Talent Development Programs

• Assistant Principal Learning Series. AISD offers a professional learning series for assistant principals that meets quarterly during the school year. These sessions are designed to enhance the efficacy, knowledge, and skills required to meet the needs of our diverse learning communities.
   
• Central Office Learning Series. At Austin ISD, we engage our employees and invite their collaboration to make AISD a great place to work. The Central Office Learning Series is a monthly collaborative learning experience with our Office for Organizational Transformation designed to build capacity for centering equity in district processes, planning, and practices. 
   
• Instructional Coaches. Instructional coaches (ICs) play an essential part in student achievement. ICs are placed at Title I schools. They engage in high-leverage, shoulder-to-shoulder coaching at their schools to support teaching practice and Tier 1 instruction. To ensure coaches have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to boost key outcomes, instructional coaches also engage in ongoing professional learning on coaching and coaching competencies.
   
• AISD CONNECT Teacher Induction Program. Every year the district welcomes over 800 new educators to its schools. All new-to-AISD teachers, counselors, and librarians are included in the AISD CONNECT program. The program includes a variety of support systems, beginning with a Welcome Week during the summer months. During Welcome Week, new hires participate in a job-alike professional learning cohort led by a veteran AISD educator called a CONNECTor. CONNECTors continue to support their cohorts throughout the school year. Teachers in their first and second years of their teaching careers also receive a campus-based mentor that walks alongside them throughout the school year.

Pathways and Cohorts

Professional Learning Cohorts

• National Board. AISD has developed a two-year cohort program to support teachers on their journey to NBCT certification. Teachers can apply to join this cohort and receive mentorship, peer support, and funding for course component fees. In addition to the NBCT Cohort, National Board Certified Teachers are eligible to receive additional annual compensation from TEA's Teacher Incentive Allotment.
   
• Leadership Pathways. AISD educators can choose to grow their craft through Leadership Pathways. These rigorous, two-year programs support teachers’ professional growth, development, and leadership in one of several district priority areas, and grant an additional route to increased salary under PPfT Compensation.

Leadership Pipeline Opportunities

• Principal Preparation Program. Principal Preparation Program (P3) is an opportunity for current assistant principals and academic deans who aspire to become principals to gain knowledge and experience through collaborating with current campus principals and district leaders via monthly meetings at different Austin ISD campuses.
• Assistant Principal Preparation Program.  Assistant Principal Preparation Program (AP3)  is an opportunity for Austin ISD staff who aspire to become campus administrators to gain knowledge regarding the assistant principalship and learn from current campus administrators. This cohort meets monthly for half-day sessions at different Austin ISD campuses. 

University Partnerships

• Student Teaching. In partnership with educator preparation programs across Texas and beyond, Austin ISD offers placement for student teachers in schools across the district. AISD Cooperating Teachers open their classrooms to student teachers and provide coaching, collaboration, and support to these preservice educators.
   
• Principal Residency Program. AISD partners with the University of Texas to provide a unique, hands-on, administrative learning experience through the Principal Residency Program. Participants in this program work to acquire a Master’s Degree and Principal’s Certification from the University of Texas at Austin, while serving an AISD school as an assistant principal intern.
   

Alternative Certification Programs

• Teach Austin: AustinISD’s Alternative Certification Program.  AISD is partnering with The New Teacher Project (TNTP) to launch Teach Austin: Educate. Collaborate. Inspire, our very own teacher certification program. Program participants will complete online coursework and receive coaching and support starting in March of 2024 and will serve as teachers of record in their aligned certification area starting in the 2024-25 school year. Our inaugural cohort will include current Austin ISD DOI teachers and paraprofessionals who already hold Bachelor’s Degrees.  The program is also working with local higher education partners for those staff members who need to attain their bachelor’s degree before applying to TeachAustin.  The program tuition cost is $4500 and payroll deduction will be available.  All participants are eligible to enter a Teach Austin Leadership Pathway from which they may earn up to 10 additional PPfT points that will translate into additional funding added to the candidates' base pay upon successful completion of the program, an earned teaching certification and a full-time employment gain as an Austin ISD teacher. The pilot cohort has limited availability and certification areas but the program will expand in the 2024 - 2025 recruitment season. 

Talent Development Support Opportunities

Novice Teacher Support

• Campus Mentors. The AISD Mentoring Program is part of AISD CONNECT, the district’s teacher induction program and supports Austin ISD teachers in their first and second year in the teaching profession. The program is designed to positively impact beginning teacher effectiveness through ongoing training and support at their school. Campus mentors serve as emotional support and orient new teachers to their school while walking alongside them throughout the school year.
   
• Novice Teacher Support Specialist (NTSS). The Novice Teacher Support Network provides enhanced mentoring supports at Title One campuses with the goal of providing direct, just-in-time instructional and social emotional support to novice teachers. 
   
• The University of Texas at Austin START. Texas Education START is a partnership between the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin and Austin ISD dedicated to advancing the support and retention of early career teachers entering the classroom. University-sponsored mentors are connected to first- through third-year teachers across multiple elementary schools in the area.
   

Novice Assistant Principal Support 

• New Assistant Principal Institute. For assistant principals who are new to AISD or new to the assistant principal role, the New Assistant Principal Institute is a day-long induction program facilitated by the Talent Development Team; and focuses on creating the foundation of leadership skills a campus administrator needs to successfully support a campus.
   
• New Assistant Principal Learning Series. A learning series designed specifically for new and new-to-AISD assistant principals, this quarterly series focuses on developing sustainable leaders through our leadership framework. The ultimate goal is to give our novice leaders the best possible support system as they serve our communities in their first year as campus leaders.  
   

Novice Principal Support 

• Novice Principal Support Program. The AISD Novice Principal Support Program is designed to engage new principals who meet quarterly to engage in building community and collaborate on timely topics that support their ongoing learning and long-term success as a leader. 
• New Principal Institute. For principals who are new to AISD or new to the principalship, the New Principal Institute is a two-day induction program facilitated by district leaders and focuses on the core leadership initiatives that will lay the foundation for leading a successful school community in AISD.
   

Events

• AISD EDU. AISD EDU is the district’s education conference open to all AISD educators. This conference takes many forms such as traditional choice learning session to specialized groups, academies and institutes. Always during the summer months, EDU is a great opportunity for AISD employees to personalize their learning and for educators to fulfill their 12 hours of required PLED credit.
• Leadership Institute. The Austin ISD Leadership Institute is an annual multi-day event that serves as a professional learning kick-off and conference for campus and district leaders. The event allows for Austin ISD leaders to align on district priorities and differentiate their learning for their individual and campus needs. 
   

Resources

• Human Capital Platform Professional Learning Management System. The Human Capital Platform—also known as the HCP—houses the district's Professional Learning Management System that allows employees to register for AISD professional learning and training opportunities. Staff can browse the catalog for activities that will enhance their professional/job skills, or search the catalog for specific activities recommended by their manager or principal. New learning opportunities are frequently added to the Human Capital Platform which is accessed through the AISD portal. 
  • Resources: 
    • Human Capital Platform Professional Development User Guide
    • Human Capital Platform Quick Guide to Registration
• PLED. To support differentiated professional learning for our staff, Austin ISD is designating two Professional Learning Exchange Days (PLED) for exempt, campus-based professional staff members. Through PLED, two (2) non-duty days of professional learning that build capacity around the district focus areas may be exchanged for two (2) regular duty days.