Dear AISD Colleagues:

Pascal D. Forgione, Jr., Ph.D. Superintendent

Welcome back to a new school year. It's hard to believe that it's time to start again, but seeing all those shining faces eager to learn is what keeps us young. I am honored to be working with the teachers, principals and staff of the Austin Independent School District because of your commitment to our students and to their highest achievement. You make this a singularly remarkable urban school district. I am also honored to be working with colleagues who exhibit such professionalism, faced as we are with difficult budget decisions and with the reduction-in-force of the past few months. I'm pleased to report that of the 600 possible job displacements we were facing last spring, only 30 previous employees remain without jobs. And we will continue to work with them. We are continuing on an upward trajectory of success for our students.

In case you haven't heard, I want to share some of our good news with you from the last school year.

• AISD was a leader among Texas urban school districts on the new state standardized tests (TAKS). Four years ago, we trailed most other urban districts. All our students are making significant improvement, while we're closing the achievement gaps among our subsets of students. 95% of all AISD students passed the TAKS Grade 3 Reading test, mirroring the state average and all student groups scored above 90% passing for the first time in AISD.
• The AISD dropout rate has been cut by more than two-thirds over the past four years. Last year's rate was 1.1%.
• AISD's SAT scores exceeded the state average by more than 50 points and the national average by 29 points while AISD has larger percentages of all students taking the test. Advanced Placement participation (54.6%) is more than twice the state rate (26.3%) and far outdistances the rates for Dallas (38.3%) and Fort Worth (31.6%). AISD seniors received 140 National Merit awards in 2003.
• AISD has five of Newsweek's top 600 high schools in the nation, more than any other district in Texas.
• AISD has more National Board Certified teachers than any other Texas district. This is phenomenal.

And you deserve the lion's share of the credit. Of course, we can't rest on our laurels. The State continues to raise the bar for TAKS passage. And I know each of you is raising the bar in your expectations for your students. We are also continuing to work on the budget so that our declining revenues are best used to meet our campus priorities. There are many challenges ahead, but I look forward to working with you in the coming year to meet them.

Best regards,

Pascal D. Forgione, Jr., Ph.D.
Superintendent