Hello Families, 

Hope you are having a great week! 

Quick reminder: There’s no school on Monday, January 20, and Austin ISD offices will be closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Also, it’s the last month for priority enrollment! If you’re looking to secure your spot in Austin ISD, make sure to submit your application before the February 4 deadline.

The Board of Trustees welcomed the newest board member, Fernando Lucas de Urioste for the at-large position. We want to thank Trustee Noelita Lugo for all her hard work and dedication to Austin ISD!

Now, let's get started with this edition…

On Tuesday, Austin ISD celebrated the ribbon cutting of a new food pantry at Galindo Elementary, thanks to a partnership with the Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB).

Why it matters: One in five kids in Travis County don’t know where their next meal is coming from, according to CTFB. 

The pantry will provide Austin ISD families and students with an easy way to access nutritious food, easing what can be one of their biggest worries.  

What they are saying: “We not only aim to alleviate that stress on a family, but we also seek to help improve attendance, performance and behavior in the classroom by providing the necessary nutrition needed to thrive,” said Sari M. Vatske, CTFB President and CEO. 

The partnership: The Central Texas Food Bank is making that possible under its program Feeding Future School Pantry which was initiated in January 2024.

• Participating schools are predominantly Title I elementary schools, with a high percentage of students enrolled in free or reduced-price meal programs.

• Since the first pantry opened, the program has distributed over 75, 000 meals through eight school pantries, supporting students and their families where they are.

What’s next: Interested families can start the process by creating an account with The Central Texas Food Bank.

Introducing the Board Bulletin! For those of you who may not consider Board of Trustees meetings appointment viewing, we’re here to break down the actions of the board and keep you up-to-date on the district’s progress toward key initiatives. 

This week the board met for their monthly Information Session, which included three scorecard updates. But more on that in a bit… 

Before we get into it, here's some quick explainers on what we’re talking about:

• The Board of Trustees typically meet twice a month. The first meeting is a Board Information Session where administrators give updates on various topics, including academic progress and the budget. This is also an opportunity to get more information ahead of any votes. 

• The second meeting is the Board Regular Voting Meeting where trustees take action on items, including real estate, any contracts or staffing changes.

• The scorecard is like the superintendent's report card — it's how the board will hold the administration accountable for improving student outcomes. The board sets goals of where we want to be in five years and the administration develops a plan for how we’ll get there and the things we’ll monitor and report on along the way to show we’re on track.

Now let’s get into the details. This week, the administration reviewed three Scorecard items:

• The first presentation covered our College, Career and Military Readiness goal: 

  • For the 2024–25 school year, 39% of 11–12 grade students entered the year with one or more high school credits that would be eligible for college credit. Overall, 64% of Austin ISD high school students are enrolled in a college-credit eligible course. 

  • Enrollment in college-credit courses is trending upward for all student groups, showing the positive impact of expanding access to advanced coursework. 

  • The data showed three campus outliers — Crockett, Navarro and Northeast Early College High Schools — with historically underserved groups enrolled in college credit courses and the campus supports to help students thrive in them. 

• The next Scorecard measure focused on Special Education Evaluations: 

  • Special Education evaluations are key to identifying students who are suspected of having a disability and helping them receive the educational supports and services they need. Once eligible for special education services, students receive a reevaluation every three years.

  • As of December 20, 2024, the District has maintained compliance with zero past due initial evaluations since August. There are, however, 51 past due reevaluations. 

  • At this time, Austin ISD is on track to meet the constraint progress measure 1.2 by December 2025.

• The last Scorecard item focused on advanced courses and the gifted and talented program: 

  • For this Scorecard item, we’re looking at the percentage of students who complete advanced course work. Administrators are also working to increase representation of African-American students identified as Gifted and Talented.

  • The vision is to close opportunity gaps and better prepare students for postsecondary success.

  • Baseline data for advanced coursework varies across student groups and campuses, so administrators will be developing a methodology to track progress as well as which campuses may need more support to reach the goal. 

  • While the Gifted and Talented screening process will continue through the spring semester, the number of African-American students in the screening process increased by 28% year over year.

• Finally, Trustees voted on a new slate of board officers. District 5 Trustee Lynn Boswell will serve as President, District 4 Trustee Kathryn Whitley Chu to serve as Vice President and District 6 Trustee Andrew Gonzales to serve as Secretary. 

What’s next: Stay tuned for our ongoing coverage after each board meeting. The next Regular Voting Meeting will be Thursday, Jan. 30. 

Check out our guidelines for directing public comments to the board.

Congratulations to Nick Lebo from Austin High School for being named the ACTE National Teacher of the Year!

This prestigious award from the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) recognizes those who set the highest standards in Career and Technical Education (CTE). Nick's unwavering dedication and passion inspire not only his students but also the entire community.

Become a male role model! Volunteer to MENtor 2nd- grade students. Sign-up here.

Student/Staff Holiday — MLK - Jan. 20

Special Education Family Empower Hour: Summer Camps- Jan. 22

Special Education Family Empower Hour: Summer Camps- Jan. 22

Special Education Family Advisory Committee- Jan. 27

School Board Recognition Month- Jan. 1 to Jan. 31

For more events, please visit the Calendar of Events website.

Tools for Success: Informational sessions about Austin ISD services and a variety of topics. Check January Sessions.

New pantry at Galindo Elementary School to provide food to Austin ISD families- Community Impact

Got any big plans for the long weekend? If you're looking for MLK Day events, the Statesman has a list of celebrations happening around town.

Looks like the cold weather is sticking around for the next week—but anything can change in Austin, right? Be sure to remind your kids to bundle up, and keep an eye on any updates from Austin ISD in case the weather causes any changes.

Have you checked the temperature weather guidelines or the Inclement Weather Protocols yet?

Stay safe and enjoy the 3-day weekend!

Nayeli 💛

For questions or comments please email me at nayeli.santoyoflores@austinisd.org

For languages other than English and Spanish, we use an AI-powered translation tool. As a result, there may be some contextual inaccuracies or other errors. We apologize for this. Please email translation@austinisd.org if you are in need of clarification. To change your preferred correspondence language, contact your school's front office. 

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