Facing an unprecedented budget shortfall, Austin Independent School District’s Facilities Task Force has proposed plans that involve extensive school consolidations and closures — including closures of schools that have exemplary academic ratings from the Texas Education Agency and dedicated, involved communities.
AISD held public comment meetings on Jan. 12 and 13, 2011, asking parents to provide alternatives that might prevent school closings. I was extremely inspired by the solidarity shown by the community: rather than suggesting that some other kid’s school be closed, parents presented a unified message that we can still find solutions that close no schools. I was concerned, however, that much of the public comment was very limited in producing real, viable suggestions for the task force and for AISD.
We hope that saveAISDschools.org will become a hub for all members of the AISD community — parents, teachers, faculty, administrators, even students — to present, discuss, and rate ideas that will keep our community schools open.
Note that very soon Save Austin Schools will also be accepting the community’s ideas and coordinating with researchers on the ideas’ viability and potential cost savings.