EDUCATION BRIEFS
News from Austin Community College & Austin ISD
NUMBER TOKNOW participated in the district’s Day of Service on April 1 at the Central Texas Food Bank 40,000 The pounds of food sorted by Austin ISD staff and teachers who
AISD trustees talk early budget numbers, job cuts
BY GLORIE MARTINEZ
BALANCING THE BOOKS Austin ISD revealed planned budget cuts April 14. The district is facing a mounting deficit as leaders work to offer compensation increases and funding for economically disadvantaged students.
AUSTIN ISD Trustees discussed the district’s $1.5 billion preliminary budget, which includes more than 600 full-time job cuts and a $2 million fund for economically disadvan- taged students, at their April 14 meeting. To fund Title 1 campuses and compensation increases, the district is proposing about $52 million in cuts, including eliminating 375 positions from AISD’s central office and roughly 260 from schools—starting with attrition and unfilled vacancies. No campus-based employees have lost their jobs, according to the district April 14. The proposed budget allocates about $21 million for compensation increases. Teachers will receive a $1,000 increase in base pay and a 2% raise at the midpoint. Hourly pay for bus drivers may increase from $17 to $21 per hour, while the district’s hourly minimumwage could rise from $13.50 to $16 per hour. The Title I fund will support schools that need assistance raising money for extracurricular activities and clubs, such as chess, robotics and biking. Campuses can receive $25,000-$100,000. The board will vote on the final budget in June.
HIGHLIGHTS AUSTIN ISD The district
celebrated the grand opening of three modernized campuses—Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, Early College High School and Austin High School—in March and early April. The new Ann Richards SYWL campus features a media center, makerspace and new athletic fields. Eastside ECHS relocated from the former Johnson campus to the original L.C. Anderson site. Austin High School received several upgrades to its current location. TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY School districts in Texas will now be eligible for an adjustment in their operational minutes for the 2021-22 school year due to lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new change was announced March 29. Eligible districts will have access to funding they may not have received due to declining in-person attendance rates. It will only apply to the first four reporting periods of the current school year. AUSTIN ISD More than 2,300 new students enrolled in pre- kindergarten and kindergarten classes for the 2022-2023 school year. The district reports enrollment numbers for pre-K and kindergarten have already doubled from last spring. Austin ISD Next meetings: April 28 at 5:30 p.m. 4000 S. I-35, Austin www.austinisd.org Meetings are being held virtually and in person. MEETINGSWE COVER
$1.5 BILLION fiscal year 2022-23 proposed budget
$52 MILLION proposed budget cuts
635 proposed eliminated positions
$21 MILLION compensation increases proposed
SOURCE: AUSTIN ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
NewMendez charter partner approved
ACCmaintains tuition rates for ninth year
R E P O R T C A R D
Under the new 1882 Partnership with Third Future Schools, Austin ISD has these goals for improving Mendez Middle School: raising the current F grade to a D by the end of the 2022- 23 school year, and to a B in the next two years; increasing the number of economically disadvantaged students who meet grade- level academic requirements to 60% by 2025; and reducing the number of disciplinary actions against students on a yearly basis.
BY GLORIE MARTINEZ
BY DARCY SPRAGUE
AUSTIN ISD Trustees voted March 24 to approve a new 1882 Partnership that will allow char- ter-network Third Future Schools to run Mendez Middle School. A 1882 Partnership provides incentives for school districts to partner with charter and higher education schools, nonprofits or government entities to improve academic performance. This comes after the district announced it would stop offering sixth grade at Mendez in the 2022-23 school year.
AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE The regional college district announced April 5 that it will not raise tuition for next school year. The 2022-23 academic year represents the ninth year in which the community college has main- tained its rates, according to the press release. “The board of trustees wants to continue to encourage our citizens to attend college and get the skills they need to succeed,” ACC board Chair Nan McRaven said in the release.
SOURCE: AUSTIN ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION • APRIL 2022
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