Austin ISD leadership will begin review and approval of staffing plans Monday for the six pilot campuses identified to accommodate alternate work arrangements. 

Teachers, in collaboration with their principal, at the pilot campuses proposed plans to serve students while internally covering the roles of staff who may want alternate work arrangements. 

“I am proud of the campus teams and their collaborative efforts to be creative while meeting students’ needs,” Elizalde said. “I am hopeful that we can find solutions to think flexibly to support staff while providing instruction to all students.” 

The pilot program is being launched at the following campuses: Cunningham and Padron elementary schools, Burnet and Covington middle schools, Bowie High School and Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders.

Plans were developed through a process that included surveying all teachers and discussing parameters over multiple meetings. Data on teacher volunteers and student enrollment were used to deliberate in small groups to develop potential plans. The voluntary plans were based on campus consensus and collaboration and were reviewed with campus advisory committees before a campuswide vote.

Campuses have established conditions in which all staff would come to campus, including:

• An increase in on-campus student attendance that requires additional in-person teachers to maintain safe classroom environments.
• Vaccinations are available to educators.
• Austin-Travis County enters into Stage 3 in the Austin Public Health risk-based guidelines.

Once approved, the pilot will run for three weeks to collect data before reviewing options to scale the program. All plans are fluid and will be altered to meet student or campus needs as in-person attendance increases.

###