# Austin Independent School District

Austin Independent School District (AISD) is a school district based in the city of Austin, Texas, United States. Established in 1881, the district serves most of the City of Austin, the neighboring municipalities of Sunset Valley and San Leanna, and unincorporated areas in Travis County (including Manchaca). The district operates 116 schools including 78 elementary schools, 19 middle schools, and 17 high schools. As of 2013, AISD covers 54.1% of the City of Austin by area and serves 73.5% of its residents.

## Academic achievement

In 2018-19, the school district was rated a B by the Texas Education Agency (TEA.) No state accountability ratings were given to districts for the 2019–20 and 2020-21 school years. Prior to the 2011-12 school year, school districts in Texas could receive one of four possible rankings from the Texas Education Agency: Exemplary (the highest possible ranking), Recognized, Academically Acceptable, and Academically Unacceptable (the lowest possible ranking). For the 2012-13 school year, the TEA moved to a Pass/Fail system. In 2017, the TEA adopted an A-F accountability system.
Historical district TEA accountability ratings :
| School Year | Rating |
| 2021-22 | B |
| 2020-21 | Not Rated: Declared State of Disaster |
| 2019-20 | Not Rated: Declared State of Disaster |
| 2018-19 | B |
| 2017-18 | B |
| 2016-17 | Met Standard |
| 2015-16 | Met Standard |
| 2014-15 | Met Standard |
| 2013-14 | Met Standard |
| 2012-13 | Met Standard |
| 2011-12 | Not Rated |
| 2010-11 | Academically Acceptable |
| 2009-10 | Academically Acceptable |
| 2008-09 | Academically Acceptable |
| 2007-08 | Academically Acceptable |
| 2006-07 | Academically Acceptable |
| 2005-06 | Academically Acceptable |
| 2004-05 | Academically Acceptable |
| 2003-04 | Academically Acceptable |

## Finances

Like other Texas public school districts, AISD is funded through a combination of local property taxes, general state revenues (such as occupation taxes, Texas Lottery profits, and returns from the Permanent School Fund), and federal education funds. The district also funds some facilities construction and improvements through the issuance of debt by bond elections; AISD's most recent bond elections have been held in 2013, 2017, and 2022.

## Board of Trustees

Members are elected in nonpartisan elections and serve four year terms. Positions 1-7 are elected in single-member districts, while positions 8 and 9 are elected at-large.
| Place | Name | Term | Elected | Term Up |
| 1 | Candace Hunter | 1st | 2022 | 2026 |
| 2 | LaRessa Quintana | 1st | 2024 | 2028 |
| 3 | Kevin Foster | 2nd | 2020 | 2028 |
| 4 | Katherine Whitley Chu | 1st | 2022 | 2026 |
| 5 | Lynn Boswell | 2nd | 2020 | 2028 |
| 6 | Andrew Gonzales | 1st | 2022 | 2026 |
| 7 | David Kauffman | 1st | 2022 | 2026 |
| 8 | Fernando Lucas de Urioste | 1st | 2024 | 2028 |
| 9 | Arati Singh | 3rd | 2018 | 2026 |

## List of superintendents

* John B. Winn – 1881–1894
* Prof. Thomas Green Harris – 1895–1903
* Arthur N. McCallum Sr. – 1903–1942
* Dr. Russell Lewis – 1942–1947
* Dr. J.W. Edgar – 1947–1950
* Dr. Irby B. Carruth – 1950–1970
* Dr. Jack L. Davidson – 1970–1980
* Dr. John Ellis – 1980–1990
* Dr. Gonzalo Garza (Interim) – 1990–1991
* Dr. Jim B. Hensley – 1991–1992
* Dr. Terry N. Bishop (Interim) – 1993–1994
* Dr. James Fox Jr. – 1995–1998
* A.C. Gonzalez (Interim) – 1998–1999
* Dr. Pascal D. Forgione Jr. – 1999–2009
* Dr. Meria Carstarphen – 2009–2014
* Dr. Paul Cruz – 2014–2020
* Dr. Stephanie S. Elizalde – 2020–2022
* Dr. Anthony Mays (Interim) – 2022
* Matias Segura – 2023–Present

## Demographics

In the 1970s white flight to Westlake and other suburbs of Austin that were majority white began. In 1970 the student body of AISD was 65% non-Hispanic (Anglo) white. In the late 1970s the student body was 57% non-Hispanic white, 26% Hispanic and Latino, and 15% African-American. Until 1978 AISD categorized Hispanics and Latinos as "white" so they could integrate them with African-Americans while leaving non-Hispanic whites out of integration. That year it was forced to integrate Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites. In 2000 the student body of AISD was 37% non-Hispanic white. The Hispanic student population peaked in 2011, at 52,398 students. As of the 2016-17 school year, there are 48,386 Hispanic students, 22,761 non-Hispanic white students, and 6,578 African-American students.
On November 18, 2019 the AISD board of Trustees voted 6-3 in favor of a plan closing four elementary schools. This vote was criticized by many, including AISD Chief Equity Officer, Dr. Hawley who stated that the "map that you have of the closures is a map of what 21st century racism looks like. ... Our process for selecting schools was flawed. It was inequitable." The six Trustees who voted to close the schools were Cindy Anderson, Amber Elenz, Geronimo Rodriguez, Jayme Mathias, Yasmin Wagner and Kristen Ashy.
| Demographics | 2020-21 | 2015-16 | 2010-11 | 2005-06 |
| African-American | 6.6% | 7.8% | 9.5% | 13.5% |
| Asian | 4.5% | 3.8% | 3.3% | 2.9% |
| Hispanic | 55.0% | 58.8% | 60.3% | 55.4% |
| Native American | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | — |
| Two or more races | 3.8% | 2.7% | 2.2% | — |
| White, non-Hispanic | 30.1% | 26.6% | 24.3% | 27.9% |

## High schools

Chronological founding of zoned high school campuses :
| 1881 | Austin High School |
| 1953 | McCallum High School |
| 1953 | Travis Early College High School |
| 1961 | Navarro Early College High School |
| 1965 | Northeast Early College High School |
| 1968 | Crockett Early College High School |
| 1973 | Anderson High School |
| 1974 | LBJ Early College High School |
| 1988 | Bowie High School |
| 2000 | Akins Early College High School |
| 2008 | Eastside Early College High School |
* Images of AISD High Schools
* Akins Early College High School
* Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders
* Austin High School
* Crockett Early College High School
* LBJ Early College High School
* McCallum High School
* Navarro Early College High School
* Northeast Early College High School
* Travis Early College High School
The following high schools cover grades 9 to 12, unless otherwise noted.

### Zoned high schools

| High School | Established | Enrollment (2023–24) | Namesake | Mascot |
| Akins Early College High School | 2000 | 2,542 | William Charles Akins | Eagles |
| Anderson High School | 1973 | 2,167 | Laurine Cecil Anderson | Trojans |
| Austin High School | 1881 | 2,296 | Stephen Fuller Austin | Maroons |
| Bowie High School | 1988 | 2,899 | James Bowie | Bulldogs |
| Crockett Early College High School | 1968 | 1,575 | Davy Crockett | Cougars |
| Eastside Early College High School (2021–present) Eastside Memorial Early College High School (2008-2021) | 2008 | 689 | East Austin | Panthers |
| LBJ Early College High School | 1974 | 763 | Lyndon Baines Johnson | Jaguars |
| McCallum High School | 1953 | 1,861 | Arthur Newell McCallum | Knights |
| Navarro Early College High School (2019–present) Lanier Early College High School (1961-2019) | 1961 | 1,714 | Juan Pantoja Navarro (2019–present) Sidney Clopton Lanier (1961-2019) | Vikings |
| Northeast Early College High School (2019–present) Reagan Early College High School (1965-2019) | 1965 | 989 | Northeast Austin (2019–present) John Henninger Reagan (1965-2019) | Raiders |
| Travis Early College High School | 1953 | 1,157 | William Barret Travis | Rebels |

### Unzoned high schools

The Ann Richards School, Garza Independence High School, and LASA have independent campuses, but International High School shares a campus with Northeast Early College High School.
| High School | Established | Grades | Enrollment (2023–24) | Namesake | Mascot |
| Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders | 2007 | 6-12 | 907 | Dorothy Ann Richards | Stars |
| Garza Independence High School | 1998 | 10-12 | 188 | Gonzalo Garza | Griffins |
| International High School | 2003 | 9-10 | 210 | — | — |
| Liberal Arts & Science Academy (LASA) | 2007 | 9-12 | 1,518 | — | Raptors |

### Other high school programs

The Graduation Preparatory Academies at Navarro and Travis Early College High Schools are officially listed as separate schools from their home campuses, but they are housed within the same building and share many programs.
| Host Campus | Other programs |
| McCallum High School | McCallum Fine Arts Academy |
| Navarro Early College High School | Graduation Preparatory Academy at Navarro ECHS |
| Travis Early College High School | Graduation Preparatory Academy Travis Institute of Hospitality & Culinary Arts |

## Middle schools

Chronological founding of zoned middle school campuses (1886-1999) :
| 1886 | Lively Middle School |
| 1930 | Kealing Middle School |
| 1953 | O. Henry Middle School |
| 1955 | Lamar Middle School |
| 1958 | Bertha Sadler Means Young Women's Leadership Academy |
| 1961 | Burnet Middle School |
| 1966 | Martin Middle School |
| 1967 | Murchison Middle School |
| 1968 | Webb Middle School |
| 1972 | Bedichek Middle School |
| 1973 | Dobie Middle School |
| 1986 | Covington Middle School |
| 1987 | Mendez Middle School |
| 1993 | Bailey Middle School |
| 1999 | Small Middle School |
Chronological founding of zoned middle school campuses (2000-present) :
| 2000 | Paredes Middle School |
| 2007 | Gus Garcia Young Men's Leadership Academy |
| 2009 | Gorzycki Middle School |
| 2023 | Marshall Middle School |
* Images of AISD Middle Schools
* Covington Middle School
* Lively Middle School
* Paredes Middle School

### Zoned middle schools

| Middle School | Established | Grades | Enrollment (2023–24) | Namesake | Mascot |
| Bailey Middle School | 1993 | 6-8 | 785 | Gordon Arthur Bailey | Bears |
| Bedichek Middle School | 1972 | 6-8 | 638 | Roy Bedichek | Bobcats |
| Bertha Sadler Means Young Women's Leadership Academy (2014–present) Pearce Middle School (1958-2014) | 1958 | 6-8 | 346 | Bertha Sadler Means (2014–present) James Edwin Pearce (1958-2014) | Dragons |
| Burnet Middle School | 1961 | 6-8 | 799 | David Gouverneur Burnet | Sailors |
| Covington Middle School | 1986 | 6-8 | 599 | Verna Young Covington & Weldon Joseph Covington | Colts |
| Dobie Middle School | 1973 | 6-8 | 544 | James Frank Dobie | Roadrunners |
| Gorzycki Middle School | 2009 | 6-8 | 1,329 | Diane Elaine Gorzycki | Tigers |
| Gus Garcia Young Men's Leadership Academy (2014–present) Gus Garcia Middle School (2007-2014) | 2007 | 6-8 | 253 | Gustavo Luis Garcia | Dragons |
| Kealing Middle School | 1930 | 6-8 | 1,247 | Hightower Theodore Kealing | Hornets |
| Lamar Middle School | 1955 | 6-8 | 1,100 | Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar | Scotties |
| Lively Middle School (2019–present) Fulmore Middle School (1911-2019) South Ward School (1886-1911) | 1886 | 6-8 | 948 | Sarah Beth Lively (2019–present) Zachary Taylor Fulmore (1911-2019) South Austin (1886-1911) | Falcons |
| Marshall Middle School | 2023 | 6 | 214 | Dr. General Garwood Marshall | Rams |
| Martin Middle School | 1966 | 7-8 | 240 | Samuel Lawton Martin | Eagles |
| Mendez Middle School | 1987 | 7-8 | 203 | Consuelo Herrera Mendez | Mavericks |
| Murchison Middle School | 1967 | 6-8 | 1,218 | Eugene A. Murchison | Matadors |
| O. Henry Middle School | 1953 | 6-8 | 691 | William Sydney Porter | Mustangs |
| Paredes Middle School | 2000 | 6-8 | 625 | Américo Paredes | Pumas |
| Small Middle School | 1999 | 6-8 | 1,260 | Charles Clinton Small | Cougars |
| Webb Middle School | 1968 | 6-8 | 532 | Walter Prescott Webb | Wildcats |

### Other middle school programs

The Kealing and Lively magnet programs accept students from across AISD on a basis of academic record and provide them with a more advanced program. The magnet programs are housed in their respective schools, but provide some different classes to their students.
| Host Campus | Other programs |
| Kealing Middle School | Kealing Magnet Program |
| Lively Middle School | Lively Humanities and Law Magnet for International Studies |

## Elementary schools

* Images of AISD Elementary Schools
* Becker Elementary School
* Blackshear Elementary Fine Arts Academy
* Menchaca Elementary School
* Mills Elementary
* St. Elmo Elementary School
* Sunset Valley Elementary School
* Travis Heights Elementary School
* Zilker Elementary School

## Alternative Education

* Rosedale School- It specifically serves kids with special needs

## Facilities
### Headquarters

The headquarters are at the intersection of Interstate 35 and Ben White. The 142,000-square-foot (13,200 m$^2$) structure has nine stories.
For a period prior to 1989, the Austin ISD headquarters were on Guadalupe Street, adjacent to the Texas Department of Public Safety headquarters. In 1989, the Texas House of Representatives passed a bill allowing DPS to acquire the former Austin ISD headquarters. That building was known as the Irby B. Carruth Administration Building.
From circa 1994 to 2019, the headquarters were at the Carruth Administration Center, on 1111 West Sixth Street. That building was sold, along with another AISD facility, in 2017. The Schlosser Development Corporation purchased the West Sixth facility. The district used the money from those sales to buy the current headquarters. From around July to September 2019 the headquarters moved to the current location. The employees who went to the current headquarters came from those two sold properties and one other property.

### Athletic facilities

* Toney Burger Center (Football, Baseball, Track and field, Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer)
* I.I. Nelson Field (Football, Baseball, Track & Field, Soccer)
* Delco Activity Center (Basketball, Volleyball)
* Ellie Noack Sports Complex (Baseball, Softball, Football, Soccer)
* House Park (Football, Soccer)

## AISD.TV

Austin ISD operates AISD.TV on Spectrum and Grande Communications channel 22 and AT&T U-verse channel 99.

## Gallery

* The former Austin Independent School District headquarters