School Accountability Gets Green Light

Can school accountability measure save Pearce and Reagan?

"...after lawmakers rolled out their planned reforms to the school accountability system, the new and improved draft changes received..."

May 1, 2009 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

What Follows Five Years of Failure at Mendez Middle School?

Making the grade

"...and campus scores as part of its new A-F accountability system, five schools in the Austin Independent School District..."

Aug. 31, 2018 News Feature by Austin Sanders

AISD Accountability: Good News and Bad

New rating system poses challenges for educators, stakeholders alike

"...Good news for Austin ISD: 70 of its schools earned a total of 205 Distinction Designations from the..."

Aug. 15, 2014 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

School Scores, School Funds

Board president Mark Williams drills the data

"...Mark Williams, president of Austin Independent School District, is facing a conundrum. How is he supposed..."

Aug. 4, 2011 News Post by Richard Whittaker

School Reform Bills Headed to Governor

House Bill 3 holds a glimmer of hope for Pearce Middle School

"...Two bills marking the largest reform of public-school accountability and financing since No Child Left Behind are..."

June 5, 2009 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

One Week After Warning of School Consolidations, AISD May Have Its First Target

Dobie Middle School low test scores create risk of TEA takeover

"...The press conference on April 4 at Dobie Middle School seemed like any other. It was arranged by local..."

April 11, 2025 News Feature by Brant Bingamon

Pearce Middle School to Close

School commissioner announces closure with little warning to district

"...announcement that has rocked Austin ISD staff and parents, School Commissioner Robert Scott has announced that Pearce Middle School..."

July 8, 2009 News Post by Richard Whittaker

Del Valle and Leander ISD Supers Testify Against New State-Imposed School Rating System

Dozens of districts have joined the lawsuit

"...School superintendents in Del Valle and Leander testified in a..."

Oct. 11, 2023 News Post by Brant Bingamon

School Finance Before the Texas Supreme Court

The State Supreme Court is expected to make a ruling before the end of the year

"...a curious logic in its latest defense of the school finance system, arguing that the Texas Supreme Court cannot..."

Sept. 4, 2015 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

AISD Braces for Challenging School Year

After rocky start, district tries to smooth out bumps

"...to the new academic year in the Austin Independent School District began in earnest this week with the start..."

Aug. 14, 2009 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

School Voucher Committee Isn't So Sure About a Possible Voucher System in Texas

Austin rep refuses to sign on to recommendations

"...The special House committee established to study school vouchers hasn’t exactly come out in support of them,..."

Aug. 17, 2023 News Post by Brant Bingamon

AISD's "School Changes" Process Places Equity Front and Center

“Historically, this is a very racist city, and unfortunately, this school district is a part of that system"

"...in early June, as part of the Austin Indepen­dent School District's "School Changes" process, parents turned out in force..."

Sept. 13, 2019 News Feature by Austin Sanders

Family and Staff Dismayed at Dobie Middle School’s Likely Closure

Austin ISD could face state takeover if school remains open

"...meeting between Austin ISD leaders and the Dobie Middle School community. Over a hundred students, parents, teachers, and staff..."

April 18, 2025 News Feature by Brant Bingamon

The Next Round of School Reform

AISD focuses again on Eastside schools

"...There's a consensus in the Austin Inde­pendent School District: The schools in East Austin should get the..."

Feb. 7, 2014 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

Lege Goes to School: Education Bills

"...Taxes, finance, vouchers, graduation paths, "parent triggers," and community schools: Lawmakers have filed a broad slate of education bills,..."

May 1, 2015 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

School Bill Put to the Test

Omnibus school bill doesn't make the grade, critics say

"...Another legislative session means another public school omnibus bill. Legislators were presented with the mammoth 128-page..."

March 13, 2009 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

Signs of Trouble and of Hope at Mendez Middle School

In-district charter seeks to turn around a campus’ longtime struggles

"...Eight months ago, Mendez Middle School in Southeast Austin was taken over by an in-district..."

March 1, 2019 News Feature by Austin Sanders

AISD Superintendent Considers Moving Hundreds of Students From Dobie to Lamar Middle School

Parents and staff worry as AISD avoids possible state takeover

"...With a temporary or permanent closure of Dobie Middle School looming, Austin ISD is proposing to fold between 300..."

April 25, 2025 News Feature by Brant Bingamon

Opinion: Even Post-COVID, A-F School Ranking System Should Get an F

We should take this moment to evaluate the utility of the A-F system as a whole, as it does not sufficiently capture the nuance of the work being done in our schools

"...For the last two years, alongside first-day photos and school supplies shopping, a big part of the back-to-school season..."

Oct. 2, 2020 Column by Rolf Straubhaar

What School Finance Crisis?

The Lege considers school finance, and recommends ways to cut wages and fire teachers

"...by government standards, the Joint Select Committee on Public School Finance report to the Legislature issued last week is..."

March 26, 2004 News Column by Michael King

AISD Accountability Ratings

Some make the grade; some don't

"...While Pearce Middle School is dominating the headlines, 113 other schools in Austin..."

Aug. 7, 2009 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

Chartering Middle School

Hoping to reach middle-schoolers who could go off track in a regular school setting, district moves forward with charter school plans

"...summer, 21-year-old Melinda Shaw will finally graduate from high school. The slender, ponytailed African-American dropped out of school at..."

June 2, 2006 News Feature by Rachel Proctor May

School of Hard Knocks

Number Discrepancies

"...But schools are under increasing pressure to prepare students for college,..."

May 14, 1999 News Feature by Kevin Fullerton

Johnston High School Gets Another Chance

Acting education commissioner says AISD can keep Johnston open another year

"...The state accountability results are out for last school year, and it..."

Aug. 10, 2007 News Feature by Michael May

School of Thought

Montessori Eschews by-the-Book Teaching Methods

"...responsibility." -Amber Miller, pictured above at the Austin Montessori School with students using educational tools common to Montessori classrooms..."

Sept. 26, 1997 News Feature by Roseana Auten

Opinion: When It Comes to Health Care in Austin, There Can Be No Equity Without Accountability

Opinion: It's time for the Travis County Commissioners Court to order an independent performance audit of Central Health

"...for services provided to needy patients by the medical school's faculty and residents, who are physicians in training," as..."

April 22, 2022 Column by Nelson Linder

MAGA Moms and the Republican Resistance to School Vouchers

Make education public again

"...opposes: the initiative Gov. Greg Abbott refers to as “school choice” and “education savings accounts,” but that is most..."

March 21, 2025 News Feature by Brant Bingamon

Who Killed Porter Middle School?

The evidence points to George W. Bush. But he wasn't alone.

"...A school died in Austin this week. The causes were definitely..."

March 10, 2006 News Feature by Rachel Proctor May

More Charter School Stats

"...There are 230 charter schools listed in the state accountability ratings for 2002...."

April 4, 2003 News Feature

Getting School to Work

Aided by an infusion of new tax dollars from high-tech and other industries, Del Valle ISD finds success by investing heavily in school-to-career programs.

"...of technological innovation -- present-day realities in the state's school system stand out like smallpox sores. Texas leads in..."

Dec. 31, 1999 News Feature by Kevin Fullerton

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