Education
BY ELLE BENT
Austin ISD receives $15M solar energy grant Austin ISD is the only district in Texas receiving a federal grant for solar panels on campuses. The grant totals $15 million and is awarded through the U.S. Department of Energy. District officials said this will impact 15 schools—14 of which will receive rooftop solar panels, and four of which will receive building automation controls, which monitor energy systems. “These solar panels will enable us to harvest the sun’s renewable energy, and building automation is going to let us monitor our HVAC systems in real time, helping better manage energy and mitigate potential problems,” AISD Director of Sustainabil- ity Darien Clary said. The district will increase its current 2 mega- watts of energy generated by existing panels by 5 megawatts, AISD Superintendent Matias Segura said, meaning AISD generates more solar energy than any other Texas school district.
DSISD attendance zones to change
Allison Elementary School Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders Eastside Early College High School Solar in schools The grant will impact the following schools:
Existing attendance boundaries in Dripping Springs ISD will be shifted by the 2025-26 school year as a new elementary school and the expansion of Sycamore Springs Middle School near completion in 2025. The two schools will add space for an additional 1,250 students combined, requiring rezoning, said DSISD superintendent Holly Morris-Kuentz. Morris-Kuentz said two committees are examining the boundaries: an administra- tive advisory committee and a community advisory committee. Demographer Population and Survey Ana- lysts will prepare an initial proposal for zoning and work with the district to finalize it. Community presentations on the rezoning will be held in October, and the board will approve it in December.
Govalle Elementary School Houston Elementary School LBJ Early College High School Norman-Sims Elementary School Rosedale School Sanchez Elementary School T.A. Brown Elementary School Widen Elementary School Liberal Arts and Science Academy Mendez Middle School Rodriguez Elementary Liberal Arts and Science Academy
Mendez Middle School Rodriguez Elementary Overton Elementary School
SOURCE: AUSTIN ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
DSISD math scores remain higher than state average As educators see math proficiency decline statewide, Dripping Springs ISD’s students in
Dripping Springs ISD Statewide
15 10 5
grade math, while scores have declined in sixth and seventh grade. The Algebra I end of course assessment saw little change in scores over the past five years. In 2020, the STAAR was not administered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A redesign of the STAAR was implemented in 2022-23 school year. Find out more about Austin ISD math scores on page 32.
-15 -10 -5 0 -20
third grade and above who take the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, continue to score above the state average in math subjects. Dripping Springs ISD is made up of over 8,700 students, and data from 2019 to 2024 show significant score improvement in third and fourth
SOURCES: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT NOTE: STAAR SPANISH SCORES NOT LISTED Math
Full-day Pre-K Needs Full-Day Funding
DID YOU KNOW?
The state requires full-day pre-K but only funds half the day.
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SOUTHWEST AUSTIN - DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION
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