[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6659516,"mediaKeyId","2455028-23ef7b134bf0059e716db80dbcaf2801","parentId",2455028,"title","Board approves consent agenda, personnel action and contingent‑fee legal agreements; public commenters raise transparency concerns","audioSeconds",810,"startMs",11248000,"endMs",12058000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2455028-23ef7b134bf0059e716db80dbcaf2801&start=11248&end=12058","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2455028-23ef7b134bf0059e716db80dbcaf2801/thumbnail_11248000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6659516/Texas/Board-approves-consent-agenda-personnel-action-and-contingentfee-legal-agreements-public-commenters-raise-transparency-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6659516-4c02acd2133b18a1a2c8850ffd10d1b1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770740570&Signature=k6w~yiFxzpOtE8dWVICkunGCg2OeM8avrgROk82hgflJGBhB~9CZ-lCgsVVunKiuKUWjUoEhNHPZ2m2eHay5pHGOv345~lHueQ9mkkUjuu3Nwy9ZiWzLxmSaJsHgX6R0rL9qc7jqXL3P12jYrA6NYrskGT9na0lheAC-ZW3f1COsdqVYt~fADZw7ZhDd~OFNk4fkEaeHwnXGTb-Xv99vFSxkxqMPP6wnFQSdKC0LEgTMTH7UM9rd9WXrsJ-JmlaqBGSodjExXqShx7rBAUbEK9Oq3ROdNcPY8lT8P5atJ2iJM280qo5orrtZeyfrsyDTIp8UK9sHtualTocDaVo8Lw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-02-28T05:57:33Z","article","The Austin ISD Board of Trustees voted on several formal actions at the Feb. 27 meeting, approving the consent agenda, a personnel termination and contingent‑fee legal agreements to join a multi‑district lawsuit.

On procedural votes the board approved the consent agenda, which included multiple routine business, finance and procurement items. Secretary Gonzales moved the consent motion and Trustee Quintana seconded; the board voted to approve unanimously.

Personnel action: The board approved item 12.1, \"Termination of professional employees during a probationary contract,\" after a motion by Secretary Gonzales and a second by Trustee Quintana. The motion passed unanimously.

Legal agreements and contingent fees: The board approved a contingent‑fee resolution to participate in multi‑district litigation against social‑media companies (item 12.2) and separately approved contingent‑fee legal agreements with outside firms (item 12.3). General Counsel Kenneth Walker explained the arrangement to the board: the proposed participation would be a contingency fee engagement that carries no out‑of‑pocket legal billing to the district; \"if there was success in any pursuit of this litigation, which resulted in a monetary outcome in favor of the district, then a portion of that through the contingency fee arrangement will go to the firms for the services that they provide in pursuing the litigation on our behalf,\" Walker said. Walker also noted such agreements require review and approval by the Texas Attorney General before contingency fees can be used.

Public testimony: The board played recorded public testimony before the vote. Speakers raised concerns about transparency and the choice of firms. One recorded commenter said there was \"no publicly available information or proposed contract for this agenda item, making it impossible for the community to understand its implications. Transparency is essential and there is none here,\" and urged the board to table a vote and reject an agreement with the named firm Thompson & Horton.

All motions noted in this article passed on the dais as recorded in the meeting transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board Voting Meeting: February 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Austin ISD Board voted Feb. 27 to approve its consent agenda, a personnel termination and contingent‑fee legal actions to join litigation against social media companies; public commenters urged greater transparency on the legal agreements.","taxTitle","AUSTIN ISD, School Districts, Texas","taxId",12954,"location","Texas","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6659521,"Austin ISD projects six‑figure budget gaps, outlines cuts and hiring freeze as board begins planning",487,8208000,8695000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2455028-23ef7b134bf0059e716db80dbcaf2801&start=8208&end=8695","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2455028-23ef7b134bf0059e716db80dbcaf2801/thumbnail_8208000.jpg","/articles/6659521/Texas/Austin-ISD-projects-sixfigure-budget-gaps-outlines-cuts-and-hiring-freeze-as-board-begins-planning","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6659521-dd0e76e822d0bc03a3912c90992df7fd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770740570&Signature=jyd4Am~1hJQTDcLMQ9rpGaEUBxsOL5JKSDb4zVRdzd5NMBtvl1qXpFfPDh0YWsS5esZwBNtEGnZpy1PIa1C1AdY1HS1nloWTDxgoCatFKF-chsbT~p-n9hjkORP3Orjfa9tv50WawUIbgRlRs-x548pkYEGLnZIxYwE2qaHVREAjvnwmvr7d536zMe6OXlVKBybAwYZFl8yPBBok~S9O9z8y-kSZiW7lB9VzmXA2cPWQ~w59vVRy1-3dRLs1oVeX-3ax4i3iMEUXBJjZ6KsB5h15Vuq1gjdjoAlR570Ixb9dTMx4-qa-M5oVXRsIYLS06mw69iCm8IxLaL7dcqkRgw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Austin ISD officials presented a detailed budget update and a budget‑alignment workshop to the Board of Trustees Feb. 27, saying the district faces a sizable shortfall and must consider a mix of program reductions, operational changes and asset monetization.

Interim Chief Financial Officer Katrina Montgomery said the district's adopted FY2024–25 budget (adopted last year) projected a roughly $78 million deficit; current projections show a substantially larger gap and a need for additional reductions. \"This fiscal year…we need to cut an estimated $32,000,000 in addition,\" Montgomery told trustees, describing steps already taken this fiscal year that reduced the gap and the further actions under consideration.

Montgomery and Superintendent Matias Segura presented multiple scenarios for FY2025–26 based on property appraisal changes. The administration showed an estimated deficit of about $105 million assuming 0% property value growth and about $121 million using a midpoint projection (roughly an 11% local property value decline from recent appraisals). Montgomery emphasized cash‑flow timing and reserves, saying, \"One payroll is approximately $33,000,000,\" and noting months when cash is thin.

Planned and proposed measures discussed in the workshop included:
- An immediate hiring freeze for FY2024–25 that excludes special‑education positions; Montgomery said special‑education staffing decisions are being prioritized to reduce reliance on contractors.
- Tighter spending controls and an escalation process for approving overtime and other non‑essential spend.
- Consideration of monetizing district property and rethinking property insurance (including self‑insurance options) to lower annual premiums.
- Program and staffing options that would reduce budgeted positions or allocations, including potential changes to secondary master schedules (moving from a 6‑out‑of‑8 planning model to a 7‑out‑of‑8 model at some high schools), adjustments to elementary protected planning and staffing thresholds, consolidation of schools, and reductions in non‑required enrichment and partnership programming. The administration presented rough estimates for groups of options (for example, a scenario labeled \"7 of 8 secondary\" estimated $16 million in savings in one illustrative configuration).

Trustees asked detailed questions about impacts to instructional coaches, dual‑language programming, the role of Title I funding for supplemental staff and whether changes could be tailored across campus bands or would be district‑wide. Several trustees stressed the importance of protecting core instructional supports: Trustee Hunter and others emphasized that instructional coaches and stable leadership correlate with improved campus outcomes. Montgomery and Segura said they would produce refined models and that the district will continue community outreach and board workshops through March and into June as assumptions (including state legislative outcomes) become clearer.

Segura and Chief of Staff Jacob Reach also briefed trustees on the legislative environment that could materially change the district's revenue picture, including competing House and Senate proposals for teacher pay and statewide school finance adjustments. Reach flagged pending proposals on special‑education funding and whether state action will materialize in time to influence FY2025–26 planning.

Board members asked for additional scenarios and asked administration to show what it would take to preserve a 20% fund balance policy target. Montgomery said such a scenario would be \"aggressive\" and require larger reductions or greater monetization but that staff could model options. Trustees requested continued public and staff engagement and asked administration to run tailored models for different bands of campuses and for the board to consider the trade‑offs explicitly before final adoption of the FY2025–26 budget in June.","Austin ISD officials told the Board of Trustees Feb. 27 the district must close a multi‑million dollar gap and begin cutting or monetizing assets, while staff prepared modeling and community outreach for the fiscal‑year cycle.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6659526,"Austin ISD presents targeted improvement plans for 34 campuses; Dobie faces turnaround addendum",1529,2878000,4407000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2455028-23ef7b134bf0059e716db80dbcaf2801&start=2878&end=4407","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2455028-23ef7b134bf0059e716db80dbcaf2801/thumbnail_2878000.jpg","/articles/6659526/Texas/Austin-ISD-presents-targeted-improvement-plans-for-34-campuses-Dobie-faces-turnaround-addendum","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6659526-296ad9c925c49e4fc1e21c0727701ff1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770740570&Signature=kdtx0saHX70Q9pXbdlRYwNyl8E4oVPQwxyUyMFStMRuIIxpG3GlXXwD0SYykxShh-jz5GEZFn76BjM4llEj102nIOgwyOmz6GuOJW6-WoHhP6gumYt-cxtPLPFaZBo59i0hPNnuUEz0eibnPD4QEmyhf3xP7F8XLM8Koil2NUZ1TYiDlVoMbqp-XvStwwQ8Yt4UaB7LWwu~BXIXdog0vP9i6jWXruU5Nv8L-xe18bs1QYMURfyu5TuA51DFmiKJ0jN0WcmoB0jS-CB2KtHugs-ozlZNVd5MoouPxp8l47f7q-BJO67CUqpTSM4AeNbwYO4rnPdjKMP1liMpDsg6aaw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Austin ISD leaders briefed the Board of Trustees Feb. 27 on targeted improvement plans (TIPS) required by the Texas Education Agency for campuses labeled comprehensive support and improvement (CSI). The district said 34 campuses developed board‑approved TIPs for 2024–25.

\"There are six basic requirements this year for targeted improvement plans,\" Dylan Feynan, the district director of campus and district accountability, told the board, summarizing ESF diagnostics, a statement of strategy, resource alignment, curriculum identification, public feedback and board presentation.

Presenters said the state changed the TIP template late in December, shortening the template to reduce paperwork; district staff said campuses nonetheless are doing deeper improvement work. Assistant superintendents Jennifer Pace (elementary) and Dr. Angel Wilson (secondary) and executive director Carolyn Hanschen described campus strategies, especially for middle schools in the district’s high‑needs “Bridal” initiative.

Examples shared to the board included Barrington Elementary, whose plan focuses on instructional leadership, AVID routines and PLCs; Betatechek Middle School, which retained instructional coaching and used Title I funds for supplemental positions and extended planning; and Dobie Middle School, whose leaders are preparing both a TIP and a state‑required turnaround plan addendum after multiple years of being identified for CSI.

\"The development window was very condensed,\" Dylan Feynan told trustees, noting the district received the final TEA ISAM template on Dec. 13 and had to submit plans and present to the board by Feb. 28. Staff said Region 13 conducted ESF diagnostics and campuses engaged in leadership and community feedback sessions as required.

Districtwide, staff reported that 50% of the identified schools are labeled \"comprehensive progress,\" which means they are out of the bottom 5% but still required to write a TIP; the remaining schools are either re‑identified CSI campuses or newly identified based on 2023–24 data. For campuses that remain labeled CSI, district staff noted the federal label takes two years to exit: campuses must stay out of the bottom 5% of the Closing the Gaps domain for two consecutive years and exceed their initial identification year’s domain score to exit CSI.

Trustees asked about community engagement, dual‑language and how the TIPs align with the district MTSS framework. Presenters said executive directors, accountability teams and central office staff are supporting campuses with daily coaching, targeted professional learning and the district’s MTSS structures. The district said it will bring a separate turnaround plan for Dobie as an addendum to the TIPs, likely in late spring.","District staff presented Targeted Improvement Plans (TIPs) for 34 campuses identified under federal comprehensive support and improvement (CSI) rules, described the ESF diagnostic and shorter TEA template, and said a turnaround plan addendum will be prepared for Dobie Middle School.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6659530,"Austin ISD trustees receive 2023–24 annual report showing steady graduation, attendance and special education concerns",1024,521000,1545000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2455028-23ef7b134bf0059e716db80dbcaf2801&start=521&end=1545","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2455028-23ef7b134bf0059e716db80dbcaf2801/thumbnail_521000.jpg","/articles/6659530/Texas/Austin-ISD-trustees-receive-202324-annual-report-showing-steady-graduation-attendance-and-special-education-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6659530-6f3d19f88a04d8bb46a20260bb8d82e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770740570&Signature=ih5Zi7gFPMrhL7VtQYxzZHP1Aer0rRMW7OnhpmJ-REpkXLbIWcJJElQpmdz6J1~NStwgU5PSP98R5SE9337lKPefBmW6PPb~8uNNtIHUYQz8-2KGTyBxz~2bDJl-tONJRBp5re-C1z9A8UahooahgSrW42jvDzZ~kJPQV~bgY2~vEAm018nJn65K3Jyb78O1V4gQ4YLzVytSQm9bCOGTSiz-79qPGhBR4lyrtbAVTUTMDmsFjK7O75Mj3tg9NDRW5wimBZsAs2vMRn7ndSyeIxzF1K304Shqrhk6sMpMXDaavQ5aGpFV8Yi6-v15zx5V-7BK6biVPCCFhyVchCyYQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees heard the district's 2023–24 annual report during a Feb. 27 public hearing, presented by Chief Officer Jacob Reach of Government Relations and Board Services.

\"State statute actually requires that each district's Board of Trustees hold a public hearing to review the annual report,\" Jacob Reach said, introducing the TAPR‑based summary that underpins the district scorecard and campus improvement planning.

The presentation reviewed six components of the annual report: accreditation status, the Texas Academic Performance Report for the district and campuses, the district PEIMS financial report, progress on campus performance objectives, violent/criminal incident reporting, and postsecondary readiness.

Reach and staff noted AISD remains accredited and retains an A (superior achievement) Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) rating. The TAPR attendance data cited in the presentation show a 90.9% overall attendance rate for 2022–23 (a 0.3 percentage‑point increase from the prior year), and a four‑year graduation rate of 93.1% for the class of 2023. The district reported a CCMR (college, career and military readiness) rate described in the slides as 6 percentage points above the state rate shown elsewhere in the presentation.

On special education, staff reported the district's federal Results Driven Accountability assignment as \"needs assistance\" for 2023–24. Carolyn Hanschen, executive director of accountability and assessment, and other presenters said the district's RDA indicators of concern include disproportionate representation (SPP 9), disproportionate identification by disability category (SPP 10), timely initial evaluations (SPP 11) and early childhood transition (SPP 12).

Reach also reviewed financial materials from PEIMS and said total funding that includes recapture was shown in the presentation as roughly $1.68 billion. Other slides highlighted the district's student demographics (72,830 students in the October 2023 snapshot), teacher experience (56.2% of teachers have six or more years of total education experience), and progress on district strategic goals for third‑grade reading (47% meets or above) and third‑grade math (39% meets or above) as measured in the TAPR or district scorecard snapshots.

Questions from trustees ranged from requests for slide breakdowns to clarification on how specific offenses are counted in the violent and criminal incident report. Trustee questions also pressed staff to produce more disaggregated slides (for example, teachers' race/ethnicity compared with years of experience and average salary bands) and to provide state comparisons for subgroup CCMR performance.

The report is posted on the district website and trustees and staff said supplemental tables and drill‑downs would be supplied to the board and posted in BoardDocs for members of the public who want further detail.","District leaders presented the 2023–24 annual report to the Board of Trustees on Feb. 27, summarizing accreditation, the Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) data, finances and indicators including a 'needs assistance' special education determination and a 93.1% four‑year graduation rate for the class of 2023.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves consent agenda, personnel action and contingent‑fee legal agreements; public commenters raise transparency concerns

Austin ISD projects six‑figure budget gaps, outlines cuts and hiring freeze as board begins planning

Austin ISD presents targeted improvement plans for 34 campuses; Dobie faces turnaround addendum

Austin ISD trustees receive 2023–24 annual report showing steady graduation, attendance and special education concerns