Richardson ISD Earns Texas Way District of Distinction

Richardson ISD earned the Texas Way District of Distinction designation for the 2025-2026 school year, recognizing the district's character and sportsmanship standards in athletics.

The Texas High School Coaches Association, Texas High School Athletic Directors Association, and 2Words Character Development oversee the program. Richardson ISD met benchmarks in character development, sportsmanship, and community service.

The program centers on three pledges: Respect for Others requires participants to respect coaches, players, officials, and fans. Control of Self demands boundaries on thoughts, words, and actions during competition. The Spirit of Competition pushes athletes to give full effort without compromising integrity.

"This recognition reflects the commitment of our coaches, student-athletes, and community to compete with integrity," said Lonnie Jordan, Richardson ISD Executive Director of Athletics.

The district embeds character development into athletics alongside sport-specific training, treating competition as part of developing accountability and work ethic in student-athletes. Districts reapply annually to maintain the distinction.