United Independent School District is a school district headquartered in Laredo, Texas.

History

The district was created in 1961 via the consolidation of the former Cactus, Johnson, and Nye school districts. The "Big Three" involved in the establishment of UISD were rancher Joe B. Finley, Amparo Gutierrez, and John W. Arndt, all of whom have schools named in their honor. By the 2000s, United ISD had a rapidly growing student population due to the burgeoning populations of many colonias along the Texas-Mexico border. As of the 2000s, United ISD gains about 1,500 students per year. On November 5, 2013, voters handily approved a $408.7 million school bond issue to acquire land, construct new schools, and expand other facilities. The tabulation in a low-turnout election was 5,148 (66.1 percent) in support and 2,643 (33.9 percent) in opposition. In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" under the accountability ratings system used by the Texas Education Agency.

Service area

UISD serves portions of the city of Laredo, the cities of El Cenizo and Rio Bravo, and several unincorporated areas in Webb County. The census-designated places include: It also serves Larga Vista, now a part of Laredo. United ISD's land area exceeds that of Delaware.

Standardized dress

Students in pre-Kindergarten through 8th grades are required to follow standardized dress code provided by the district; the dress code began during the 2006-2007 school year. Since the 2007-2008 school year, high school students are also required to follow the same standardized dress code procedures as approved by the Board of Trustees. The Texas Education Agency specified that the parents and/or guardians of students zoned to a school with uniforms may apply for a waiver to opt out of the uniform policy so their children do not have to wear the uniform; parents must specify "bona fide" reasons, such as religious reasons or philosophical objections. Shortly before the 2021-2022 school year, the Board of Trustees passed a "casual dress code". However, some restrictions still apply.

Schools

High schools

Middle schools

Elementary schools