The Austin Independent School District is working on ways to cut its $60 million budget deficit in half during the next school year, while trying to limit the impact it will have on classrooms. Austin ISD is one of the many Central Texas districts facing tough choices because the state’s spending on public education has […]
AISD
Austin’s largest school district, AISD is the Austin Independent School District.
Posted inEducation
Austin-area schools overwhelmingly reject hiring chaplains as counselors
State Rep. James Talarico, an Austin Democrat, praised school boards across Texas on Thursday for rejecting a Republican-led effort to let religious chaplains provide mental health services to students. “We are here to celebrate an important victory in the fight against Christian nationalism,” Talarico said during a news conference at the Texas Capitol. “There was a […]
Posted inAISD
5 questions with Austin ISD’s new superintendent, Matias Segura
Lee esta historia en español About one year after Matias Segura became the Austin Independent School District’s interim superintendent, he now has the permanent job. The school board unanimously voted to appoint him to the role. Austin ISD has not had a permanent superintendent for about 18 months. Segura took over for the previous interim superintendent, Anthony Mays. […]
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Austin ISD will post superintendent job instead of conducting a national search
The Austin Independent School District is scrapping previous plans for a nationwide search to find a permanent superintendent. The Austin ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously Thursday to post the job starting Friday. School boards have the power to hire and fire superintendents, and Austin ISD Board President Arati Singh said when boards want to […]
Posted inEducation
Austin ISD hits key milestone to reduce backlog of special education evaluations
The Austin Independent School District this week met a key requirement outlined in a state-ordered plan to improve its special education services. The Texas Education Agency’s corrective action plan required Austin ISD to complete all overdue special education evaluations for which parental permission was obtained before the 2022-23 school year by Oct. 31. AISD also needed […]
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Austin ISD may still face conservatorship under the state’s alternative special ed plan
Austin Independent School District has released the plan that the Texas Education Agency proposed to improve special education services in the district. Interim Superintendent Matias Segura announced Wednesday that the TEA had presented the district an alternative to a special education conservatorship but shared few specifics during a news conference. TEA officials recommended a conservatorship after an investigation […]
Posted inAISD
Austin ISD making progress on school safety projects included in 2022 bond
Joslin Elementary School Principal ChaoLin Chang walked along the edge of the campus on Menchaca Road in South Austin, pointing to where a 6-foot-tall fence is going to be installed. “This is our existing fence. The new fence will pretty much (be) similar to this, so there’s continuity there,” he said as cars zipped by […]
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Austin ISD considers adding 70 police officers to comply with new Texas school safety law
Lee esta historia en español The Austin Independent School District is considering nearly doubling the size of its police department to comply with a new state law that takes effect Sept. 1. House Bill 3 is a piece of sweeping school safety legislation that Texas lawmakers passed this year in response to the Uvalde school shooting. HB […]
Posted inEducation
More Austin ISD students will eat breakfast for free after Texas ups funding for school meals
On a bright, hot July day, students trickle into the cafeteria at Akins Early College High School in South Austin. There, they can grab chicken, grilled cheese sandwiches, carrots and peas, fresh fruit and a roll for free. They’re greeted by Austin ISD employees, like Roland Cortez. Cortez, who is the food service manager at […]
Posted inEnergy
Austin ISD is getting federal money to install solar panels at more than a dozen campuses
The Austin Independent School District is one of two dozen school systems nationwide to get a new federal grant to make campuses more energy efficient. Austin ISD will receive nearly $15 million for its Solar for Schools project through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Renew America’s Schools grant program. The district will use the money to […]
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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 salary increases for district employees. The compensation package requires the district to spend up to […]
Posted inAISD
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 ISD was failing to meet the needs of students with disabilities. “We are requesting a […]