Announcement of Schools Frozen to Transfers for 2013-14 (Discussion)
Each year, the district determines which schools should be frozen to transfers because they have, or are expected to have, enrollments that exceed their capacities. Also, some schools are frozen to maintain stability in tracking patterns.
The superintendent announced the following:
Requests for student transfers for the 2013-2014 school year will begin Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Requests may be submitted in person or by mail to the Office of Student Services. Parents submitting requests for students who are new to the district or who have had an address change since enrolling in school this year need to attach proof of residence and a picture ID.
Parents whose children are eligible for a priority transfer (sibling, tracking or majority-to-minority) to a frozen or non-frozen school must submit the request to the Office of Student Services Jan. 7-31 for the request to be considered as a priority transfer.
Parents whose children are not eligible for a priority transfer who wish to have a transfer request considered during the first round, lottery process must submit the request to the Office of Student Services from 7-31.
There are 32 schools that will be frozen and 17 schools at which space will be re-evaluated after priority transfers are approved.
The administration will constantly monitor space in all schools as boundary changes and/or reassignments are approved by the Board of Trustees. Any effects on the school freeze recommendations as a result of these changes will be brought to the attention of the board and the community.
The district also would like to bring to the attention of the community the following information:
- The balance of ethnic groups at O. Henry has changed from no ethnic majority to predominantly Black/African American and Hispanic.
- The ethnic majority at Austin High School has changed from predominantly Black/African American and Hispanic to no ethnic majority or minority. This group and the American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and White group are less than one half of one percent different from one another. Thus, there will be no majority-to-minority transfers to this school.
- Students wishing to attend a magnet program at Fulmore, Kealing or LASA or an application program such as Anderson IB, McCallum Fine Arts, Richards School for Young Women or a dual language program must apply directly to those programs.
Schools That Will be Frozen to Transfers in 2013-2014
High Schools
Akins
Anderson
Austin
Bowie
McCallum
Middle Schools
Burnet
Kealing
Murchison
O. Henry
Paredes
Small
Elementary Schools
Baldwin
Baranoff
Blazier
Bryker Woods (grades 1 and 5)
Casis
Cook
Doss
Graham
Hart
Highland Park
Hill
Kiker
Langford
Lee
Odom
Palm
Patton
Pickle
Pillow
Rodriguez
Wooldridge
Schools That Will Be Monitored and Possibly Frozen to Transfers in 2013-2014
No High Schools
Middle Schools
Bedichek
Gorzycki
Elementary Schools
Andrews
Barrington
Becker
Casey
Clayton
Cowan
Davis
Gullett
Harris
Menchaca
Perez
Ridgetop
Summitt
Sunset Valley
Travis Heights
For more information, please visit the AISD website or call the Office of Student Services/Records at 414-1726.
Consent Agenda
Trustees unanimously approved items on the Board Consent Agenda, with the exception of items 15.1-EIC(LOCAL) - Academic Achievement: Class Ranking; and 15.2-2012-2013 Interagency Cooperation Contract between The University of Texas at Austin (UTeach Program) and AISD. Trustees Vincent Torres and Robert Schneider abstained from these votes. Trustee Schneider requested that the Board Policy Committee consider the related regulation during an upcoming Policy Committee meeting.
2013-14 Annual Academic and Facilities Recommendations
The Board of Trustees unanimously approved four Annual Academic and Facilities Recommendations. Two additional AAFRs, a proposed School for Young Men and Garcia and Pearce Middle Schools Program Design, District 1, are scheduled for board discussion at the Jan. 7 board dialogue meeting and possible action at the Jan. 28 regular board meeting.
Dual Language Program Expansion and Extension
Two-way Spanish/English dual language programs, currently at nine elementary schools, will expand to areas of the district that demonstrate high need and readiness for implementation. The one-way model in Vietnamese will expand to include additional grade levels at Summitt Elementary School.
Implementation of a one-way Mandarin dual language immersion program for non-native speakers at Doss Elementary School will be scheduled for implementation during the fall of 2013.
The dual language program (both one-way and two-way) will extend to middle schools throughout the district based on need.
The implementation of this AAFR is subject to the availability of funding and appropriation in the fiscal year 2014 budget and subsequent years.
Responsive Education Solutions Continued at Lanier and Travis High Schools
Responsive Education Solutions fulfills the mission of the Graduation Pathways program by delivering individual students a prescribed course of study. Using both direct teach and computer-based instruction, students recover credits, accelerate credit accrual and receive high dosage tutoring in math and other areas of need.
Responsive Education Solutions will be open to serving students from other high schools, as space is available.
A contract with Responsive Education Solutions, first approved in December 2011, to operate an in-district charter at Lanier and Travis High Schools, will continue through the 2013-14 school year.
Campus-Initiated In-District Charter at Travis Heights Elementary School
Travis Heights Elementary School will transition to an in-district, charter school during 2013-14, essentially becoming an autonomous school model with flexibility in such areas as program design, innovation, budget allocation, scheduling, professional development and curriculum.
The recommended educational model will be a student-centered learning community with a standards-based, rigorous core instructional program applying three interwoven, research-based models including, dual language enrichment, service learning and blended learning.
Fine Arts Program - Any Given Child Creative Learning Initiative
The Any Given Child Creative Learning Initiative will bring access and balance to each child's education using a learning model that combines the resources of the school district, the City of Austin, local artists, businesses and philanthropic organizations.
This partnership model will affect student achievement by aligning the experiences students receive in and out of school and working with teachers in schools and artists in the community.
During January, the district will begin working with schools and communities to plan for and implement the recommendations for the 2013-14 school year.
The implementation of this AAFR is subject to the availability of funding and appropriation in the fiscal year 2014 budget and subsequent years.
Agreement between the Austin Independent School District and IDEA Public Schools
On Dec. 19, 2011, on a 6-3 vote, the board approved an agreement with IDEA Public Schools to open an in-district charter at Allan Elementary School. The partnership provided for a K-12 college preparatory program within the Austin Independent School District, beginning with grades K-2 and 6 at Allan during the 2012-13 school year. The agreement stipulated that either party could terminate before Dec. 31, 2012.
At the Dec. 17, 2012, regular meeting, Trustee Amber Elenz introduced an amendment to the agreement to have grades 6 and 7 of IDEA College Prep stay at the IDEA Allan campus for the 2013-14 school year. The amendment failed by a vote of 4-5 [For: Bradley, Elenz, Moya, Torres; Against: Barksdale, Hinojosa, Mathias, Schneider, Teich]. Trustee Jayme Mathias then made a motion that the district terminate the agreement with IDEA Public Schools. The motion passed by a vote of 5-4 [For: Barksdale, Hinojosa, Mathias, Schneider, Teich; Against: Bradley, Elenz, Moya, Torres].