Austin, TX—The Austin Independent School District is reaching out to an increasingly diverse parent and student population through one of the most popular media for Spanish speakers: radio. This Saturday, AISD's Department of Public Relations and Multicultural Outreach will launch Educa Austin, a weekend radio talk show designed to better engage Spanish-dominant families by eliminating language and cultural barriers.

The hour-long talk show will air at 7 a.m. Saturday on La Jefa, 107.7 FM, and at 9 a.m. Sunday on La Que Buena, 104.3 FM. AISD collaborated with private funders such as The Sooch Foundation, H-E-B and the MATT Foundation to launch this pilot program.

Approximately 60 percent of AISD students are Hispanic and 30,000 students speak Spanish at home. Through strategic radio programming, AISD will reach Spanish-dominant families, who on average listen to radio approximately seven to nine hours a day.

"Increased parental engagement is a key part of the district's strategic plan," Meria Carstarphen, AISD Superintendent, said. "This is an incredible opportunity to rethink how we communicate and engage all of our communities in an authentic and relevant way."

Educa Austin is designed to help families navigate Austin's public education system, empowering parents to become more effective advocates for their children's education. The informative and entertaining show highlights educational news and promotes information about school programs and activities and district initiatives.

"Research shows parental involvement has strong, positive effects on student achievement and success," Alex Sánchez, director of the Department of Public Relations and Multicultural Outreach, said. "There is no doubt that when parents are engaged in their children's education, daily attendance improves, students' grades and test scores go up and overall graduation rates increase."

The show is based on a similar show Sánchez launched in Denver, which earned national recognition for its innovative format and benefits to the community.

To learn more about Educa Austin, please visit www.austinisd.org/radio.