History and Community

History and Community

Our place in Alamo City history

While San Antonio public schools were established by the City Council in 1854, it wasn't until May 2, 1899, that the school system became an independent district. The schools were separated from city control with the formation of their own Board of Trustees, serving at-large. Four years later, in 1903, the District received its first charter from the state of Texas.

SAISD ranks third in student population among the 15 school districts that are entirely or primarily within Bexar County. We are the 13th largest of the 1,057 school districts in Texas. We encompass 79 square miles and have a total population of 315,714 (2000 U.S. Census). Most of the District is within the city limits of San Antonio, but also serves parts of the cities of Olmos Park and Balcones Heights and a small unincorporated area of east Bexar County. SAISD is represented by seven School Board members, now elected by place, who have done their 1899 counterparts proud! Honors earned for leadership include:

-  2007 Good Governance Matters Award from TASB/TASA, the

   Texas Association of School Boards/Texas Association of

   School Administrators

-  2005 TASB/TASA Honor Board

-  2005 Urban School Board of Excellence award finalist.

Our place in the Alamo City community

Our residents live in the hub of what American humorist Will Rogers rightly called one of America's four unique cities. SAISD is a family-oriented, urban community of thriving neighborhoods, well-established businesses, including the downtown central business district, historic sites, active worship centers, world-renowned museums, excellent restaurants and recreational facilities. Supreme among our city’s featured attractions are first class institutes of education, ours and those that many from SAISD go on to attend.

Higher Education – We share the inner-city with most of Bexar County’s colleges and universities, some of which are internationally-recognized. They are: Our Lady of the Lake University; St. Mary's University; Trinity University; University of the Incarnate Word; University of Mexico in San Antonio (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico); the University of Texas at San Antonio’s downtown campus; and the Alamo Community Colleges.

Cultural Diversity - Living in a school district as diverse and historically rich as the city whose name it shares, SAISD residents enjoy easy access to a variety of activities. Those pursuing cultural outings will find major museums such as the Museo Alameda, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institute boasting the nation’s largest Latino collection; the San Antonio Museum of Art, and the Witte Museum; art galleries; ballets; libraries; the Botanical Center; the Institute of Texan Cultures; Scobee Planetarium; the Southwest Craft Center and the Spanish Governor’s Palace, to name a few. Enjoy a performance by the San Antonio Symphony or catch a Broadway show, opera or concert in the splendor of one of downtown’s impeccably-restored historic theaters. Also a shopper’s paradise, the city’s vibrant downtown offers options ranging from the ultra-modern Rivercenter Mall, to the historic La Villita, festive Market Square, El Mercado, and along the Riverwalk. Or explore the eclectic offerings in Southtown, on the fringe of San Antonio’s central business district. Recreational opportunities include the Brackenridge Park and Zoo, HemisFair Park and Tower of Americas, San Pedro Springs Park and Woodlawn Lake Park. And be sure to take time to discover how it all began by following the historic Mission Trail — and don't forget the Alamo!  — all within SAISD.

That Home Town Feel - One of San Antonio's most outstanding assets is the preservation of its historic sites and neighborhoods, most of which are found within SAISD These include the city’s registered residential historic districts of Dignowity Hill, Fulton Avenue, Government Hill, King William, Lavaca, Monte Vista, and Monticello Park. All have strong, active neighborhood associations, with styles of houses ranging from early Texas pioneer, late 1800s Colonial, Mediterranean and Spanish-style mansions to 1920s bungalows, 1930s art deco designs, and more modern homes, along with  trendy urban chic lofts giving new life and identity to former factories and warehouses.

Providing an insightful glimpse into San Antonio’s rich past while serving as inspiring examples of the art of preservation are the commercial and recreational historic districts in SAISD. These are Alamo Plaza, Arsenal, Auditorium Circle, Cattleman Square,  HemisFair, La Villita, the Old Lone Star Brewery (now the San Antonio Museum of Art), Main and Military Plaza, Mission, St. Paul Square, Ursuline Academy (now the Southwest School of Art and Craft), and Woodlawn Lake Park.

SAISD also is home to Bexar County’s largest number of sites selected for the National Register of Historic Places, including four of the District’s properties. Additionally, many neighborhoods and properties designated “historically significant” reside in SAISD.

Fiesta City USA - Each April downtown hosts Fiesta's signature festivities and parades, while June means the multicultural Texas Folklife Festival at the Institute of Texan Cultures. Festivals, in fact, are a way of life in San Antonio, whether the observance focuses on our rich heritage, our love of the arts or simply our love of life.