Austin Independent School District: On the Rise

The Austin Independent School District (ISD) is a vibrant urban school district. Established in 1881, it serves the diverse populations of metropolitan Austin, including portions of Sunset Valley and San Leanna. Currently 110 schools are included in the Austin ISD, with over 82,000 students in attendance.

The Austin ISD faces the same kinds of challenges as most other large urban school districts. While Austin is considered one of the safest and best cities to live in, nearly ten percent of Austin families live below the poverty line. Cultural diversity is higher in Austin than in some other large cities, due in part to its proximity to Mexico and its welcoming attitude. It’s estimated that 57 different native languages are spoken in Austin, presenting unique difficulties to teachers and administrators in teaching students from non-English-speaking environments. The Austin ISD has faced this challenge squarely, identifying “highest-needs” schools and ensuring that the teachers at these schools are trained in recognizing and assisting high-risk students to reach their full potential.

Despite the financial situation of some residents in the Austin ISD, the community has generally responded favorably to bond issues and other measures designed to benefit the schools. This positive response has allowed improvements to existing facilities and the construction of new centers of learning. A five-year $519.5 million dollar bond issue was passed in 2004, providing funds to revitalize and modernize Austin schools. In 2008, a similar bond initiative for $347.3 million dollars was passed to upgrade and expand Austin ISD facilities once again, helping to ease the overcrowded conditions in some of the older schools. A state-of-the-art performing arts center is planned as well.

The Austin ISD is governed by a nine-member Board of Trustees. Meetings are scheduled twice monthly and are open to the public. One recent initiative implemented by the board is the Quality Teaching for English Learners Building the Base Institute, a program that helps teachers work with students whose native language is not English. The Austin ISD UpClose project enlists community leaders and parents to work together to improve the district’s performance. Parents and other influential members of the community serve as volunteers within the school district and work as a core group of advocates for various programs and changes. By encouraging parental involvement, the Austin ISD is able to offer a more beneficial educational experience for its students. Another important initiative is the REACH program, intended to improve compensation for school administrators and teachers in an effort to attract and retain the most qualified and experienced educators. The Austin ISD’s policy of staffing its highest-needs schools with its most qualified teachers has shown good results in terms of student retention and meeting educational goals.

The Austin ISD as a whole has been rated Academically Acceptable in recent years, and has met the requirements of the “No Child Left Behind” legislation. Steady improvement has been shown in test scores and other indicators, evidence that the Austin ISD is meeting the challenges of serving a racially and culturally diverse group of students. Seven schools within the Austin ISD have been honored as National Blue Ribbon Schools in recognition of their academic performance. Additionally, within the school district, seven elementary schools were rated Exemplary, the highest rating given by the Texas Education Agency Accountability Rating System, and seventeen other schools in the Austin ISD were given a Recognized rating for their educational achievements.

By improving physical facilities, instituting programs designed to help students achieve academically, reevaluating compensation for teachers and administrators, and working with a dedicated core of parents and community leaders, Austin ISD is positioning itself for educational excellence now and in years to come.