AISD Moves Toward Affordable Child Care in Old Pease Campus

With Republicans pushing bills this legislative session that would erase mention of LGBTQ+ students in public schools, Austin ISD's Board of Trustees wore matching Pride shirts at their March 23 meeting to show that the district supports these students unequivocally. Interim Superintendent Matias Segura was one of those wearing a Pride shirt. "I'm tremendously proud to be a part of a district that strives to produce a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for our LGBTQIA+ students, staff, and families," Segura told the audience. "Know that you are seen, loved, and welcome."

A major piece of business at Thursday's meeting was the board's vote to begin the redevelopment of two closed elementary schools – Pease Elementary School, located five blocks west of the Capitol, and the Anita Ferrales Coy Facility, formerly Allan Elementary, a 20-acre site north of Seventh Street in East Austin.

Both former schools sit on extremely valuable land that must, by state law, continue to be used for educational purposes. The board is hoping to create an early childhood care center at Pease to bring affordable child care to district teachers and staff. At Coy, the district wants to build apartments, townhomes, and single-family homes to provide affordable housing for the district's employees, along with a new facility for its Alternative Learning Center.

The redevelopment strategies have caught the attention of members of Education Aus­tin, the union representing AISD's teachers and staff. Bree Rolfe, who assists students experiencing homelessness at Project HELP, told the board during the public comment portion of the meeting that she and her colleagues are struggling as Austin's cost of living soars. "I am urging the board of trustees to ensure that the funds from closed schools like Pease Elementary be used in a way that can bring much needed revenue to the district," Rolfe said. "The district can then use the money to pay employees what we are worth." Education Austin is asking for a $12-per-hour pay increase for school staff and a 12% increase for teachers.

Eastside residents living near the Coy site asked the board to choose the Guadalupe Neighborhood Development Corporation to build the homes envisioned for the property. "GNDC is from East Austin," said Daniel Llanes, chair of the Govalle neighborhood contact team. "Its board of directors comes from traditional families – two or three generations of families from East Austin. It is part of our housing coalition. And it is the only entity in the city that is providing affordable housing in East Austin today."

The meeting also updated the public on the search for a permanent superintendent. Secretary Lynn Boswell said the trustees have examined feedback from the public on the qualities they want to see in a new superintendent and have come up with a list. The board will look for candidates who have a proven ability to increase student achievement; are engaged listeners and communicators; are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and can be strong advocates for the district in local and statewide politics, among other things.

Among other issues trustees took a look at: Beth Wilson, AISD's director of planning, laid out demographic trends in the district, predicting that enrollment of Black, Hispanic, and economically disadvantaged students will continue to decline. Jacob Reach, chief of Govern­mental Relations, said the intruder detection audits underway at district schools are about 70% complete. And administrators working to turn around performance at Mendez Middle School in Southeast Austin – including Principal Brandon Thurston – talked about their efforts there to boost school attendance and student achievement.