Hello Families,
Reminder—no classes on Monday, October 13 in observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day.
October recognizes our outstanding principals and transportation employees. The week of Oct 6-10 is Principal Appreciation Week while the week of Oct. 20-24 is Transportation Employees Appreciation Week! Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the district and our students.
Let’s get started…
Last Friday we released the Austin ISD Draft Consolidation & Boundary Plan, along with email communications to every school in our district about potential changes at their campus, including:
Boundary changes for 98% of schools
13 school building closures
1 program relocating to a new campus
6 schools repurposed for programming with no school zone.
The board of trustees reviewed the plan at its Oct. 9 meeting and heard more than an hour of public comment on the draft plan. Read our Board Bulletin for more information on the meeting.
What’s next?
We are now working on socializing the draft plan and actively seeking feedback from the community to identify any potential gaps, blind spots or necessary transition considerations. This crucial feedback loop is essential for refining the plan to ensure it is comprehensive and ready for implementation and final approval to the Austin ISD Board of Trustees on Nov. 20.
There are several options for the Austin ISD community to share their feedback:
Join the conversation by attending one of four Question & Answer Sessions in October and November, leading up to the Board of Trustees vote on the plan at the November 20 meeting. Two sessions will focus on geographic areas of town while the other meetings will cover a districtwide conversation.
Virtual Q&A Session #1 - South Austin: Tuesday, Oct. 14, 6 - 7:30 p.m. Register for the meeting*
Virtual Q&A Session #2 - North Austin: Thursday, Oct. 16, 6 - 7:30 p.m. Register for the meeting.*
Virtual Q&A Session #3 - Districtwide: Monday, Oct. 27, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. Register for the meeting.*
Q&A Session Session #4 (In-Person) - Districtwide: Saturday, Nov. 8, 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at Delco Activity Center, 4601 Pecan Brook Dr, Austin, TX 78724.
If you prefer to submit your comments now, please submit a comment card online by Oct. 28. Austin ISD staff are currently reviewing submissions and compiling common themes and frequently asked questions.
*Virtual meeting registrations are limited to 1,000 people. Meetings will also be live-streamed on Austin ISD's YouTube Channel.
We value your feedback and encourage you to thoughtfully consider the plan in full and add your voice to the process. The draft is a starting point, and we will continue to engage with our community and refine the plan over the coming weeks as we move toward the November 20 board vote.
Thank you to the more than 50,000 Austin ISD families who have completed their Annual Forms!
If you have not already done so, families are encouraged to take a moment to complete their annual student forms, including the Income Verification Form, through Enroll Austin, located in the Parent Portal.
Why it matters: Completing this form helps our schools receive essential funding that directly supports our students and staff. The information you provide is confidential, but it helps our school qualify for critical resources, such as:
Additional teachers and staff
Technology and classroom materials
Academic and support programs
You may check the status of your forms by logging into Enroll Austin and clicking on “Annual Forms” at the top of the page. Be sure to look at the ribbon, not your student's box at the bottom of the page.
If you’re having any trouble accessing your forms through Enroll Austin (Parent Portal), please contact your home campus. You may also request assistance through the Parent Portal by submitting an AISD Help ticket: https://austinisd.incidentiq.com/guest/U8HYKURE/parent-portal-parent-self-serve?step=details#top
Thank you for your partnership and for helping us make our schools the best they can be.
We’re seeing an increase in sophisticated phishing attacks within the district, including campaigns targeting students.
What is phishing? Phishing is a form of cybercrime where attackers send fraudulent communications—like emails, texts, or fake websites—to trick people into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords, bank account details, or personal data.
Why it matters: The latest phishing attacks are spoofing Austin ISD accounts and sending fake emails to staff and students. Students have strict conditions regarding who can contact them, so by spoofing Austin ISD staff accounts, staff and families could receive an email that appears to be a legitimate Austin ISD email.
Please be cautious, aware and diligent. Consider the following tips to keep you and others safe:
Always check who is sending the email.
Know that Austin ISD staff will never ask you to share your password via email.
Forward any suspicious emails to junkmail@austinisd.org to report them and then delete.
If you shared any personal information with the bad actors and they contacted you, please report to Austin ISD Police via their online contact page: https://www.austinisd.org/police/contact-us
Looking for ways to support Austin ISD students and staff this month? Here’s what’s on our radar!
Join the school consolidation conversation and share feedback on the Draft Consolidation & Boundary Change Plan at one of the five Question & Answer Sessions leading up to the Board of Trustees vote on Nov. 20.
Does your pet need its annual shots or flea and tick medication? Navarro Early College High School’s Animal Science CTE Program is hosting a low-cost pet clinic. Part of the proceeds supports the Lanier FFA at Navarro. No appointment is necessary.
Bring your pets 5-7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 21 at the Navarro ECHS Ag Building (1111 Fairfield Dr., Austin TX 78758).
Join the 2025 Texas Association of College Registrars and Admission Officers College Fair! Austin ISD juniors and seniors will have the opportunity to visit with college, career and military representatives and explore over 100 college and university options in one place.
Join the fun 10:30 a.m to 12:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 23 at the Delco Activity Center (4601 Pecan Brook Dr., Austin TX 78724).
Parents and caregivers, join Austin ISD Special Education for a special in-person Employment Panel focused on helping you learn how to support your student’s journey into the world of work. Representatives from Goodwill, Texas Workforce, and Austin ISD Job Coaches will share valuable information about job training programs, employment opportunities, and more!
Learn more at the event, 10-11:30 a.m., Saturday, October 25 at LBJ Early College High School (7309 Lazy Creek Dr, Austin, TX 78724).
Austin ISD's Career & Technical Education Team, in collaboration with Workforce Solutions’ Central Texas Healthcare Partnership, is hosting the Healthcare Community Expo. You can expect highlights on in-demand healthcare jobs and career opportunities.
Happening from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Saturday, October 25 at the Burger Activity Center (3200 Jones Rd, Austin, TX 78745).
Join Austin ISD's Special Education Dyslexia Team for a FREE documentary screening. "The Truth About Reading" is an 80-minute documentary that explores illiteracy in America.
Happening 6-8 p.m., Monday, Oct. 27 at the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders (2309 Panther Trail, Austin TX).
For more calendar events visit Austin ISD Calendar of Events.
Free College Application Week-- create a free account and apply here.
2025 Annual 'Trunk or Treat' Saturday Oct. 25 at Nelson Athletic Complex.
Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year finalists feel honored for the recognition- Spectrum
Austin ISD adopts lower tax rate for 2025-26, homeowners could see savings- Community Impact
Want to name an Austin ISD facility? District offers up naming rights to close $19.7M budget gap- Statesman
UT mentorship program helps local refugee students overcome language, cultural barriers- The Daily Texan
Keep Austin Beautiful Awarded $10,000 Grant for "Zero Waste Heroes" School Program- City of Austin
It’s fall - kinda…I’m so ready for the fall temps to come our way. Here are some fun Fall events happening around the city: Boo at the Zoo, Viva la Vida Fest and Austin Symphony Orchestra Presents: Halloween Children’s Concert. See more through the City of Austin events page.
ICYMI: Listen in on the Austin ISD News Briefs in a quick audio format through the Austin ISD Podcast streaming on Spotify and Apple. In addition, Appitol News is now published monthly. You may find the latest news updates on the news section of the Austin ISD website.
Have a great weekend!
-JJ
Have a story idea?
Got a great story about an Austin ISD student, staff, parent, or community member? Share it with us! It could be featured on our website, in our newsletters, on social media, or even on the news!
For questions or comments please email me at jorge.maldonado@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.