Multi-Million Dollar Grant to Help Prevent Teen Pregnancies

from Austin ISD

The Austin School District will implement a risk-reduction program to help prevent pregnancies with a $2.9 million grant awarded by the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Adolescent Health.

The REAL Talk program for middle and high school students will provide teens with the instruction to ‘Know More/Know How’ to prevent unplanned pregnancies.  As grant collaborators, LifeWorks and Planned Parenthood of Texas Capital Region will provide education services to seventh and eighth grade students, and ninth and tenth grade students, respectively.

The US Department of Health and Human Services announced the award on Thursday, September 30.  The Austin School District, LifeWorks and Planned Parenthood submitted the application for the five-year award in May 2009.

In anticipation of receiving the grant, last Spring a group of Akins High School students, in collaboration with the University of Texas’ School of Public Health, developed the ‘Know More/Know How’ social media marketing campaign to raise awareness of the need to implement a student driven campaign about teen pregnancy prevention.  Teen pregnancy was one of two major student health issues identified by participants of a community conversation hosted by the District’s Health Services Department and the School Health Advisory Council in October 2009.  Unplanned pregnancies, along with childhood/adolescent obesity, were cited because of their long-term impact on student health, school attendance and academic performance.

District figures regarding teen pregnancy rates, supported community perception that too many young women were becoming mothers too soon.  Student Health Services data show that after a multi-year decline to 251 students identified as pregnant in 2006, the trend reversed.  Students identified as pregnant in 2007 climbed to 296, in 2008 to 348, in 2009 to 375, and 2010 to 395.

The REAL Talk program will focus on abstinence as the only 100 percent effective means of preventing pregnancy.  Additionally, students will learn about types of behaviors that are likely to increase the risk of pregnancy and contraceptive options to prevent pregnancy.  Per AISD policy, contraceptive devices will not be demonstrated nor will they be disseminated in District facilities.  Additionally, students who wish to participate in the program will be required to have parental or guardian permission.

“I’d like to congratulate AISD, LifeWorks and Planned Parenthood for working so hard to secure this grant, and the City is proud to support their efforts,” said Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell.  “Addressing teen pregnancy is critically important work – especially here in Texas, where we have the third highest rate of teen births in the nation.”

Mayor Leffingwell as well as Congressman Lloyd Doggett authored letters of support for the collaborative REAL Talk application.

Next steps include the development of an implementation plan, starting in the Fall of 2011-2012 school year, and implementation of the ‘Know More/Know How’ social media campaign.  For more information regarding the REAL Talk program, contact AISD’s Health Education Coordinator Tracy Lunoff at 414-4778.

Time Warner To Move Access Channels to Digital Tier

Time Warner Cable will move several public access channels to a digital tier that is only accessible with a digital converter box from the cable company. The channels include AISD-TV (Channel 22), City of Austin (Channel 6), Travis County TV (Channel 17), Austin Community College's Instructional TV (Channel 19) and channelAustin's public access channels (Channels 10, 11 and 16).

If you have an analog or standard-definition television, you will only be able to view these Public, Educational and Government (PEG) channels on the digital converter box beginning Friday, October 1. Basic tier subscribers will not be charged for the box through December 31, 2015, while standard tier customers are eligible to receive the box free for one year if they request it before December 1, 2010.

The City of Austin channel is also available as a live webcast or video on demand at www.cityofaustin.org/channel6. Travis County TV is also available online at www.co.travis.tx.us/media_services/default.asp. Some of ACC's ITV programming is available for viewing at on-campus media centers and online as well.

Service is not affected for Grande Communications, Suddenlink or AT&T U-Verse customers. The providers of the affected channels have made it clear that they have objected to the change. If you have further questions about the move or about how to obtain a converter box, call Time Warner Cable at 485-6000.

AISD Performance Improvements Mean End of Oversight for Low Performing Schools

from Austin ISD

The Texas Education Agency has informed Superintendent Meria Carstarphen that it has terminated the three-year assignment of a Management Team to “address longstanding academic performance issues at certain campuses,” and “to oversee the continued implementation of school improvement and/or reconstitution plans for multi-year AU campuses” within Austin Independent School District.       

The TEA Management Team had been assigned to the Austin School District since November 2007.    

In a letter to Dr. Carstarphen, Education Commissioner Robert Scott wrote, “The academic progress reflected in the 2010 academic accountability ratings leads me to conclude that it is no longer necessary for the TEA-assigned management team to direct the actions of the district for matters related to academic improvement.”
        

TEA released its latest Accountability Ratings on July 30, 2010, and 109 Austin campuses—or 99 percent—now meet, or exceeds, state standards.  A total of 68 Austin schools are now rated either Exemplary or Recognized, more than ever before.  Seven Austin schools advanced from Academically Unacceptable in 2009 to Academically Acceptable in 2010, and AISD now has only one campus rated AU.
        

At his July 30 press conference, announcing the new state ratings, Commissioner Scott said of AISD, “They’re making improvements.  It makes me happy because I see a commitment to the East side and as I said last year, east and west need to meet and agree that all our kids deserve the same education opportunities and we’re starting to see progress.”

Austin Named "Reform Friendly" for Education

Austin has been recognized as being "reform friendly" for education according to a new study released by the Fordham Institute.

Austin earned a B grade, as did the other cities in the top 10. The study looked at six areas vital to reform in the nation's 25 largest cities, along with five other smaller communities.

“Austin should be on an entrepreneur’s short list of new locales: It finishes in the top twelve in most categories that we examined,” said the report. “With strong funding avenues, and respectable district environs and quality-control metrics, the city is a mostly welcoming host to nontraditional providers.”

You can read the full report here.

AISD Superintendent Gets Big Bonus as School Board Talks Budget

Austin ISD Superintendent Dr. Maria Carstarphen received her performance evaluation at Monday's Board of Trustees meeting, and was awarded a performance bonus that's more than many people make in a year.

According to Board President Mark Williams, Dr. Carstarphen will receive a bonus totaling $41,500 for the 2009-2010 school year, tied directly to the academic performance of AISD schools. She received $19,000 of a possible $25,000 for meeting most, but not all, of the performance objectives tied to state and federal accountability measures. She was also awarded an additional $22,500 after three schools that were rated Academically Unacceptable for multiple years turned their performance around. Those schools, Reagan High School, Pearce Middle School and Garcia Middle School, were all rated Academically Acceptable for the 2009-2010 school year.

Dr. Carstarphen reported that she had a busy day on the first day of school, visiting eight AISD campuses throughout the day and chronicling it in her blog.

During Monday's meeting, the board also approved a $716 million operating budget for the 2010-2011 school year, which began Monday. AISD will also send $128 million to the State of Texas under "recapture" provisions of Texas school finance law that will redistribute a portion of collected property taxes among other local school districts.

The approved budget is balanced, according to Dr. Carstarphen, and cures a $7.1 million structural deficit that had been projected for the school year. The district will also continue the current operating tax rate of $1.079 per $100 of assessed property value, along with a separate bond debt repayment tax rate of $0.148, for a combined rate of $1.227.

The board also voted to discontinue a historical property exemption on property taxes for the 2010-2011 school year that was authorized by the City of Austin.

Debbie Russell Talks What Justification Means in Sanders Shooting

As Seen on Radio Episode 2...

Find out how you can order your Round Rock Express concession food right from your seat from Brandon Lloyd, president of Bypass Lane.  The Dell Diamond is the only place in the country right now where you can do this.

Also, Debbie Russell talks about the possible settlement between the city of Austin and the Nathaniel Sanders family.  Will the city council vote this week to drop $750,000 to the family?  Will the settlement equal justice?

And a local Austin teacher wins a national award.  Hear from fourth grade teacher Sally Hunter and how her 30 years of molding young minds helped her win $2,500 and some time in the national spotlight.

AISD Transportation Receives Honorable Mention for Bus Service

With a ridership of nearly 21,000 students and a fleet of 500 buses, the AISD Transportation Department  has earned a high mark for its bus service operations.  The district was awarded honorable mention as one of the 100 Best Fleets of North America for 2010.

The program is in its seventh year and aims to improve performance within the fleet industry.  The 100 Best Fleets program is sponsored by Government Fleet Magazine, Invers Mobility Solutions and author/consultant Tom C. Johnson.

The district reports that its buses travel approximately 6.3 million miles every school year.  This year the school year begins August 23.

Early TAKS Results Show Austin Students' Improvement

Preliminary results are out for this year's TAKS test - and Austin ISD students posted some impressive improvements over last year.

At least 80 percent of all students tested passed all five subjects, and there were strong improvements district-wide in Math and Science subject areas, particularly among minority students. AISD Superintendent Dr. Meria Carstarphen pointed out that the improvements come even with tougher passing standards in Reading and Math at some grade levels.

“The TAKS Science and Math tests have been a particularly difficult challenge statewide,” Superintendent Dr. Meria Carstarphen said, “and we are very excited that our students have achieved these large gains and reached these milestone.”

The TAKS data is still not official, but these early results seem to show that all Austin schools will receive an Academically Acceptable rating or higher from the TEA, except for one.

You can view the Austin ISD preliminary results here (PDF).