Austin ISD news, updates and more for April 20

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In this episode, we lead with an overview of Austin ISD Earth Week [https://www.austinisd.org/earthweek] activities running through May 1, highlighting ways families can engage with "Earth Art" and community improvement. A major focus of the episode is the district’s projected $181 million budget deficit for the 2026-27 school year. * We break down the primary drivers—including declining property values and lower enrollmen [https://www.austinisd.org/announcements/2026/04/08/message-from-superintendent-segura-budget-update]t—and discuss the potential deeper reductions being considered, such as changes to campus staffing levels and 15% cuts to non-staffing budgets. * We also provide details on how the community can participate in the virtual budget meeting on April 25 [https://www.austinisd.org/calendar/events/2026/04/25/budget-talks] and provide feedback through the district's Preliminary Budget Planning Survey [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfeIB3ycGYrGUEz-Ws7_VvXCkB3X1q3anHc-AnaEMDKdHTKOw/viewform]. The episode concludes by celebrating the people who make Austin ISD special. We highlight the "Love Your Library [https://fundraise.follettsoftware.com/c/support-austin-isds-libraries_3]" campaign to fund librarian-led campus grants and share a heartwarming spotlight on Dan Ruppa, a Zilker Elementary volunteer who brings live guitar music to the school cafeteria. Finally, we look ahead to the City of Austin’s official proclamation, "Austin ISD Volunteer Program Appreciation Day," on April 23 [https://www.austinisd.org/calendar/events/2026/04/23/austin-isd-volunteer-program-appreciation-day], which formally recognizes the thousands of volunteers who support our students and schools. For more information visit www.AustinISD.org [http://www.austinisd.org/]. And, don’ t forget to follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/austinisd], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/austinisd], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/AustinISDSchools] and Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/austinisd.bsky.social]! Transcript for the Austin ISD Podcast [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uMd6yVqLfJlXi1_Mkvk_2FTfz2Qp72Ei74q9SFN5T5Y/edit?usp=sharing].

Austin ISD news, updates and more for April 27

In this episode of the Austin ISD Podcast, we share the superintendent’s update on school consolidations and boundary changes, student academic milestones, and a high-stakes culinary competition. Superintendent Matias Segura provided an update on school closures and district boundary work [https://www.austinisd.org/announcements/2026/04/26/update-school-closures-and-district-boundary-work-en-espanol]. * The district's focus is now shifting toward districtwide boundary changes and the alignment of feeder patterns. * To begin this work, the district will use previous drafts as a starting point and invites the community to participate in a virtual Boundary Process Kickoff Meeting on May 11 [https://www.austinisd.org/calendar/events/2026/05/11/boundary-process-virtual-kick-info-sessions] from 6 to 7:30 p.m.. Austin ISD sees 7% jump in postsecondary readiness market since 2022 [https://www.austinisd.org/announcements/2026/04/17/austin-isd-sees-7-jump-postsecondary-readiness-market-2022-en-espanol]. Austin ISD juniors and seniors are making major strides in College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR). * For the 2024-25 school year, more than 50% of 11th and 12th graders successfully completed a college credit course, a nearly 7 percentage point increase since 2022 that surpasses the district's own milestone targets. * This "readiness" is achieved through various pathways, including passing Texas Success Initiative (TSI) criteria, earning associate’s degrees, and completing high-level coursework like AP, IB, and dual-credit courses. Culinary Competition: The Kerbey Lane Challenge The spotlight shines on the district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs through a collaboration with Kerbey Lane All Day Cafe. * Culinary students from Austin and Bowie High Schools competed to have an original dish featured on the restaurant's menu. While teams presented creative recipes like "Can’t Marry Me Chicken" and "Cajun Shrimp Tostadas," Austin High School’s Salmon Scampi ultimately took the win. Supporting Student Mental Health With May designated as Mental Health Awareness Month, the district is highlighting resources for students facing the stress of school transitions. * On Wednesday, April 29, "Parent U" will host a session titled "Thriving Through Transitions: Mental Health and School Changes [https://www.austinisd.org/calendar/events/2026/04/29/thriving-through-transitions-mental-health-school-changes]". This event is designed to help parents support students emotionally as they move between elementary, middle, and high school or head off to college. For more information visit www.AustinISD.org [http://www.austinisd.org/]. And, don’ t forget to follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/austinisd], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/austinisd], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/AustinISDSchools] and Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/austinisd.bsky.social]! Transcript for the Austin ISD Podcast for April 27 [https://docs.google.com/document/d/135sQFJTg0NP0bFHd9VFuevZtiaFoJIVGH6CLRo6wERg/edit?usp=sharing].

27 de abr de 20265 min

Austin ISD news, updates and more for April 20

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