Southwest Austin - Dripping Springs Edition | January 2025

Education

BY ELISABETH JIMENEZ

AISD reports progress on special education order

New DSISD school principal chosen

Austin ISD is making “signicant strides” in fullling an agreed order between the district and Texas Education Agency that rst came about in 2023 due to shortfalls in the special education department. There is still “work to be done,” ocials said in a news release. The gist The district has completed 74 of 99 action items detailed in the agreement, ocials said. The action items are associated with four main priority categories, including data management, completing outstanding special education evalua- tions, operational practices and family outreach. There are also items associated with a Lone Star Governance agreement. Lone Star Governance is a TEA program providing coaching and support to district governing bodies focused on improving student outcomes. The district must complete all action items to avoid a TEA-appointed conservator.

25 improvements remain AISD has yet to complete 25 action items detailed in an agreed order with the TEA. Completed Complete corrective action plans (Priority I) 20 Incomplete

Current Rooster Springs Elementary Principal Steve Novickas has been named principal for Dripping Springs ISD’s sixth elementary school. The details

Steve Novickas

Improve SPED procedures (Priority II) 28 19

Novickas has served six years as principal of Rooster Springs. He previously held the assistant principal position at Sycamore Springs Middle School, the district’s second middle school, which he assisted in opening, DSISD ocials said in a news release. The new school is slated to open for the 2025-26 school year. Novickas will begin transitioning to his new role in February. The district has begun the hiring process for the next Rooster Springs principal.

Parent outreach (Priority IV) 15 Data management (Priority III) 2

Lone Star Governance 9 6

DATA AS OF DEC. 12, 2024

SOURCE: AUSTIN ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

AISD calendars for next 2 school years approved The Austin ISD board of trustees approved the 2025-26 and 2026-27 academic calendars during a board meeting on Dec. 19, 2024. The details The 2025-26 calendar has students starting classes Aug. 19 and ending May 28, 2026.

2026-27

School year

2025-26

First day of school

Aug. 19, 2025 Aug. 18, 2026

The approved calendars include days o for the usual seasonal vacation times, such as spring, fall and winter breaks. The calendars also include faith-based and cultural observances. The total number of student instructional days for each academic year is 169, district ocials said.

Nov. 24-28, 2025

Fall break

Nov. 23-27, 2026

Student winter break

Dec. 22, 2025- Jan. 5, 2026 March 16-20, 2026

Dec. 21, 2026- Jan. 4, 2027 March 15-19, 2027

Spring break

For the 2026-27 calendar, students begin school Aug. 18, 2026 and nish class on May 27, 2027.

Last day of school

May 28, 2026 May 27, 2027

SOURCE: AUSTIN ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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