In the first meeting of 2017, Austin Independent School District staff presented mixed news to the board of trustees in its annual demographic report. This report is used to predict 10-year student enrollment trends within the district based on housing and mobility data. At Monday’s meeting, Beth Wilson, the district’s assistant director for planning services, […]
AISD Board of Trustees
This is the governing board of the Austin Independent School District. The board is comprised of two at-large members and seven district representatives.
Posted inAISD
AISD greenlights new scorecard
At Monday’s regular board meeting, Austin Independent School District trustees unanimously approved the new district scorecard, a steering document that will be used to evaluate Superintendent Paul Cruz’s performance in the future. The scorecard uses new initiatives to promote the desegregation of AISD schools, create data-driven metrics and improve the quality of teaching at failing schools. […]
Posted inElections
Seven residents vie for AISD seats
Today marks the first day of early voting, and the Austin Independent School District board of trustees has five seats up for grabs, with seven residents vying for spots. However, only two seats are being contested. Cindy Anderson and David Quintanilla both filed for Gina Hinojosa’s seat, at-large position eight. Hinojosa held the at-large seat […]
Posted inAISD
AISD backs off city amendment, for now
A potential disagreement between the city and Austin Independent School District board of trustees and staff was put on hold at the AISD board’s regular Monday meeting last week, when a motion to send a letter of opposition to City Council and the city’s Planning Commission failed in a rare vote of 0-4-3. The letter […]
Posted inAISD
AISD drafts district scorecard
The Austin Independent School District board of trustees spent Monday night hammering out what success will look like for the district at the conclusion of the 2016-2017 school year. Preliminary talks focused on the potential use of new approaches to “desegregating” AISD schools, improving the quality of teaching at failing schools and utilizing hard data […]
Posted inAISD
AISD has high hopes for restructured Special Ed Department
The Austin Independent School District board of trustees received an update at last week’s meeting on the recent restructuring of the Special Education Department. Board members heard from the new executive director of special education, Jean Bahney, about initiatives that should improve the district’s provision of special education services. According to the latest detailed Texas […]
Posted inAISD
AISD HUB policy gets final vetting
The Austin Independent School District board of trustees took a final look this week at the district’s proposed new historically underutilized business program, which is tentatively set to be implemented in mid-November. Contrary to past meetings, the Monday workshop meeting showed trustees to be largely in agreement about the program’s details. While AISD has long […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Planning Commission and AISD back charter school code change
Last week, City Hall was filled with people hoping to speak to the Planning Commission about proposed changes to how charter schools are built. And, though there are still details to be worked out, those amendments will be moving on to City Council. Both the Planning Commission and the Austin Independent School District Board of […]
Posted inAISD
AISD takes one look at equity gaps
Austin Independent School District staff presented trustees with a single-year data snapshot last Monday that showed obvious equity gaps within the district’s student population. However, the snapshot is only one piece of the district’s complete equity report, which is tentatively due in October. It’s been more than a year since the Texas Civil Rights Project sent […]
Posted inEducation
Austin Monitor Radio: AISD tax swap
Austin Independent School District trustees Paul Saldana and Gina Hinajosa join Austin Monitor publisher Mike Kanin to talk about a proposed tax swap between the district and the City of Austin. Sponsored by Austin Water. Post is embedded below. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/263085531″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
Posted inAISD
AISD’s financial woes: Why a tax swap?
Although Austin Independent School District trustees have been lamenting the district’s troubled financial state for more than a year, it may not be readily apparent what the problem is, particularly given recent news that the district is bringing in $1.3 billion in revenue. But in March, Mayor Steve Adler spoke of a possible “tax swap” […]
Posted inAISD
Historic commission postpones Robert E. Lee decision
Last month, the Austin Independent School District voted to change the name of Robert E. Lee Elementary school, which currently honors a Confederate general from the Civil War. Although renaming issues persist, the concern has largely been resolved. However, at the request of a group of Austinites, the Historic Landmark Commission considered at its Monday […]