Dallas College

Dallas College was founded as the Dallas County Junior College District in 1965, and became known as the Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) in 1972. The first campus, El Centro College, was established in 1966 in downtown Dallas. Bill J. Priest served as the founding chancellor from 1965 until his retirement in 1981. In Spring of 2026, the college opened the Paris Andrews School of Video Game Design.

Consolidation

In February 2020, the Dallas County Community College District announced a plan to consolidate its seven constituent institutions, which at the time were separately accredited, into one accredited institution with multiple campuses. The move was primarily aimed at simplifying the enrollment process and graduation requirements. Students originally needed to complete at least 25% of credits at one campus; the merger removed this requirement.

The merger was approved by accreditor SACSCOC on June 12, 2020. In tandem, the district changed its name to Dallas College, repositioning its former constituent institutions as campuses (e.g., Brookhaven College became Dallas College Brookhaven Campus).

The merger was controversial among faculty, as it resulted in layoffs, changes to campus culture, and a more centralized governance structure. In particular, the college eliminated its rolling three-year faculty contracts in favor of one-year contracts, which substantially weakened job security for full-time faculty. In October 2021, roughly a year after the consolidation, full-time faculty passed a resolution of no confidence against then-chancellor Dr. Joe May.

As defined by the Texas Legislature, the official service area of Dallas College consists of Dallas County and the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District, a portion of which is in adjacent Denton County.

Dallas College maintains an "open-door" admissions policy regarding new students, allowing many people to attend college who otherwise might not be able to do so.

Dallas College has seven primary campuses. Prior to the 2020 consolidation, each of these institutions were separately accredited.

Centers

In addition to the seven campuses, Dallas College has centers which either serve surrounding communities or are used for specific purposes. Prior to the 2020 consolidation, each center was associated with a specific campus.

The Dallas College board of trustees consists of seven members who are entrusted with governing the district. The board defines the vision of the district, serves as a liaison between the district and the community, approves annual budgets and sets policies, among other responsibilities. Board members are elected officials who serve six-year terms without compensation.