Southwest Austin | Dripping Springs - May 2022

EDUCATION BRIEFS

News from Dripping Springs & Austin ISDs

COMPILED BY GLORIE MARTINEZ

HIGHLIGHTS AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE During its first in- person spring commencement since 2019 on May 13, Austin Community College celebrated a record number of graduates. Combined with the almost 3,400 graduates who were recognized at fall commencement in December, ACC recognized 7,080 graduate candidates this academic year. AUSTIN ISD Members of Austin ISD’s employees union Education Austin advocated for higher wages for the district’s classified employees at a school board meeting April 28. AISD’s preliminary budget for next school year includes increasing bus drivers’ minimum wage to $21 an hour and raising base pay for all classified employees to $16 an hour. Education Austin members urged the board to further increase teacher raises and adopt a $20 per hour minimum wage for all classified employees. DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD The school board unanimously approved joining an interlocal agreement with the Texas Association of School Boards’ Energy Cooperative at its April meeting. The agreement will allow Dripping Springs ISD new options for purchasing fuel and energy, including accessing a competitive group rate by purchasing fuel with other school districts and securing fuel at a fixed rate to offset fluctuating prices.

AISD expects to owe $846M in recapture AUSTIN ISD Record increases in Travis County property values drove up Austin ISD’s expected recapture payment from $800 million to $846 million, according to the district. Recapture refers to Texas legis- lation that requires property-rich school districts, such as AISD, to pay a portion of locally collected property tax revenue to the state, which then distributes the funds to Test score bump earns AISD funds AUSTIN ISD Early data shows that more economically disad- vantaged high school seniors in Austin ISD are meeting state readiness standards. As of April, AISD has seen an increase in graduating students meeting the criteria—from 29% to 34%—since the 2020-21 school year, a press advisory said. The advisory showed that about 625 of the district’s approximately 1,800 economi- cally disadvantaged graduates met readiness standards in 2020. Roughly 425 of those students ranked above the performance threshold set by the Texas Education Agency. The district

BALANCING THE BUDGET

Payroll costs 43%

Recapture 50.3%

As Austin ISD struggles to balance its budget amid declining enrollment, less than half of taxpayers’ dollars actually go to AISD’s budget. The rest goes to recapture.

Purchase and contracted services 3.8%

$1.68 BILLION

Other operations 1%

Supplies 1.8%

SOURCE: AUSTIN ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

property-poor districts. Due to rising property values, AISD has the highest recapture payment of all districts in the state—more than Houston, Plano and Midland, the next three highest-paying districts,

Dripping Springs ISD plans for growth DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD Following a 10% increase in student enrollment in 2021-22, Dripping Springs ISD is expecting a similar rate next school year, Superintendent Holly Morris-Kuentz said at the State of the District on April 27. To prepare for the next 5-10 years of enrollment growth, DSISD plans to purchase land and build several new schools, including a second comprehen- sive high school with a 2,500-student capacity, middle schools for up to 1,200 students and an elementary school. The district is also considering expanding existing facilities, including Sycamore Springs Middle School and modifying the Dripping Springs High School stadium to accommodate a second high school. combined. The district also faces declining enrollment, which reduces the district’s income. Less than half of every dollar collected from Austin taxpayers goes to AISD.

EXCEEDING STATE STANDARDS More economically disadvantaged students met grade standards than last year.

rough number of economically disadvantaged students

1,800

met state readiness standards

MEETINGS WE COVER

exceeded a state threshold that qualifies the district for a $5,000 bonus per student

625

Austin ISD Meets: June 9 at 5:30 p.m.

425

4000 S. I-35, Austin www.austinisd.org Dripping Springs ISD Meets: May 23 6 p.m. 510 W. Mercer St., Dripping Springs www.dsisdtx.us Meetings are being held virtually and in person.

SOURCE: AUSTIN ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

receives a $5,000 bonus per stu- dent who exceeds those metrics.

Southwest Austin 9217 Highway 290 West Suite 140 / 512.531.9353 www.CordovanArtSchool.com

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SOUTHWEST AUSTIN - DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION • MAY 2022

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