Tag Archives: Austin ISD board

June 17, 2019 Meeting Follow Up

1.      Public Comment

  • All 30 slots filled
    • Speakers spoke out against the district’s continued partnership with Celebration Church, arguing that makes AISD a less inclusive space for LGBTQ students.
    • People spoke on both sides of sex education curriculum debate. Some urged Trustees to approve the new curriculum in August, and others believe the curriculum is inappropriate and the selection process was flawed.

2.      Public Hearing

  • 4 people signed up to speak
  • All thanked the Trustees for the new employee compensation plan, giving teachers, counselors, and librarians with 5 years experience a 7% raise, and all other employees a 6% raise.

3.      Consent Agenda & Considerations

  • Consent Agenda Items 10.1 – 11.3, 11.6 – 11.7, 12.2 – 13.5 passed unanimously
    • Appointment of the Principal Hill ES and approval of various MOUs with universities
  • Items Pulled for Separate Vote
  • Appointment of an Equity Officer for AISD
  • Adoption of proposed Texas Association of School Boards’ advocacy agenda
    • Read all of TASB’s resolutions on BoardDocs Item 14.8

4.      Superintendent’s Report

  • Recommended FY2020 Budget
  • Employee Compensation Plan includes across the board raises for school employees.
  • Dress Code Update
    • The board voted to update the district’s dress code for the first time since 2007. AISD said the goal of the update was to make sure students aren’t disciplined for clothing choices based on gender, gender identity, racial identity, religion, sexual orientation or body type.

 

May 20, 2019 Meeting Follow Up

1.      Public Comment

  • All 30 slots filled
    • Education Austin organized teachers and school staff to speak out about the proposed 1 percent raise. Speakers asked for a 10 percent raise for all employees, noting that the state is poised to fund AISD at historic levels.
    • Speakers also addressed concerns about the Guiding Principles, wondering whether the document sufficiently ensures that school changes will be made equitably.

2.      Consent Agenda & Considerations

  • Consent Agenda passed unanimously
  • Items Pulled for Separate Vote
    • 6: Hazardous routes approved unanimously.
    • 9: Contract with Addision Group for temporary employees for Human Resources and Finance department approved unanimously. Admin explained that IT support/technical positions are difficult to fill and they need recruiting support.
    • 11: Contract for student growth assessment data and software approved unanimously

3.      Superintendent’s Report

  • Professional Pathways for Teachers (PPfT) Presentation
    • PPfT is a human capital system that provides supplemental compensation for teachers on one of three leadership “pathways”: (1) literacy, (2) social and emotional learning, or (3) transformative technology. Teachers can work towards a series of micro-credentials, earning points that can increase their base salary.
  • Guiding Principles
    • Trustees voted to approve the Guiding Principles, a document that will provide guidance for administration as they move forward with school repurposing, consolidations, and closures, passed 8-0-1. Trustee Singh opposed.
    • Amendment reading “Cap percentage of economically disadvantaged students experiencing school closures after more information has been received and after the equity officer has been hired.” approved 5-4. Trustees Ashe, Wagner, Elenz, and Rodriguez voted against.

May 20, 2019, Regular Board Meeting

KEY ITEMS: Discussion of repurposing, consolidation, & more efficient use of schools & facilities

 7:25 PM   Public Comment

  • Up to 30 members of the community may speak for 2 minutes

 8:35 PM Consent Agenda

  • Human Resources
    1. Appointment of Principal of Joslin ES, Lanier HS, Linder ES, Pease ES, and Ridgetop ES
    2. Appointment of Executive Director for Human Resource Services
    3. Appointment of Executive Director, School Leadership – Elementary Schools
  • Items for Separate Vote
    1. Approval of wastewater and water utility easements with the City of Austin for Doss ES

8:30 PM Superintendent’s Report

  • School Changes
    1. The Board will approve Guiding Principles for the School Changes process work on repurposing, consolidation, and better facilities planning
    2. Region Map

Austin Independent School District School Board. https://www.austinisd.org/board 

March 25, 2018 Meeting Follow Up

1. Public Comment

  • All 30 slots filled
    • Speakers voiced opinions for and against the renaming of Sidney Lanier HS
    • AISD employees spoke out against a reorganization of the Academics & SEL departments

2. Consent Agenda & Considerations

  • Consent Agenda Items 8.1 – 10.1; 10.3 – 12.2 passed unanimously, including:
    • Contract with United Way for early childhood services; Statesman Article
    • Appointment of the Principal of Williams ES
  • Items Pulled for Separate Vote
    • Agreement with the City of Austin to provide funding for the startup costs for pre-K classrooms for 3 year-olds. City of Austin has agreed to give AISD up to $80,000 for furniture, curriculum and supplies. Read the agreement here.
      • Passed 8-0-1, Trustee Wagner abstains because of her work with the City of Austin
    • Agreement with UT for teacher and administrator prep programs passed 8-0-1, Trustee Elenz abstains because of her work with UT

3. Superintendent’s Report

March 25, 2019, Regular Board Meeting

KEY ITEMS: School Renaming, Dual Language Implementation Report

 7:25 PM   Public Comment

  • Up to 30 members of the community may speak for 2 minutes

 8:35 PM Consent Agenda

  • Academics & Curriculum
    1. Contract with United Way of Austin for Early Childhood Innovation Initiative under SB 1882
    2. 2019 Instructional Materials Adoption Recommendations
    3. Instructional Materials Allotment and TEKS Certification for SY 2019 -20
  • Business & Finance
    1. Contract for air conditioning, heating maintenance, and repair services and enterprise backup system
    2. Software for Special Education, 504, and related services
    3. Monthly Budget Amendment Report for February 2019
  • Facilities
    1. Contract for renovations at Anderson HS, Kealing MS, Martin MS, and Pecan Springs ES
  • Human Resources
    1. Appointment of Principal of Williams ES
  • Items for Separate Vote
    1. Interlocal Agreement with City of Austin regarding funding for start-up costs for PK3 classrooms
    2. Interlocal Agreement with the UT Austin for 2019 UT PREP Summer Program
    3. Memorandum of Understanding of Austin ISD and UT Department of Education Leadership and Policy for Principalship Preparation and Residency

9:05 PM Superintendent’s Report

  • Dual Language Program, see report analyzing Dual Language implementation
  • School Name Changes (Possible Actions)

February 24, 2019 Meeting Follow Up

1.      Public Comment

  • All 30 slots were filled
    • Most speakers signed up to address the board’s vote on updating the scope and sequence of Human Sexuality and Responsibility curriculum

2.      Consent Agenda & Considerations

3.      President’s Report

  • Austin ISD will be hiring a new Equity Officer and drafting an equity policy

4.      Superintendent’s Report

  • Trustee LaTisha Anderson made a motion to rename Reagan Early College High School, Northeast Early College High School. The motion was approved 8-1-0; Trustee Teich opposed citing that the community doesn’t want this change and the high cost associated with name changes. Trustee Mathias also asked the board to turn its attention to west Austin schools with Confederate namesakes like Lamar MS and Austin HS.
  • Board approves Reinvention Roadmap for repurposing, consolidations, boundaries and better facilities unanimously, see timeline & story from Austin American Statesman.

February 25, 2019, Regular Board Meeting

KEY ITEMS: Superintendent’s School Consolidations Update

7:25 PM   Public Comment

  • Up to 30 members of the community may speak for 2 minutes

 8:35 PM Consent Agenda

  • Academics & Curriculum
    1. MOU with ACC for Ready, Set, Teach Program
    2. Human Sexuality and Responsibility Scope and Sequence Revision for Grades 3 – 8
      1. The Board is putting out a request for proposals for human sexuality and responsibility curriculum that will “include the most current scientifically accurate information regarding child and adolescent health issues, contraception, and accurate information on failure rates, and risk reduction of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV,” as required by Board policy.
  • Facilities
    1. Contract for construction manager-at-risk firms for school modernization projects
    2. Contract for renovations at Allison ES, Akins HS, Casey ES, Highland Park ES, Kealing MS, Mathews ES, Odom ES, and Pleasant Hill ES
  • Human Resources
    1. Appointment of the Executive Director for Special Education for Austin ISD
  • Policy
    1. TASB Policy Update 112, see BoardDocs Agenda Item 15.1 for all changes am

 9:05 PM President’s Report

  • Equity Policy Update

9:10 PM Superintendent’s Report

  • African American History Month (Statement)
  • School Name Changes (Possible Action)
  • Reinvention Roadmap for Repurposing, Consolidations, Boundaries and Better Facilities, see draft timeline here (Action)

Feburary 4, 2019 Meeting Follow Up

1.      Public Comment:

  • Only 22 of 30 slots were filled
    • Many speakers addressing changes to sex education curriculum, school renaming, and Celebration Church.

2.      Public Hearing: Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR)

  • 2017-2018 TAPR data was released in December 2018 providing school-level performance and demographic data. Check out your school’s TAPR here.
  • No one signed up to speak

3.      Consent Agenda & Considerations

  • Consent Agenda passed unanimously
  • Board approved 2019 – 2020 Instructional Calendar 8-0-1
    • Austin ISD adopts 2019-20 school calendar. Here’s what changed – Statesman
    • Trustee Mathias abstained after discussion of including formal recognition of days celebrating Hispanic leaders on the calendar, as with Martin Luther King Day. Response was that the calendar was only to show days off from school.
    • 2020 Graduation will be taking place between Friday May 22, 2020 and Thursday, May 28th, 2020 coinciding with the end of school.

November 26, 2018 Meeting Follow Up

1. Swearing in of New Trustees

  • District 1: LaTisha Anderson
  • District 4: Trustee Kristin Ashy
  • At-Large: Runoff Election

2. Public Comment

  • 20 slots were filled, remaining slots filled by waitlist
  • Speakers voiced support for renaming Fulmore after Sarah Lively
  • Teachers spoke in opposition to increasing class sizes and reducing planning time

3. Consent Agenda & Considerations

  • Consent Agenda items 11.1 to 14.3 passed unanimously 7-0-0
  • Consent Agenda items 15.1 to 15.3 passed 7-0-1; Trustee Elenz abstained
    • Various interlocal contracts between AISD and UT
  • Item 10.1 Adoption of Instructional Materials Adoption Committee; Board voted to move item to next meeting to give administration time to increase number of Certified Academic Language Therapists (CALTs) on the committee 7-1-0; Trustee Mathias opposed. He was adamant that this would slow down the process of delivering new materials.

4. Superintendent’s Report

  • School Name Changes
    • Board voted to rename Allan campus after Anita Ferrales Coy 6-1-1; Trustee Teich opposed and Trustee Ashy abstained
    • Read about Allan Renaming Committee’s process and recommendation here
    • Trustees chose not to make motions for renaming other schools so there were no other votes.
  • Budget Priorities
    • If the status quo of declining enrollment and increasing recapture continues, reserves will be exhausted in the next few years. CFO, Nicole Conley Johnson Anticipates a $60 million budget shortfall next year.
    • AISD’s Budget Priorities are that Every Child Will:
      • Thrive in exemplary schools
      • Read on level by 3rd grade
      • Excel with exceptional teachers
    • Budget Stabilization Task Force to deliver their recommendations on Dec. 14
    • Austin ISD faces unpopular options to fix budget: closing schools and redrawing boundaries

August 27, 2018, Regular Board Meeting

KEY ITEMS:  Accountability Results & Tax Rate

 7:25 PM   Public Comment

  • Up to 30 members of the community may speak for 2 minutes

8:35 PM Consent Agenda

  • Academics & Curriculum
    1. Approval for Memorandum of Agreement between AISD and Texas School for the Deaf, and AISD and Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
    2. 2018 – 2019 Service Agreements with Seedling Foundation & Communities in School
    3. 2018 – 2018 Notice of Grant Award: ACE Texas 21st Century Learning Center
    4. Establishment of a Local Graduation Committee as an alternative for students graduating under TAKS
  • Business & Finance
    1. Contracts for Compostable & Reusable Food Trays & Rapid Response Services
    2. Amendment to a contract for School Mental Health Centers at Anderson, Bowie, and Crockett High Schools
    3. Interlocal Agreement with Integral Care for 16 School Mental Health Center
    4. Budget Amendment for FY2018-19
    5. Approval of FY2019-20 and 2020-21 Budget Development Calendar
    6. Annual Review of the AISD Debt Management Policy
  • Facilities
    1. Contract for repair and replacement of selected roof areas at Lamar MS and HVAC units in portable classrooms at various AISD facilities
  • Human Resources
    1. DEC (LOCAL) Policy Revision
    2. Appointment of the Associate Superintendent of Middle Schools for AISD
    3. Appointment of the Executive Director of Middle Schools & Exec. Director of High Schools
  • Items for Separate Vote
    1. Agreement with College Board for PSAT/NMSQT Early Participation Program
    2. 2018-2019 Renewal of Interlocal Agreement with UT for Literacy First
    3. 2018-2019 Educational Experience Affiliation Agreement with UT School of Social Work

9:05 PM Superintendent’s Report

  • Certification of Graduation for students graduating under TAKS
  • Opening of Schools Report
  • Preliminary 2018 Accountability Results
  • Adoption of Ordinance Setting Tax Rate and Certain Exemptions: I&S Tax Rate and M&O Tax Rate