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Happy summer! I hope your family is enjoying the break, despite the heat wave.
We have an update on the new 2023-24 熱えapp budget, which the Board of Trustees approved early Friday morning. The new budget includes the across-the-board pay raise for all teachers and staff approved in May.
Theres also an update on actions by the Texas Legislature that affect public schools, and a look ahead to fall, when legislators will likely return to Austin to take up more voucher proposals.
熱えapp will host a career fair for classified positions on Saturday morning, June 24. Compensation starts at $20/hour for classified positions, and $25/hour for bus drivers. Interested applicants can RSVP and learn more at https://bit.ly/CareerFairAnn.
Reading is a great way to beat the summer heat AND keep students engaged with learning. The 5 Book Dive Summer Reading Program encourages students to read at least five self-selected books over the summer, with book lists by grade and reading level in English and Spanish.
We all know that kids get hungry, even (or maybe especially)泭 in the summer. Over 50 熱えapp campuses are serving free breakfast and lunch this summer. All children 18 and under are welcome, no identification or registration required.
Results for End-of-Course STAAR tests will be available through 熱えapps Parent Portal on June 30. STAAR results for Grades 3-8 will be available in the Parent Portal on August 16.泭
And a reminder registration for the 2023-24 session of 熱えapps UpClose community leadership program is open until July 31. Apply today!
Looking ahead to fall, 熱えapp is hosting our 2nd annual district-wide Showcase at the Palmer Events Center on September 23. This takes the place of the district-wide Back to School Bash from previous years. Mark your calendars now!
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Family Newsletter
By Nayeli Santoyo & Collaborators泭泭Jun 23, 2023
Smart Brevity簧 count: 6.5 mins...1751 words
Happy summer! I hope your family is enjoying the break, despite the heat wave.
We have an update on the new 2023-24 熱えapp budget, which the Board of Trustees approved early Friday morning. The new budget includes the across-the-board pay raise for all teachers and staff approved in May.
Theres also an update on actions by the Texas Legislature that affect public schools, and a look ahead to fall, when legislators will likely return to Austin to take up more voucher proposals.
熱えapp will host a career fair for classified positions on Saturday morning, June 24. Compensation starts at $20/hour for classified positions, and $25/hour for bus drivers. Interested applicants can RSVP and learn more at .
Reading is a great way to beat the summer heat AND keep students engaged with learning. The encourages students to read at least five self-selected books over the summer, with book lists by grade and reading level in English and Spanish.
We all know that kids get hungry, even (or maybe especially)泭 in the summer. Over 50 熱えapp campuses are serving this summer. All children 18 and under are welcome, no identification or registration required.
Results for will be available through 熱えapps Parent Portal on June 30. will be available in the Parent Portal on August 16.泭
And a reminder for the 2023-24 session of 熱えapps UpClose community leadership program is open until July 31. Apply today!
Looking ahead to fall, 熱えapp is hosting our 2nd annual district-wide at the Palmer Events Center on September 23. This takes the place of the district-wide Back to School Bash from previous years. Mark your calendars now!
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1 big thing: Trustees pass $1.86 billion budget, including across-the-board pay raise
Early Friday morning, the board of trustees voted unanimously to approve a for the 202324 fiscal year, which starts on July 1. The budget includes $940 million in recapture payments to the state, about 50% of the districts total expenditures for the year.
Catch up quick: On May 18, the trustees approved across-the-board pay raises for all district teachers and staff for the 202324 school year. Trustees agreed to spend $52 million of district savings to fund the pay increase.
What theyre saying: Our commitment to increased pay is already showing strong results. This time last year, the district faced about 1,000 teacher vacancies. Today, we have just 80 vacancies. When our students return in August, we expect every campus to be staffed with the highly-qualified teachers, librarians, principals, counselors, bus drivers, cafeteria workers and custodians who are essential to every childs success, Trustees Arati Singh and Lynn Boswell in the Austin American-Statesman.
Why it matters: The new compensation package provides meaningful raises for all teachers and staff:泭
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$4 per hour flat raise for all classified employees (AUX, IS, NIS, IT, BD, PD pay scales), bringing the minimum hourly rate to $20/hour
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7% increase for teachers, librarians, counselors, instructional coaches, and Special Education-related services (employee receives the better of the percentage increase or placement on the new step)泭
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5% increase for Administrative Professionals AP1AP12 (up to high school principals and directors) and 3% increase for AP1316 (executive directors and above) based on midpoint
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Above-market adjustments for Licensed Specialists in School Psychology (LSSPs) and Ed Diagnosticians
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Increased stipends for bilingual and Special Education staff to $7,000 each, with an expansion of which positions qualify
Yes and While these investments reflect a projected $52 million deficit, 熱えapp values our employees and is committed to doing what is necessary to take care of them.泭
with the opinion editorial by trustees Arati Singh and Lynn Boswell published in the Austin American-Statesman, supporting the new district budget.
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2. Summer registration clinics help families prepare for school; enROLLing buses are coming!
熱えapp is hosting registration clinics on Tuesday, June 27 and Wednesday, June 28 from 12:30 to 6:30 pm to provide one-on-one registration support for families.泭
In-person registration is available at:
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Dobie Middle School, 1200 E. Rundberg Lane, Austin, TX 78753
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熱えapp Central Office, 4000 S. I-H 35, Austin, TX 78704
What theyre saying: [The in-person registration clinic] helped me a lot, said Ricci Alvarez, who recently moved here from Florida with her five-year-old daughter.泭
Speaking your language: Families can get help in English or Spanish. "It's safer to come in person and get help because [熱えapp staff] explained everything to me, because maybe we read [English], but we don't understand and then we get confused," said Blanca Martinez, mom of four-year-old Ramon.
By the numbers: This is the third year that 熱えapp has held summer Registration Clinics for families who need in-person help to register their students. Last year 熱えapp helped 863 families during summer registration clinics.
Whats next: The month-long series of clinics wraps up on June 28, but be on the lookout for 熱えapp enROLLing buses deployed around the city in early August to help families get their students signed up before school starts on August 14.
For more information visit , text "enroll" to 512-886-6434 or call the family support number at 512-414-9187.
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3. June 27 listening sessions kick off new ombuds office泭
熱えapp is re-establishing the Ombuds Office to help families and staff navigate the district by hearing concerns that have not been resolved by a campus or the Central Office.泭
Why it matters: The Ombuds Office will be a neutral, confidential and informal department to provide information, reduce grievances and promote a culture of respect within the district.
Have your say: The 熱えapp Office of Equity is holding virtual community conversations on泭 Tuesday, June 27 for district families and staff to share their questions, thoughts, and input about the role and purpose of the new office.泭
Staff zoom registration link:
Community member zoom registration link:
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4. Texas lawmakers expected to return with more voucher proposals
Just as Texas students will return to class this fall, Texas lawmakers are expected to return to the Capitol in the late summer or early fall to consider more voucher legislation and other education proposals.
Why it matters: Governor Greg Abbott has said he will not sign any education legislation until vouchers are passed, setting up a stand-off between public education advocates and voucher proponents. A proposal to send $4.5 billion in additional state funding to public schools, paying for teacher raises and other public education priorities, failed to pass when the Texas Senate attached a school voucher program to the bill.泭
Catch up quick: Proposed school voucher programs called education savings accounts would give some families tax money to send their students to private school or pay for certain educational expenses.
What theyre saying: At a time when the state has a historic budget surplus of more than $32 billion, the Legislature should invest in public schools instead of sending public dollars to private schools, said 熱えapps Director of Intergovernmental Relations and Policy Oversight Edna Butts.
Relevant legislation: Legislators filed nearly 1,500 education proposals this session, of which 140 passed and over 100 were signed by Governor Abbott. Some relevant bills include:泭
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Campus security officers requires safety officers on every public school campus; the bill gives schools $10 per student and $15,000 per campus, not enough to pay for the required officers. The board will convene to discuss how to meet this requirement in a way that best aligns with district values.泭
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School libraries requires book vendors to assign ratings to books based on depictions or references to sex. Books that are judged to have泭 patently offensive language defined in state law as violating current community standards of decency must be removed from school libraries.
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Temporary teacher certification for veterans, first responders creates temporary 3-year teacher certifications for military veterans and first responders to teach Career & Technical Education courses.
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Repayment assistance extended to LSSPs extends student loan repayment assistance to Licensed Specialists in School Psychology.
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Instructional material review by TEA and SBOE is a sweeping education bill; among other things, HB 1605 creates a process for all instructional materials to be reviewed by the Texas Education Agency and approved by the State Board of Education.
Whats next: Governor Abbott is expected to call legislators back for a special session on vouchers in the next three months.
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5. Dual Language students are Hilltoppers for a week
In June, rising 11th graders in 熱えapps Dual Language program at Navarro, Travis, Akins and Crockett high schools attended a week-long Summer Dual Language Program at St. Edwards University.泭
Students got a taste of college life with a university meal card for breakfast and lunch in the St. Edwards cafeteria, and met with bilingual students and professors in biology, psychology, political science and theater.
The program concluded with a presentation for students and their families about泭 financial aid and applying to college.泭
This partnership was funded by grants from St Edwards donors and arranged by Dr. Emily Bernate of the St. Edwards faculty.泭
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6. 熱えapp congratulations the Class of 2023!
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7. 熱えapp marches in Juneteenth parade
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(CBS Austin)
(KUT)
(KVUE)
(KUT)
(Yahoo Finance)
(KXAN)
(Community Impact)
(Austin American Statesman)
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Nayeli is enjoying time with her son and trying to escape the heat wave!
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