Austin ISD’s parent support specialists, the Prime Time after-school program and AISD Channel 22 will receive funding in the City of Austin’s 2015-16 budget.

The city funds will continue to help support the district’s community engagement and social service initiatives at a critical time when AISD estimates it will send $273 million to the state through the recapture or “Robin Hood” program this year.

“In this time of continuing rapid growth for the City of Austin, I thank our council members for recognizing AISD as a strategic investment in Austin’s future,” said AISD Board President Gina Hinojosa. “Having an educated community drives growth and innovation, which will help keep Austin a great place to live, learn work and play.”

The city council approved expenditures including:

• $684,000 to continue funding AISD’s full-time parent support specialists, who work to enhance relationships between families and school communities, encourage parent involvement in their students’ education and help educate parents on school services and programs
• $520,000 to maintain the city’s successful Prime Time after-school program at AISD schools, which serves more than 2,400 students
• $350,000 for AISD’s Cable Channel 22 from the city’s Public, Educational and Government capital funding, which is drawn from cable fees to support public affairs and educational programming
• $57,000 dedicated to fund AISD Family Resource Centers as a part of a social service contract with health and human services

“I want to thank our AISD trustees and Austin council members for working together to identify ways to share and maximize community resources to specifically support the needs of students and families,” Hinojosa said.

The city council first voted to support AISD’s community education programs as part of its 2014-15 budget.

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Austin ISD is the largest school district in Central Texas, serving more than 83,000 students at 130 schools. Follow AISD on Twitter at @AustinISD or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/austinisd.