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.[4]
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.[5]
United ISD's land area exceeds that of
Delaware.[9]
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.[10]
Charles R. Borchers Elementary School, named for the former district attorney of the 49th Judicial District Court and former UISD board president
Charles Robert Borchers of Laredo
^"About United ISD". United I.S.D. Archived from
the original on November 10, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2011. The 1961-1962 school year was the first for UISD, serving about 340 students from first through ninth grades.