Trina Perkins, namesake of Perkins Early Childhood Center.

A teacher replaced a trustee on the Princeton ISD school board in 2025 and the district added 1,388 students during the year for a total enrollment of 11,467.

PISD earned an overall B rating for the 2024-25 school year, according to Texas Education Agency accountability scores. The

Two campuses, Harper Elementary and Clark Middle School, received As, along with six more campuses with Bs.

Seven candidates for the PISD Board of Trustees were on the Nov. 4 ballot and educator Sonia Ledezma got 24.80% of the ballots cast. Incumbent Trustee John Campbell won a second term with 20.94%. Melissa Ait Belaid was third, followed by Trustee Julia Schmoker, Charlotte Wilson, Sam Nevarez and Kay McLaughlin.

Board members elected Carlos Cuellar as president in December, succeeding Cyndi Darland. Starla Sharpe was named vice president and Bianca Washington became secretary.

Darland spent half the year recovering from injuries received in a jet ski accident in June on Missouri’s Table Rock Lake.

Princeton Senior High School has new alumni following commencement exercises for the Class of 2025.

The 619 members of the Princeton Senior High School Class of 2025 received diplomas at the Credit Union of Texas Allen Event Center on May 22.

District officials moved into a new administration building in July, trustees approved raises for district personnel and proposed a property tax rate for the district of $1.2073 per $100 of property valuation, a nickel less than last year’s rate.

The total market value of the district’s 2025 tax roll was $8.5 billion with a taxable value of $5.6 billion after deferrals and exemption.

Under the raise plan, certified teachers with no experience to two years’ experience got a $1,000 pay bump, teachers with three to four years’ experience were given $2,500 per year and educators with five or more years got a $5,000 raise.

Non-classroom teachers received a raise of $2,000 and non-exempt workers got an extra $1 per hour. The district also increased the insurance contribution for employees.

Princeton students were faced with separation anxiety as classes began in the fall as the district implemented a systemwide ban on cell phones and other communication devices for all grades.

The school board also voted not to allow homeschooled students in the district to participate in extracurricular activities such as University Interscholastic League (UIL) competitions.

The PHS Panthers Princeton christened newly renovated Jackie Hendricks Stadium Aug. 30 with a 41-36 win over West Mesquite.

In October, PISD dedicated the Perkins Early Childhood Center with Trina Perkins present, and in December longtime superintendent and executive director of operations Phil Anthony retired after 24 years with the district.

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