AISD Approves Budget to Fund People, Programs and Training to Prepare Students for Success

Last night, Austin ISD's board approved a $1.2 billion budget to support its goal of reinventing the urban school experience. The budget is built to fund the people, programs and training that prepare students to achieve their best.

The majority of AISD's budget--87 percent--funds staff who educate and support our students.

Two areas that are key to student success and are prioritized in the 2016-17 budget are:

Enhanced literacy and dyslexia training for teachers will help them address and resolve performance gaps; and
A continued investment in SEL will advance student performance by instilling responsible decision-making, conflict resolution and stress management.

"AISD students are making incredible accomplishments and it's our job to give them the supports they need to continue on the upward trajectory," said Superintendent Paul Cruz. "Preparing students for college, career and life is our mission, and this budget is structured to help us do just that."

AISD's graduation rates are at an all-time high of 86.3 percent and every ethnic group is at 80 percent graduation rate or better. AISD's SAT and ACT scores consistently beat state and national averages, and students are outperforming their peers in other school districts nationwide.

Even with these successes, there are still challenges.

An investment in team members will help AISD recruit and retain the talented individuals who help our students succeed. These include a 4 percent raise for full-time employees, a minimum wage increase to $13 per hour for AISD employees, and an investment in Professional Pathways for Teachers.

PPfT will be rolled out during the next three years. It gives AISD teachers opportunities to increase their earning capacity in a way that is directly tied to student success and in a way that will support them in their professional growth.

"Building a budget that supports AISD's goals is a big job and it takes smart, strategic planning," said Chief Financial Officer Nicole Conley. "Of its $1.2 billion budget, AISD will pay the state of Texas $406 million in recapture funds, so we must be thoughtful in allocating the funds we have to ensure all students have the resources they need to achieve excellence."

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.

###