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

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.