Forney ISD Announces Engage Opportunities for Elementary Campuses

On January 12, 2026 Forney ISD announced a multi-year, district-wide expansion of student engagement and career exploration.  Beginning fall 2026, new "Engage Opportunities" will begin to rollout at elementary campuses. This advancement is the culmination of a community-led effort to shape the future of education in the district.

Dr. Terry, Superintendent of Forney ISD, noted the excitement as large wooden boxes and delivery notices have appeared on elementary campuses as part of the marketing campaign leading up to the reveal.

“We had a committee come together of over 100 community members, students, staff, and business owners to help to forecast the future of education in Forney ISD.  We also asked for parent and student interests through surveys over the last year,” Dr. Terry said. “They all agreed; they want more engaging opportunities for their students.”

Based on this committee feedback and research, Forney ISD has set three long-term goals

1. For every child to have a meaningful adult relationship.
2. For every child to find a way to connect with an engaging opportunity within our schools.
3. For every child to explore career pathways even at an early age.

The district's strategy is heavily influenced by research from the Gallup Organization, which emphasizes that connecting students to their passions and interests early—fostering hope, wellbeing, and engagement—leads to lifelong success.

“Over the next few years, we are introducing an expansion of student programs through new Engage Opportunities at our elementary campuses. Our goal is simple: something for every Kindergarten through 4th grade student,” Dr. Terry added.

Coming in the Fall of 2026:

 

The new Engage Opportunities will be built directly into the school day, making them accessible to all kindergarten through 4th grade students on campus—no application required. In year one, kindergarten through 4th grade students zoned to one of the five campuses offering Engage Opportunities will be required to request their preferred opportunity available at that campus.  If your family lives outside the zone of a campus or is interested in an opportunity at another elementary campus, transfers within their secondary feeder pattern will be based on availability.

The announcement also includes a shift for the district’s signature OC experiences, as the Academies at the OC will shift grade-levels to offer 5th through 8th-grade academies including: Swim, Golf, Entrepreneurship, and Coding and Robotics and 5th-6th grade Theater. Additionally, Academies at the OC will be expanding to K-4 at Wilson, and Dual Language will be expanding to Jacobs.

 

For Blackburn, Johnson, Griffin, Willett, Crosby, and Criswell, the full details of campus Engage Opportunities will be unveiled in the future, with more box deliveries expected in the Fall of 2026.

Academies at the OC, the Dual Language Academy, and the Advanced Academics and Fine Arts Academy (AAFAA) will continue with an application process and program specific requirements.

“Whether it’s in the classroom, on the field, or on the stage, we are building a hopeful and exciting future for every child,” Dr. Terry concluded. “The future is bright, and it starts right here in our Forney ISD elementary schools!”

More information is coming including parent information sessions on February 3 and 9 at the OC. Please visit the Forney ISD website at www.forneyisd.net/engageopp for more information and a list of Frequently Asked Questions.