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Education

Austin ISD school board approves deficit budget as recapture payment nears $1 billion

The Austin ISD Board of Trustees has adopted a deficit budget for the next fiscal year, which starts July 1. The vote happened a little before 1 a.m. Friday. The deficit was not a surprise. Back in May, the board approved significant…

Austin ISD requests review of state’s plan to manage its special education department

The Austin Independent School District announced Monday that it is requesting an informal review of the state’s plan to oversee the district’s special education department. Texas Education Agency officials announced last month that they wanted to install conservators because Austin…

There's no easy fix to Austin ISD's special education evaluation backlog. Students are left waiting.

Kathryn Whitley Chu’s daughter was 2 and a half years old when the COVID-19 pandemic began. While stuck at home, her family had gotten used to the way the young girl spoke. But when she returned to preschool 17 months later,…

Travis County celebrated teaching Black history, despite attempts to ban it

The Travis County Commissioners Court officially proclaimed February 2023 as Black History Month in a unanimous vote last month. The proclamation was made in conjunction with the Austin Independent School District’s celebration of African American heritage. Commissioners drew attention to…

AISD celebrates $4 million in federal educational funds to boost outdoor learning, college prep

The Austin Independent School District is celebrating $4 million in federal appropriations that will expand outdoor learning and college prep for students. The district commemorated the funding at a Tuesday press conference held at St. Elmo Elementary School in South…

What's at stake in the Texas school voucher debate

Three terms are coming up over and over again this legislative session: school choice, school vouchers and education savings accounts. They’re all related to the goal of giving families state money to send their kids to nonpublic schools. One of…

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Austin ISD expects to complete all 2022 bond projects in the next six years

Lee esta historia en español. The Austin Independent School District plans to modernize more than two dozen campuses over the next six years. Some campuses will be partially renovated, while others will be completely rebuilt. The projects are part of…

Austin ISD is looking for a new superintendent. The school board says community input is key.

The Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees is hammering out the details for its superintendent search. Trustees held a board retreat Monday with GR Recruiting, the search firm it hired last month to help find the district’s next leader. The meeting…

Austin leaders brace for state lawmakers to take up bills restricting library content and resources

After Texas lawmakers placed limitations on how Texas teachers approach lessons on history and racism and passed anti-trans legislation in recent sessions, Austin leaders are preparing for further action on these fronts when the Legislature convenes for its 88th session…

Austin ISD school board approves protections for construction workers ahead of bond election

The Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees has signed off on a resolution to improve labor standards for any construction projects on district property. The board approved the measure at a meeting Thursday. The trustees passed the measure ahead of the…

Austin ISD is trying to fill more than 150 teacher vacancies days into the new school year

Lee esta historia en español The Austin Independent School District is continuing to recruit and hire teachers days into the new school year that began Monday. Austin ISD started the summer with more than 1,000 teacher vacancies, the highest number…

Austin ISD earns a 'B' rating from Texas Education Agency

Austin Independent School District earned an overall grade of “B” from the Texas Education Agency’s school accountability system, which is based in part on standardized testing scores. TEA issued the grades on Monday for the first time since before the Covid-19…

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