Gates Foundation Provide Funding for Redesign Community Partners

In May 2007, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced that it will provide grant funding to three local organizations (Austin Area Urban League, Austin Voices for Education & Youth, and the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce) to help AISD engage parents, students and the community in High School Redesign. Over the next three years, the three groups will develop and implement coordinated community outreach efforts with special focus on the communities around LBJ, Reagan, and Johnston high schools.

STAR Report Will Help Advisors Help Students

AISD has developed a valuable new tool called the STAR Report to give Advisors a timely, easy to use snapshot of data on each student in their Advisory in order to help them stay on top of academics and identify potential problems before they become a crisis...such as frequent unexcused absences.

STAR stands for Student Teacher Advisement Report and was created with the input of teachers across the district. The information available to advisors will include such data as attendance, including periods missed and the reasons for absences; 6 week grades; course credits to help students determine what courses they need to graduate, and TAKS scores. This easy access to data will also be a tool to advisors when they meet with parents to discuss student progress.

National Experts Brief AISD Board on High School Redesign

AISD sponsored a briefing for the Board of Trustees on February 22, 2007 to discuss "The Role of the Board in High School Redesign". Participating on the expert panel were national leaders in high school reform who shared lessons learned from Texas and other districts across the country. These special presenters included:

• Tom Payzant, former Superintendent, Boston Public Schools
• Elizabeth Reilinger, Chair, Boston Public Schools
• Jim Connell, President, Institute for Research Reform in Education
• John Fitzpatrick, Executive Director, Texas High School Project
• Seth Reynolds, Senior, The Parthenon Group