Teacher Ambassador

DeSoto is a small district, that’s why I love working here! I have a lot of support from the administration and everyone knows each other’s family, which is so wonderful.

Teaching
- 7-8th Grade Math Teacher
Education
Awards
- 2016 Secondary Teacher of the Year
Teacher Certification Program
Why I Teach
I attended the University of Texas at Arlington and worked for almost two decades at General Electric as an accountant. Over the years, I began feeling bored and unfulfilled in my job. I realized that I wanted to make an impact on peoples’ lives as a living. After 17 years working in accounting, I decided to become a teacher in my home city of DeSoto.
Being a teacher is amazing because you can make an impact on people every day. I believe that to get a child to perform and be excited about class, you must have a relationship with them.
“I think all kids have the potential to be successful in life if you just let them see what they’re capable of."
DeSoto ISD by the numbers
613
Dedicated Teachers
9,716
Students
$58.5K
New Teacher Starting Salary
About DeSoto ISD
DeSoto’s mission is to prepare students academically and socially, to be problem solvers and productive citizens. With a current enrollment over 9,800 students, DeSoto ISD is a small, suburban district 15 miles south of Dallas. The district enjoys community support of academics and athletics, along with taxpayer support for upgraded facilities, technology and instructional. Every school in DeSoto ISD provides outstanding academic instruction supported by pyramids of intervention, enrichment, and privileges. In DeSoto ISD, the Class of 2016 had over 525 graduates that earned over $9M in scholarships and has the only area high school that is part of the TCU Community Scholars program.
Through BYOD, computer leasing programs, and technology-rich curriculum, students are learning on state-of-the-art equipment by trained teachers. Additionally, DeSoto ISD has safety enhancements including secured facilities and crisis management procedures for all situations in partnership with local first responder. DeSoto ISD is committed to empowering all students with knowledge and skills to become competitive analytical thinkers who work collaboratively and individually in the pursuit of future endeavors.