Northeast Austin Planning Team
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
6:00p.m.to8:00p.m.
AISD Performing Arts Center
1500 Barbara Jordan Blvd., Austin, TX 78723
MEETINGSUMMARY
In Attendance
CommitteeMembers: Julie Ahn, Joan Bartz, Susan Browne, Kim Edwards, Billie Jo Elbom, Amir Amamian, Dusty Harshman, Wanda Hayes, Andrew Lofters, Cynthia McCollum, Andrea McIllwain, Emily McIntosh, Mirtilina Porras, Andrew Sams, Amber Welsh, Ricara Zahner, Dr. Sylvia Little, Victor Obaseki
Staff:Rachel Naugle, Sonia Dominguez, Craig Shapiro, Gilbert Hicks, LaTonya Pegues
MeetingOverview
CalltoOrder:Themeetingwas called toorderat6:10p.m.
Public Comments: James Nortey spoke to the committee about the Mueller plot of land, and asked members to consider
Welcome:Rachel Naugle welcomed the committee. Additional members were introduced. The agenda was discussed.
Data Analysis: Committee members worked in groups of 2-4 to analyze data related to age of facilities, enrollment projections, enrollment data, academic programming, and CAC survey results. Members made comments and questions related to the data. Group summarized the data and presented it to the rest of the group.
The comments and questions for each data point is listed below:
Facilities Summary
* Are these facilities meeting the needs of teachers and parents – space to prep for college and career
* What is the year mean? Last renovation or year built?
* What are the actual conditions of these buildings?
Enrollment Comparisons
* When Blackshear became a Fine Arts Academy, enrollment increased
CAC Data
* Why aren’t there results from LASA CAC?
* How does Blackshear becoming open enrollment impact space used for arts programming?
* We need a breakdown by specific campus responses
* Why build schools when we are underenrolled?
District enrollment projections
* Does elementary mean K-5, or PK-5?
* What percentage of schools have Pre-K?
* Parents are choosing other programs
* Middle school is when drop mostly occurs
* Why is the district loosing so many students?
* Negative surprise in elementary grades
* We may need to relook to new models of schools
Where students attend
* Blanton and Maplewood only elementary schools projected to increase enrollment
* Does capacity include portables or just the actual building?
* The two highest enrolled high schools share space? Why not move LASA to Eastside Memorial which is at 44% capacity
* Boundaries not aligned to space
* How much of the projections have to do with demographic changes, birth rates, attrition
* We have space available
Committee members presented Strengths and Problems revealed by the data.
Strengths:
* Old buildings don’t necessarily mean bad buildings
* Some buildings are underutilized, but there is a lot of space
* High school enrollment is most consistent
* There is space available for programming
* Several over-capacity schools probably reflect positive stories
Problems:
* We sometimes use age to gauge quality
* LASA location; Where to put it
* We don’t fully engage people in the community and school when making decisions
* We have a lot of academic programming – Why??
* We seem to be reactive instead of proactive
* Achievement gap of LBJ and LASA
* We only have data on in-district transfers only
* Some schools with attractive programs are still seeing declines
* Garcia and Sadler Means have low enrollment
* Elementary school enrollment in NE schools is much lower than AISD overall
* There are many schools with high renovation needs
* Gus Garcia and Sadler Means CACs never discussed grade configuration questions
* Facilities need to be updated (seems supported by CAC data – 84%)
* Renovating could destroy building
Based upon the strengths and problems, committee members discussed opportunities and threats.
Opportunities:
* “Round Up” days for each grade level (all); maybe by vertical teams; provides an opportunity to learn about schools and their progress
* Improve technology programs
* How do we improve the drop-out rate?
* Improve teacher training programs
* Opportunities for more vocational training programs for academically challenged students in the middle
* Higher level of transparency ; how academic programs are working
* Try flex scheduling for teachers; helps with maintaining enrollment by having a longer day (like charter schools)
* Bankroll the AISD PAC. Put that money back into existing facilities; why is this building empty 90% of the time? Rent it out; make it a citywide music/Arts venue
* AVID, STEAM, CLI, Dual Language, Early College, TLI, SEL
* Montessori as a program option
* Focus on elementary = greatest impact
* Socio-economic integration
* Clear path for PK-12 for this area
* Technology for schools
* Grouping children by abilities vs. grade levels; mixed groups
* Bring in lots of outside special programs
* Trade schools
* Look at what is available for the community, parents to continue or complete their education to support respective kids
* Look at program; Ensure opportunity of each at each school; i.e. early college, vocational
* Look at funding; where are funds spent or not; impact, results, how, why
* Relook at data to ensure that it is inclusive of all schools and those that are or will be impacted
* This is an opportunity for AISD to gather sincere feedback from Northeast Austin residents about what programming they want implemented in their schools and do it
* Mueller site – innovative programming and cutting edge facility; lets get these kids back; a new school could change the conversation on the east side; attract top teachers; cutting edge programming; bad past does not mean bad future; lets me positive and create something that works
* Study transfer patterns to understand campus communities
* Attractive programs
* Momentum
* Strong admin at schools
* 21st Century skills
* Open seats doesn’t mean lack of need; kids going elsewhere
* GYMLA, SMYWLA both should mirror Ann Richards
* LASA should be returned to Eastside Memorial
Threats:
* Charter schools – students leaving AISD
* Finances
* Attrition data
* Declining enrollment means less funding
* Entrenched thinking
* Why should Sadler Means be moved to a state of the art facility? Why not make the original campus work as state of the art?
* Shiny new charter schools are robbing AISD kids left and right
Future Agenda Items: Ms. Naugle asked explained that the next meeting will be focused on academic programming.
Future MeetingsTime/Place:The next planning meeting is on June 28, 2016 at 6:00 at the AISD Performing Arts Center
Adjourn:Themeetingwasadjourned at8:00p.m.