001fine. Hello, everyone. Thank you for being here. This is one of my favorite days of all time. one of the best events. Some of us are talking about Pat and I came here in 215 and we started and I'm going to stress that we were PE here in the other building and we were in the main building and I had kindergarten crying for hours. I got all the books I could and that's the story of the history of this building. But how lovely that everyone came today. Thank you for your support on our campus. It means a lot to us in the last week to our community. Before we begin, there are some questions, and those who have the microphone nearby, I'll pass it to you now. Good morning, my name is Victoria O'Neil and
002I am the campus director. I am happy to be here with you today with our superintendent here to help answer any questions you may have. So, first let's review the agenda. Thanks to the director for letting us use his place and also providing something and the purpose of the changes. We're going to introduce you to the people of the district, and then we have slides that you sent us in the surveys, and we can talk about the next steps. Clear. We're also going to take questions from the audience to get started. The questions will come from here in the classroom. We're also going to answer the questions to get started. We are here to have a dialogue. So, according to our standards, we know there are challenges today, and we are coming together today to
003become stronger. So, we want to be together. We would like to honor the time we have here today and ask that everyone use one minute of that time so that all voices are comfortable and have an opportunity to ask a question. So if you have more than one question, we ask that you please pass the microphone to others for other questions, and when we are speaking, please talk to each other and ensure that we have a respectful community, one at a time, and avoid interruptions. The process here today is, I am here with the superintendent and Director Barret and for those who are here and use the time we have and we may not agree with each other but we all have a positive intention for everyone and that is our goal. our voices. We
004want to let as many people as possible participate, as many people as have the opportunity to do this. We are here to understand each other, and there will be difficult questions, but we can all work together with compassion. We also have all these slides bilingual and we have interpretation as well. If anyone needs simultaneous interpretation in Spanish, we have a team here for you. So, our purpose is to answer the questions in the comments. We read each of the 7,000 comments you sent us, and much of the content will be in the presentation. We value your questions, and we want to provide answers to all the questions the community sent us who want to understand the purpose of the changes and our alignment process. So, I'm going to pass it on to Superintendent Matías Segura
005right now. Thank you all for being here this morning. They know that we want families to love and advocate for the schools, and we want to sincerely thank them for coming before we begin. We have Valdwell here today. [applause] We also have Trusty Balwen, who was also a director. I also want to take a moment to share that Trusty Gonzalez wanted to be here. Then he arrived at 1. His house was full of smoke and there was a fire. I just wanted to tell you what's happening. So, one of the things we in the district are trying to do is ensure that every student receives what they need to be successful. And what I know, and what our board of directors knows, is that for a long time the Austin district has not been able
006to provide the necessary resources, not for the entire district. So for many months we've been talking about strong schools, incredible things are happening in the Austin district and they're happening right here at Becker Elementary. But we know that what's happening here isn't happening throughout the entire district. There are many families who have to travel because they don't have a school near their neighborhood, and it's our responsibility, my responsibility, to make sure that happens. So we took on all this work. There are things we are desperately trying to fix, and I want to explain that at a high level because it's important to see the complexity in order to explain it and actually make a change in a part of the city that impacts children and students. So, this plan will have five elements. When we
007started this work, our goal was to align the schools with the district. So, I'm going to say it until I get tired of it. There are schools in Austin where you can think of Merkez in Anderson. The community that is built over time with alignment lately, but we don't have that in parts of Austin. We do n't have that. We have middle schools that go to four or five high schools and three or four middle schools. So, what are the alignments, the disruption that it causes when we make these moves? Second, we want to talk about our transfer policies. That was a long time ago. Many have created consequences, and we'll talk about that a little later in the conversation. Because we have systems in place that allow families to go to school and not
008have their school be their school. And what we want to do is look at the budget. I want to be very clear that these changes are not going to close the deficit we have in the budget. It's not possible. 87% of their budget goes to teachers. It's our staff. We ca n't move that needle the way we want. But we have to start if we have a system. So for the last two and a half years we've been cutting back wherever we can. We really have done it. Well, a place where we have to see the campuses and the process. Reconciliation by identifying the system. The fourth is the lineup that directly affects Becker . We understand that over time the program has changed, the city has changed. So, there are pressures within the organization
009that we need to address. It's like what do we do with the staff? We need certified teachers in every classroom, and what are the requirements and support for placing those people in those programs? That's when dual language begins, also like Mount Sori, and we're going to talk a little bit about that. And lastly, we have to be honest about the fact that we have accountability problems in the state. In 2023 we had 16 schools that were A and in 2023 one F. and then 2023 that are A and F. I was confused. So, the teachers in truth influence the influence and authority we have to acquire districts, to move the process forward, to ensure that we don't have those red letters, because if we don't, then we are absolutely seeing a risk of losing the
010schools and this can happen. This is happening right now in our schools in North Texas . So, I'm going to tell you, I know that the board and what happens in our district is that it has to be the people who give us direction. So yes, the plan, the opportunity for the plan to be accepted, and to see the process as well. So, it's complex, there are many things that are changing, but what I've told the organization is that I'm 100% here, and I promise that we're going to adjust, refine, and improve. No plan is perfect, no matter what we do, but what we do is keep going. Ah, we can't wait any longer. I'm going to share with you the time I have here. We've been very good at making plans for the last
01150 years, but we're not so good at implementing those plans. So, as we move forward, what I observe is that we make decisions, we make them very late in the process, and we don't give our families time to plan. And this is something we need to help families plan for, and our ability to... So I wanted to share with you where we are in the district, why there are so many things in this, and why all these are the deadlines. We talked to our board, we gathered feedback. There is a new outline that will be released today regarding the control. I don't want to say you're going to see these changes and then two days later not implement the changes in the system. So we're keeping an eye on the lines we receive, the comments,
012we're going to catalog each and every conversation. We value it and yes, we will make changes. So we can go to the next slide. It is very important that we begin asking questions. that students in the area are reluctant to move to One of the things I want to communicate is how we arrived at this solution, especially at that time. It was realizing where our emerging bilingual students were. And what we do know is that in order to give access to our students and families, we have to go where they are. So, well, how can we? That was the approach we took to the program, and we did it in a way that allows the 50 dual-language programs to be distributed while also addressing the requirements of the transformation plan. So, that's one of the
013things where two joint objectives come together in the plan. And I would say that in the last few weeks we've received a lot of questions about, you know, the locations, the distances, and we're going to talk about that too. And what happens if the transformation plan is approved ? But if the program moves, well, all those things, that transformation plan is still being worked on and given the number of plans we have at the moment, we do n't know if the question is whether this plan will be changed, well that will depend on the critical time and the transformations, but one of the functions is to put an emphasis on the timeframes we have for the total transformation. So, I want to make sure, I really want to make sure that you have time to
014ask questions. So I'm telling you that we already have many questions that we've received from your participation, but it's very important that you ask your question, so I don't want to continue here, but if you have a desire to start the conversation I'm also happy to take it. It's your time. We are here together. It 's not like I want to come here just to talk, but I do want to listen to you too. Uh, so you're asking. We know we have questions. We have done a lot of work and research and have tried to share the ideas as best as possible. So if you have any questions at this time , if you have another microphone for this, please. Okay. Again, just ask. People are only coming here for a minute, and the responses
015will also have time, so we can ensure that everyone can participate. and the rubric data. The plan says it aims to solve the problem of overcrowding in the student population. Oh, sorry, I didn't hear the question. Between Sánchez and another, there are enough available places for students in the area because the data shows that there won't be enough. They claim there are not enough slots. He says, " Sorry, I'm not hearing the question very well ." He speaks as if it were his ability. Basically, he's asking about student capacity and is naming data from some schools. I need the AB students. So, there would only be 262 places in two schools, and that doesn't seem to add up to the numbers needed to fill the places for students from the other schools. So, it would
016seem that there wo n't be two fields left, but that more people will be affected. [applause] One of the things I would say, and as observations from the students who go to our fields, uh, what we assume, and many times it is not the case, and many times the students do not go to the school where they live or the area that is assigned. That's not always the case, it's not the situation. So this is the point where everything, all the mapping comes together, and that's why what we 're seeing is like, what do we need to see here? So, based on the numbers that have gone up or down, what we've seen in the past is good, we think it's going to work, and the idea is to have students, but the reality is
017that none of the students are going to move 100% in one direction. Families will say what is best for the students, you will say what is best for your student, and we do have those guidelines and we have shared them in schools, but as a district we try to make the adjustments in a timely manner, and the idea is that in 15 years we will be very stable for the next 30 years. Then we do understand that. We've looked at the data and yes, you're right to make assumptions about looking down. No, that's not how the real world works . Uh, if you wanted to add something. Yes, no, that's what you were saying. There are many pieces moving and many options. Hi, thanks for moving the questions because some of us have to leave
018too. My name is Andre Oliva. I have one in preschool and another one. So, I wanted to say two things. One, I hope that Son Bali or many of us are going to move massively there. I've also heard from other parents that there are families, because many of us live in the South or Southeast and there are many people in that neighborhood who are being forced to move from school, and I really feel bad that they feel they have the ability to do that. I just want to say that this is not the feeling of all the parents here. And also many people like me couldn't go to Sánchez and that wasn't like a rejection, but because it's 50 minutes, 50 minutes, 15 minutes to my work and also my husband. So, of course, that's
019not to diminish all the wonderful teachers who are also supporting families so much, and many of whom have the possibility and flexibility to bring their children, but we also have to take into consideration the economic situations, and I think it will be a wonderful experiment to be able to raise the standards. But for many of us, crossing the river, crossing Highway 35, is not feasible. So, and forgive me if I'm talking too much, but I do want to say that the Lord protects my family. We had a transfer from the first degree program to the dual program and I am hoping that they don't take this possibility away from us, but anyway, last year the kindergarten student teacher, Mrs. Gonzalez. Uh, she acted she had 34 students. She was a spectacular first-grade teacher, a certified
020teacher, and a girlfriend. Suddenly, without any warning, she left, and the teacher who came back or took her place was great, but her Spanish wasn't very fluent, so she lost that opportunity a bit. So yes, certifications are important, and I really would like and hope to have certified teachers to support the processes our students need. So , thank you, and thank you to the families as well, because I know that participation in Spanish is very important for my son. Oh, thanks. [applause] How does the system work? It allows parents to have a voice. So we're going to hear what you have to say, how you rate the program, what round you 're applying to register for, and where you want to end up. If you, well, first of all, check the area where the resanitary
021is located, and if there is another dual-language program that you can access, you will be informed about how these programs are implemented . So yes, we are trying to generate and build this skill and make these changes in the best way possible. This program is kind of getting out of hand in this plan. The time factor is very important. You would know the details of where we live and you are in the city. If you know how I know what it's like to cross the river at peak time. And as you said, you are assuming that many of us will not go to Sánchez, and your assumption is that our families will break apart, our children will lose the dual programs, and our community, which you say you are trying to protect, you are not
022doing so with the changes to those referral patterns. Uh, so please consider, let's consider combining us with Doon because honestly, all of this is very painful. Many of us had a very difficult time looking for a program in Libl because it is so small and the truth is that we had the opportunity, it is not fair to have to choose between the combination of schools or programs. And it's really painful to know that they won't be able to maintain the dual language program any longer. Uh, and it's also another program that's happening in Silker, which is going to happen in other things, and it's going to help the neighborhoods that are together and the families that live in this community. So please, please, could you consider letting us make this combination? [applause] Sorry, I wanted
023to make sure I answered. Thank you. This came up at the meeting, this combination, and we are committed to exploring all possibilities for our community, and it is also very helpful when there is a solution that you come and provide to us, like this suggestion, because the truth is that the community knows best. Every time we have analyzed these solutions, these proposed solutions, I have here the commissioners who want to change the goals, but it will be considered. We've seen this more than we realize, and we know there's a large emerging bilingual population, even in Doson and other parts of the city. I hear you talking about these families, but we need to focus on the population, especially for the foundation, the program's foundations, and the projections for moving the students. Suddenly we want to
024be able to reach a point in the future with a program where we do n't want to reach a point where we can't have staff because we don't have enough professionals for the dual language program, and we are also thinking about the Sanchez school because one of the things we want to do is make sure that we have a variety of schools in that same community as well. uh as we also address the limitations we have. So yes, we are working on that, but I do want to refine the group, I also want to be very honest about what the changes are and what we can really achieve and change. Mr. Segura said a lot about that, and yes, we are looking at the areas that have more Spanish-speaking students, but I also want to
025say that it is very important for us that we know that more than 110 families are involved here, who are not programmers, but they are not emerging. So that's one factor when we're looking at potential solutions, because what about all these families that are participating in the dual language program? So that's part of it. He's also talking about long-term sustainability, and that's also what's guiding our decisions. But just one other thing to clarify is that it's not "instead of Sánchez," but "in addition to Sánchez." a fifth dual language program for the south. That's it, I think we've been very clear in not advocating for any other budget, but that it represents what we believe and the need for these languages, the dual language program in downtown Austin as well. No, yes, please, use your time
026and then we'll finish. I don't want to interrupt you. Okay, here's another question. And another thing I would like to understand from you is when we talk about programs, and honestly, complete dual language programs throughout the school, or Montessori programs, all those programs that exist, but when we review them, the dual language program yields more profit per student than other programs, such as Montessori, because of the funding they provide. So I had a little problem putting this together in my thing, because even when you add or subtract from the dollars paid for teacher certification. Uh, yes, I can't hear you and I appreciate the question or comment because most people don't watch or don't really break down the programs. in the different ones, but the Montessori program does not have a different background location that
027is identified as those that are identified as emerging from the dual language program . So, yes, there are different costs for different programs. There are other programs that are different. We have them in several other schools. We did n't see all these programs together. Just to clarify, we communicate them as programs as a whole, but most communities distinguish the programs, but we don't see it that way. I agree with you. Uh, they are different funds and they are different funds for each student and that's how we treat it. Okay? And I also want to say that every time we talk about a program, we are also contributing to the cost per student. So one of the things we made is that commitment, so you can have a school with different programs and also with this
028dual language program where in four classes with 14 or 15 students, but if they are all in the same program, we can suddenly have more in one class. So if we make those adjustments, it's not like it tells the whole story. We need to get into the details, but you're right, I wanted to make that note, we look at those programs within schools separately. Okay. And one more question, have you identified where the emerging bilingual students are? In what part of the river? if they are going to go to Sánchez. Uh, and honestly you guys have more ways of looking at it from where we do, but in downtown Austin there's also a strong bilingual emergency program and if you look at it by zip code and all the gentrification and well, all that stuff
029in the area. I also wanted to share that we wanted to see, but when they talk about there are several schools around there that are emerging bilingual schools, so together that area has more. I also want to clarify that we are talking about the district's promise to have the staff to also have the teachers right now, and this is not unique to our district. There are not enough bilingual teachers. the number of teachers who may be on track to take their certification. So the district has over 400 bilingual teachers or they don't have Wavers. We are making progress, but at the state level we are ensuring that they have it. So no, that's not what started this, but we have to consider other things that are also going to happen, absolutely something else. So, the
030proposal includes having a program that increases and has teachers with certifications and bringing them in by recruiting them from other campuses to come to a place like Becker or getting certified and then going to other parts of the district as our proposal. [applause] Thank you for being here and this is my question about GB. If you look at the Sánchez area, there are Airbnb houses everywhere and recruiting in Sánchez, which is a 50/50 split, and we don't have enough, and we've been asking for it for 5 years, but the percentage is lower. We have more numbers based on your data, and they have more seats per ED on the 7852. Why wasn't this done 5 years ago? And why haven't we recruited with this 50/50 average? And why are we here today? [applause] Thank you
031for your question. One of the new features is the campus. We haven't had that in the living room. Right now Becker is in the wall-to- wall zone. That's how we built them. This is how it works in neighborhood schools, and this prohibits us from doing that. So this is the plan for those without a zone. We're going to implement a system where 50% of the applications will be bilingual and 50% will not be bilingual or non-bilingual. Why can't we do it here if we have the same number? 78502 and we see the data and most of the edes do not have the data if we saw the south of the river, they do not live in that immediate part. So I wonder why this isn't possible for Becker. I want to say that there are
032students right now in Sánchez, who are from the south or a little bit from the west, different areas, but right now they are in Sánchez. We are considering all students in that area. I want to share specific information about Becker. We're talking, we have nine teachers here and categories. It has been a challenge with teachers leaving, and we do a very good job, but recruiting and retaining teachers has been very difficult and a very big challenge, and human resources has helped us. I went as far as the pass. I've heard about going to different universities in Central Texas to recruit, but it's not as easy as it sounds, and in the process I got 9 hours. They are quite long, my family is very close. I have the same answer. Laredo San Antonio. We have
033a little more luck, but recruiting is very difficult. I did it alone, but with our strategies, we've put a lot of effort and time into this. One more thing I wanted to mention, much of the dialogue we've seen on a campus that has bilingual classes, there's an assumption that these wall-to-wall programs are better. My wife teaches at CAS Elementary and we talked about how her students on her campus are doing better in dual language. There are things that aren't, but that doesn't mean they aren't as good as this. [applause] So, if you're asking 5 years ago, that's what we're seeing right now. We are having to make these decisions. I can't change that, but there are many things we're seeing now that we should have fixed 5 years ago. We still have the maps ,
034but we don't want to share them yet. But we've seen them, we're working with them, we're trying to see how we can maintain the percentages and share at the level as it's different, but that's the best I can do for now. Thank you for the " There are families that have to leave." If people can't leave, they can be given priority and those who have to leave early can move forward. I want to thank you for being here and let's appreciate your words. It's great to share the other programs around the district, but my question is, I understand the idea of keeping as a family that comes from southeast to west Austin, I 've heard, I know you have a strong DID program and that we have that demographic population there. And my curiosity is
035whether there is a conversation about whether the schools are ID and/ or pillow to expand the program to accept more students. We are currently reviewing the programs we have . Yes, I want families to understand. So thank you for that question. We're talking about expanding, reminding them that there are campuses there they'll be able to apply to as well. So please take advantage of that too, but there's consideration. I know we're talking about... I know that for you who are following the board meetings , but there was a philosophical aspect and a question about how our district... yes, we talked about this, but we're making changes based on the program and its adjustments, and some questions we've had from the board about the best way to increase access and make it sustainable. It does n't
036always have to be a wall-to-wall program, but there are many other large programs and we as a district have to take them on and access this support or it's going to look different. I'm sure you've heard it before in our work meetings. We need to think very carefully about where we are starting from; we are working with what we have. And how many campuses have dual language? 58 right now. Now, the question is, how do we create other schools without having that wall-to-wall program? And how do we create the resources? This is the question. We are focused on and this is going to happen in but we have them, we are investing in them and in the resources and in the expansion and we have to expand that 100%. We have things we haven't talked
037about. I know this happens and I understand that, but I want to say that I'm excited about the change. The people who, but I also want to say something, one thing that with Becker, but they simply don't agree with when I vote with him, but all my schools right now are not with him. With that, we want more people to advocate because those are two different things that are going to be where the people who affect the work we have right now live, but for our work it's going to be a little more complicated than that, right? It's only where people live, where the students are, and where the families are, and those who are aligned don't always agree, and they're not always going to do everything, unless it's a very, very small district. But
038that's the reason why where they can agree 100%, there's always going to be a balance of the population, and the census is based on the people. And seeing that change, and when we try to do our best work in high school, but they're two different things, so I would be writing to Koffman, to Cwell, and to... So that's it. Yes, I would say three different things. It's all like who's advocating for... they're always advocating for each other. Thank you so much. the big picture. This portion, specifically in Beckers, we have had up to here for about 16 years now, starting in 2011, when we worked with two parents and that's where we started the program, or they made changes to the program as well, and I hope you know that. It was sold by the
039school district and now I do n't know if it has the community. If you knew about this story that it was sold by a couple of things because it was under the jurisdiction of the [applause] a couple of things. I'm going to try to talk about a couple of things. Uh, if you need this microphone for the broadcast. So, the reality is that yes, there are all different things that are tied to different properties, but when we think about what the next step will be for the community, what we're going to buy, what makes sense. So, I want to see the program, the progress we've had on this program with the Austin school district. So, in fact, as we put all the pieces together and this was designated as an education space or an installation,
040and we didn't put it in an elementary school, but we worked with Dogger and found funding and purpose, and that's how we kind of came back to the center. So, I know that when we talk about focusing on real estate, we also don't know if selling or not was what brought us here; it was really about trying to find systematic improvements, but we know that the purpose is to keep the community involved. So, it wasn't like we took the right as if we owned the property. uh what and so I totally agree with you, but we have ways of activating sites, but we're not operating it like a traditional elementary school . So we know of a free, public, and free school. So if that's the case, then yes, I understand. I don't know what
041else to say at this point other than that we have to continue following the process and see which cases meet the requirements. But they should, they should be clear about that before closing the schools, not after. TRUE? [applause] Let me tell you, in the Austin school district , which is over 100 years old, all the properties have been granted to them by someone or a family, right? Of the more than 160 facilities we have. Uh, so yes, we do work with the community. When you see if the question is whether they are selling properties, no, that's not what we're going to do and we're not going to do what we're going to do with the facilities. Well, first the educational purposes, then we look at the solutions with the community, and then if it's in
042our degree, well, we work with that, but we're going to do it the right way. Of all those properties we have, this is something very familiar to us. [applause] for everyone, the microphone. calling for in-person attendance today. Well, we're still here. I am also a student in the special district and right now I am looking into how the programs are being built. We also have four new ones, many classes that don't have a teacher. Now, for field visits like this and outreach, it's a pressing need to know that all this news is available and to provide dual language programs in the east. The district has to prepare to meet the demand for all the dual language programs, and we want to know how it has affected what students currently receive. We recognize that the neighborhood
043has been justified, and there are about 91% of the students who speak Spanish. One thing that arouses my curiosity is that in these considerations there is some consideration for schools that have gone through a recent renovation process. And if you can tell us what happens if they don't find the funds. that all of this can ultimately generate a positive impact. I care a lot about sustainability and I ask that you please do this by reducing the number of years as much as possible, but we do need to continue supporting our schools and continue with community involvement. I'm going to start here. I just want to say that you're right about a lot of what you said. Yes, we are currently, and have been, not only recently, but also recently, seeing where it's happening, where these
044students are coming from, and we've been able to support these different fields. So, thank you for asking the question, for saying that, because that's exactly what we 're doing on our end. And we want to make sure that we're giving the students in the community exactly what they need. That's exactly what we're looking at and reviewing. You said it right. The only thing I wanted to answer is whether we have been battling, fighting. No, I don't want anyone to know that we're doing this as if we weren't fighting. We have fought hard, for many years, to get more funding from the State. And one of the things that adds to, and puts pressure on, all of that are government policies, funding cuts, and that has put a lot of pressure on the system, and it's
045going to happen. It's not that we want to be disruptive, but we know it's going to happen in many plans and we need to have time to be ethical and think about this so we can deliver it in the best way. So yes, well, I appreciate your comment. Yes, another thing that was discussed in the legislative session was that it is the people who have the power to provide the funds. Uh, so it would be really good to know how much the funds are and how much is for the district. Uh, and so when we go to the schools we know, transparently, what the numbers are. Yes, it would be better to know that more people had this knowledge at the legislative level. We need to build our armor, to protect ourselves. [applause] Hello, I
046am also a parent and I was also a bilingual teacher in Austin, it was in another one, but I come here as a teacher. All the programs that have been here, so we have the privilege of being here, but the fear is not having it is precisely that we lose the privilege of participating in these programs. because of the administration and things, uh, in the district. So I wanted to, I know, and I wanted to thank you all. I just wanted to acknowledge and recognize that this isn't just about the school district, but higher up, and I wanted to thank you all for the work you've done and all the effort you've put into making difficult decisions. And so it is also about incorporating short- term decisions and also the strategic alignment for these long-term
047changes in terms of education and that you receive the community's benefits for these communities. This is important because our community can identify problems to help with planning, especially long- term planning. Uh, and well, we have an incredible staff here at Becker and Becker has always made an impact, and therefore everything that happens with this school will have an impact on the entire community, and we want high- quality instruction at a low cost, and we don't want these programs to go. You ask me what the district's parameters are to ensure that Becker's staff, uh all the cafeteria staff, the custodians, uh the caretakers, the teachers, uh the administration and absolutely all the staff from top to bottom are going to have a fair transition because everyone has done an excellent job. So, how are we going
048to ensure a fair movement to maintain [music] your [applause] because I wouldn't want to see people leaving [applause] all the workers and staff running. This meeting was going to be until 10, so I ask you please to cut the line there and if people need to, we understand, if people have to leave, we know we're already past the time. I'm going to stay here. I don't know how long we can be in this space, but I'm going to stay here if we can have these conversations. Yes that's fine. So, but then we are fine. So, I'm going to try to be short and to the point with my answers. Immediately when we released the plan, we also provided a structure for how we were going to conduct the hiring process. making sure that all staff
049and everyone who works in the school district will be protected throughout the process and we were very deliberate about it and it was very important to take care of our staff, but we sent it and there is a staffing plan and there are so many requirements in that consolidation process. We're going to hire, we're going to select the directors in December, and it's important that we do that at that time. That's right, the leader already knows what to do and can hire their own staff. We have never said that a single person who is in the Austin school district will not be able to stay. We said it from the beginning, eh, if we have to hire like we're going to lay off 500 people. We 've never said that, it doesn't make any sense.
050We hire teachers every year, and we have the possibility of giving them a few days at home. I want to be very clear, there can be a focus on where the students are. So, if you call the students, we want them to go with the students, so that's why putting the principal there and doing that early is very important. But that's in the documentation, we're not going to open external hiring until the end of April, so we've already hired, we've already completed the other process in February, April and all those who don't have one. We have to look at other campuses and we're going to try to put them where they belong, but well, there will be restructurings throughout the district , but the vast majority will have a location at this time. And we
051also want to say that we have a survey; we have a lot to review there. The directors are saying things like, "I live up north, but I want to try something different because I've been working a lot up north." all the considerations we have had possible. Everything is specified in the plan that is in the published documentation. We haven't looked at the contracts. No, no, we're not going to change this. We have a plan, here's how we're going to do it. Everything is well documented, and as we update it, that documentation will also be updated. Uh, let me say one more thing about that. Someone who lives here and has worked here for years is now going to have to look at moving somewhere else because they're going to be relocated. So if someone is
052in a school, they won't necessarily have to move with those who move with their squad and if they have people here. So, when you're looking at the transition, if there's an educator on a campus who wasn't going through consolidation, they won't have to go through the consolidation process because that principal has already had or has had the privilege for their staff. But schools like these that affect the entire campus, the campus leader who has the support of the administration will have a hiring process. What we don't want to happen is a situation where suddenly all the staff who have been here are at the school and we're nowhere to be found. So that's going to be the priority. Now, that might happen because there will also be elections, there might be a choice between two
053schools, or well, also given the number of students, and then we would work with that and start the process at that time. That includes the cafeteria, the food staff, cleaning, everything. And we have all the jobs protected, so if you want to continue working in the district, you have your position guaranteed, uh, so there is a guarantee and well, that's like a thing that's better not to say anything, but the truth is that we are going to do it that way. I would say that even the staff we had before, because we also always have external hires for which we open a process every year. It has been difficult for us to hire people in the last year, years. I often hear that right now it's a market for teachers. I am hiring, investing. who
054have many conversations with our staff and have my 100% support and my hope that they are happy where they are, as Matias said, but because our teachers and staff are so dedicated and they know that they will be loved and we will support them as we can. But, but I don't want to start again. This is number six for me and we've done something really good with this team and I want to continue doing this work, but there will be changes if they move this plan. And as we navigate this, we need your support. [applause] This is similar to what he said. [applause] I've been here for 14 years. Where am I going to go? I do n't like the other schools. Excuse me, we can't hear you. [applause] Very incredible you, the people, you,
055us, that's what we are. Thanks for everything. They are loyal to the district, and that's the kind of people I want to protect. I can't tell you where you're going because you don't know yet or what's going to happen, but we're going to go through that process. But I promise you Christine, the operations people and I, I'm in charge of all services, I'm going to make sure that our staff are people who share our values. And our first goal is that we can support the people around us. I won't be able to do it in every case because when we have people together, they won't see what you want to do, and we'll make sure to put you in a place where you're comfortable. He ca n't be heard. I'm sorry , I know it's
056not easy. Sánchez will definitely move us towards Sánchez, but where will they move us? And that can take a long time. I've come, excuse me, we can't hear you. I do n't know if we're going to go with them, or it's hard to know, but we're going to... That's my 100% goal: we want our students to see that wherever they go, we see them in the lines, that's what we want. So I appreciate you being here. That is my promise to you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. [applause] The first thing we ask, please, keep us together. No, no matter what happens, we can stay together. And I don't think I've seen that depending on where we live and [applause] the school we choose for ourselves. So we did a survey, and they're with Sánchez;
057they have more than 30% of the parents who are in Oro. You have others who are going to leave, who are going to leave the district, or who want to go to another school. I know our numbers were because of the space. I know they're working on it, but when the map is ready there won't be enough space. We have about 150 students who want to go to Oum and also Sunset Valley, and I don't know if there's enough space. So my concern at the end of the day is that they're going to tell us, they're going to go to your neighborhood school because we have, I was a bilingual educator in Austin and it's a very big difference, a bilingual and a [applause] double program and most schools are one- way and they work
058very well. For students who are emerging bilingual or the program can leave, they speak Spanish, English and as we said, but it's already gone. My concern is that this is what we're going to choose, that we won't be able to, we wo n't be able to participate in the program, and that it won't be the same as what we signed up for. my second concern is that you are managing the schools, you will be able to fertilize the other schools in order to raise the average. Okay. By doing this, you're going to see students who, but when there are other students, the school will grow, but you have students who are going to graduate in I see there are points of change for thousands of children and I'm worried about those children. Thank you. [applause]
059My first response is, the children are not going through who we are, the children who are not going through. So, the district, I think the way it was perceived, I want the way I received it. I appreciate you clarifying your point. I don't think that's a discussion, but it happens sometimes that it's shared, like moving the students. But okay, we're not moving students around to improve grades; we're making sure they have the resources they need to be successful. It's us, it's our resources, that all students who have it, it's not that we need it, we're not moving students around because of the grade, so we want one person to speak at a time, please. So we're not moving students, what we're trying to do is get resources to ensure that all students in the district
060are successful in what they have to do, and we have to get them out of the system, right? We're moving. I accept it, but that's not what we 're doing. That would be another plan, but the Triple S school sounds like they're trying to do that when we had a meeting with the principal about those rules that aren't academically successful, and they're not going against us. That's not my intention, it worries me. These are the children who will be involved with us in the classroom with this consolidation plan. We do n't have the funds, we're being honest, we don't have the budget. If we have to live here in Austin, we want to look at different ways to save money, but we make decisions that take up a lot of resources. We have librarians; it's
061not something the State necessarily charges for. We have nurses, we bought our own, we grabbed $8 million worth of resumes. We could cut that, but nobody would like that. There are things we do that cost us resources, and because we've said that's why we see educators, that's why they've gained that experience, and at the same time, this is where the focus is on the system. So I know that just one answer and moving students is not what to move grades, but we have the ability to follow and move in a way that helps all of our students. We can continue talking about it, but well, I am the director of strategic planning. I am here, I understand the heart of your answers, your questions. One of the things is thinking about the plan, how the
062plan can impact the core of this design: our students, our staff, our entire organization. And what they're seeing in this process is that there are many things we don't know yet here because we're not... if I understand the essence of your question, it's thinking about what the students are using in the system, and that worries me. It's the students who aren't in the classes, who are just moving it around on the console and who will never be able to catch up. not having enough to meet the needs of the students. Something I want to let you know is that the group's work is a bridge. I have supported the students now and assisting everyone with our passion for our students, advocating. The attention they give to my school is a bad thing, but that means
063they don't want to be here. So, we're not really focusing on the classes, how we support the teachers so that the process isn't... something that's also happening is professional learning and how to support in this process and how to identify students who have experienced other things and if this is something that bothers them and they need additional attention, we're going to give them additional help. Another part we're talking about is that we're working on the student transition plan, looking not only at the academic aspect, but how we can help students find places where they can truly come and learn, and that 's a transformation. We also have improvised research using information from other districts in this process as well. We also have mental health professionals , we have SL counselors too, that part is also
064happening, but suddenly this is not seen here in front of everyone because we want to know if that support is there. I want to talk a little bit about that. When we started this process and saw a lot of numbers, many people didn't want that again, but they gave us a chance. So yes, we can use these portable devices to help students who can still stay here. So, even though they're not here in the numbers, we have them here on the campuses that have that possibility. I just wanted to let you know that. Okay, thanks John Power. I have a question about the plan. The rubreck makes me curious to know what kind of consolation entity it is, like what happened 12 years ago. Can you give me an example of how you can apply
065a lesson learned in a community like that, how it will be different, and what the results will be? A couple of things come to mind in Chicago. There were many, many stories like that, and it was a massive thing, and first of all, the plan and the process. I can tell you from my experience what I have observed, the questions surrounding this and the data will be questions around it. I would say two would be, what information will be available on the 19th when we consolidate all of this? Previously there was a lot of collaboration and feedback in schools at this stage. We are very clear about how we arrived at that recommendation, this plan. I would say the third thing is point here, here's what we've seen in Sánchez and SS and I also
066saw it in Houston in a job we did. What we need is to have energy in this plan. Now, what worries me right now is that we are pushing and pushing and pushing to make a decision where we have plenty of time to have the support so that you were not affected for this in 2023, as I said before, we chose Méndez and Martin and moved it internationally to another school and that semester and that summer our students finished there. They never got what they needed to be successful in arts, sixth grade physical education, fifth grade and these changes, all of that is different. And so I wanted to make sure that we're going to make a decision that's difficult, but we need the time to plan accordingly and observe. That's why we're pushing for
067whatever decision we make and whatever we're going to do this year, which is going to happen right now in November, so that we have time when they register, so that in January after that we have help with that and can take advantage of that. So they say I 'm trying to... Of course, that's done in November, but we'll go tomorrow. We have a review schedule for this year, so it's going to be released in January. I do n't know if we could find so many solutions for so many problems, but the important thing is to be addressing them. They will try to maintain student retention and not accelerate the process of dropping out or emptying schools because they don't have enough. The goal is to solve the problems somehow, and if they were trying to
068keep students in schools, they wouldn't be closing them. [applause] One thing I would like to say is that there are school districts that are going to have, you know, differences in population and demographics. So that leads them to make their own decisions, and those are the differences. I understand that if you only do this for some schools, then somehow they won't have resources or it won't help everyone. But this consolidation process happens in school districts that have high performance, but are still closing because they are not as tied down as people are in those high-performing schools. There's going to be that feeling of, you know, like we 're not supporting what we believe is best for our students. So the additional challenge is that there are many schools that have been identified as not performing
069well, and many of us want those schools open and it's like, do everything possible to keep these schools open, but the reality is that those students have different needs, so they have to have different resources as well. So yes, we definitely need more resources and more funding. Uh, and yes, it's a systemic problem. Yes, we need fewer students. Both of you should be honest. It has it in the total denominator. Our position in the Austin district hasn't changed that much since 15 years ago when we were given the tools we started creating. No, no, I don't know if you know this, but right now we're also going through a consolidation process and we're desperately trying to communicate that we truly believe we're doing this for the best, for the well-being, and that we've had a
070good experience with second-tier politicians. I know that each district has different needs and seeks its funds and resources in different ways. Uh, so yes, of course, I want students to come back, I want those who are taking school in the class to come to the schools in the school district. Of course we want that. If we invest in the way we should have been doing in the past, and those schools aren't good, as you say, and if we're giving them what they need, the students will come back. We know that families make decisions based on the data and information they have. And we also know that there are many schools, there are many things happening for our schools, so there are reasons why we are arriving. In other words, it's not like it's someone's fault
071in particular, it's the district's fault, the district's responsibility. So we are looking for ways to support them all. There are about 70,000 students who need this support. I don't agree with what you said, but I understand your point. I have a more specific question. Uh, even when they're going to close two schools that are next to each other and many of us are going to be sent to Galindo. So, for someone, I just wanted to clarify the situation of the dual program. The understanding is that in the Doen and Galindo area, both will be in the Galindo area and also in the Becker area; it was proposed to be changed to the Galindo area. And I have the impression. Okay, so please, if you can tell us how this is going to work in Galindo.
072Yes, thank you very much for asking this question. We've been planning for those numbers for quite some time to gather that information. That has been our focus and yes, we know there is a dual program. Our policies allow us to open enrollment in Austin to any family. In the past, if the school was designated as plan one, there was no mechanism for them to apply to those schools. There are some right now . So, again, in the first period they will see the listed schools where they can transfer, and this will become their new school in the area, and there they will be able to participate in the program that school offers. So, given the challenge of retention and priority in the qualified programs, can you guarantee that we will have access to that program
073in Galindo, right? I'm going to have to meet with the director, get to know the campus, and see that they have an understanding of the plan, the way the areas are laid out, or the school redevelopments. The idea is that the programs will also be resounded . So, uh, can you clarify, we understood from the staff that there was only one-way program. Can you talk specifically about the programs we're going to have in Galindo? Some of those things are more general because if we have more than 50 schools and some of them are what you would call one-way schools, but they are dual-program schools and the reason for that is we want to make sure that all families throughout the city have access to this at the school that is closest to them. So, even
074if you have been resonated for Galindo in the past, you could still apply and connect with other programs to be inside that program. So, those things aren't going to change. The first reasons why they call it one-way or two-way is because one-way is predominantly for students from that area who could potentially take most of the places because they are the students of the area and are assigned primarily to students from the area. So, when there are openings, we look at them for each class. Some classes, uh, there are students where all the students in the class are bilingual emergency. So, when we talk about two-way learning, it means that they might suddenly have emerging bilingual students in the area where they live, but they could also go to another elementary school, and that school might
075only take one class; it doesn't take all the students from a previous school. But we're also taking into account that the model and design are the same. But that will depend more on how many students there are in each class. Hello, I'm speaking here as a father and not just as an employee who has worked here for so many years. Sorry for getting so emotional, I'm trying, right? But anyway, I'm one of all the parents I know who are worried about the district's dehumanizing vocabulary. Uh, [applause] this is not fair, this is not fair and it 's not fair to the staff of this campus either. I always [applause] I am the first defender of this school. My son comes here and I am the father of a son with trauma. So you don't know
076how important it is for people to participate in other communities, uh, to participate. Oh, sorry, sorry, I'm sorry. I just want you to know that I'm really worried about everything that's going on , but we really need to make sure that all communities are taking precautions. This isn't just about a change of school, it's about all the experiences they're going through and the care we take of our children, and also about the fact that this school is trauma-informed and has process work, that's why I brought my son here, and you don't know what families are going through and everything that's being disrupted with these changes. I would love to encourage the district to please make sure they take care of our vulnerable children. Oh, I'm sorry, I'm starting to feel bad, but thank you. [applause]
077Thank you for telling me. I'd like to talk to you, and you know, the work we 're doing, the emotional work, you know that's our focus. So thank you for saying that because it's so, so important that we continue to advocate for our experiences, and this is also at the heart of it. And I don't want any child to leave this process without acknowledging all the battles we've had within, even within our own fields. So thank you very much for saying that as a teacher. You're very brave for sharing that. So thank you for sharing this experience, and we'll let you know if we're going to take it into account. Thank you so much, really. that he be very brave. Hello, I am working from Luis García, my grandfather. We have a whole generation here.
078I've been here since my grandparents' time, and well, the whole family is very rooted in Austin. And we were taught not to teach Spanish because at the time it was difficult, and now we understand that language is finally a treasure. So the orientation of Kinder Gander that exists today, I hear that they are taking us away from this precious gift that I am giving my son, which I couldn't even have myself, of having an education in another language. That is the important result as someone who suddenly considers themselves not as an emerging bilingual, but who culturally is. So, how will this change be made to highlight those like me who feel invisible in this process, and how will we measure the population and families who seek public education to provide for their families and heal
079transgenerational wounds? [applause] and in that way begin to measure the correlation it gives us between leadership in the state and see how it would work if we maintained a 50/50 population. And that is even like a way of continuing to use the tools that ASD has to heal all those wounds of the past in our current generation. Uh, yeah, me too. When my parents came here, they didn't teach me Spanish, I wasn't fluent, and everyone knew Mat, and I almost lost it growing up . But my daughters go to Del Valle, I do n't know if you know that, they went to Del Valle, and it's kind of for what you're doing, because I'm part of that community that understands how valuable it is , and I tell the students that being bilingual is a
080superpower. I do firmly believe in that, but I do want you to know that I recognize there is an opportunity for us and at this moment we haven't been able to work on all parts because we are focusing on what is urgent. To be honest, regarding the budget, the sections, and the responsibility, it's difficult to think about that without making disruptions and at the same time making decisions that impact all of us and our families in the ways you're describing. But that's what we want, and that's what we want reflected in the plan. So, thank you very much for saying, "Yes, of course, that's one of the things we're trying to do. Thank you. Hi, I'm a parent. I also work in leadership here and also in a program in Lively. And I have similar
081things, but I also wanted to ask a quick question. I'm going to the working group on the emerging language endorsements. Central Texas Austin isn't receiving this opportunity for all students. I also want to ask about the proposed transfer policies for any relocation, if anyone can move to another school, how that's going to work, and also taking into account the needs of the population. So, all the plans and how that applies to the campuses and our community, how much relocation is going to be to Galindo or to the schools that correspond to them. And also when we work, when we bring up the historical recognition, the history of this city, we know that this was the first school in South Austin. Why is this one going to close? Why in that sense did you count? It
082took 45 minutes because they wanted to keep two open, even though I support that. And then they should be open. But you see, it's like it doesn't matter why, when they were talking about putting Montessori in that area of the city, they could protect the school, which of course I protect, because that's not being considered when they're in these neighborhoods, and why are they going to close both schools, one a mile from the other? So I'm listening, and whenever they say all the plans, they say, "Oh, except for Becker, except for Becker." And you have n't put it [applause] that's going to be 170 students, which is very close to 200 students, but why? And I also have a very specific question that's more about the name, but can you answer it about the previous
083ones? It's a very different question, I want to make sure. Uh, yes, and suddenly there may not be a single answer to this. So, we have clarity on the transfers, and we're going to send it out. We're going to make adjustments and refine the final guidelines, and yes, we want that The students will continue, and those going to Sánchez will have the opportunity to continue. You were talking about the history of the building, and the plan actually considers, and again, it may change based on the conversations we continue to have, but the plan we have right now is that more students will be sent to del Valle because del Valle is going to become Montessori since there will be six in that area. So we're going to have to close one school, whichever one it
084is, it's a school that we're going to have to close. The fact that we're building a new school for del Valle, it's going to become a black chair. So, in that case, we're adding students, and in both cases, we're adding students, and we have to look at the area and see if there are available spaces so that the students have options. So, if I hear you in this specific area, when it comes to the avenues and rivers, given the complexity of the system, I hear you, both ways, all the zone boundaries are changing, we 're looking at them, we're taking their returns, and Contributions, and with Doson, they said there were transfers to Dawson and the valley, and two of them are having a bilingual emergency, sending it there. So, that's a different question. Uh,
085yes, it's another conversation, but the Montessori program already has district funding, so that's not a change. Now, for everyone, that's one of the things that has come up, and we've been talking about it. Uh, we're all looking at those standards, but to see a full dual-language school throughout the entire school is something we want to add, and we believe that will help support the overall dual program, and as I said, we're also going to have transportation to ensure that emerging bilingual students have access to school. So, we're not necessarily going to expand attendance, but we're going to change the boundaries. We want you in school. So, if the location changes, they're also going to test transportation, so yes, there will be changes, but how do we understand where? I understand that this whole process requires
086a lot of strategy, and we're 3 miles from an avenue. So, even If we weren't in a bilingual emergency for that transition, it would be quite reasonable for you to offer transportation. But that's all. I just want to say that. Yes, yes, that's it. We've heard that, and I think a bit of a challenge, I mean, we're looking at all the transportation systems, the routes, we're trying to do this during the transition, so I don't want to communicate like we have it all figured out, but in these transitions we have to, we have to adapt. I've had to do it too, right? And a lot of these things we're talking about in general, expanded across the city, so it's a lot to cover. I want to touch on one more thing. My daughter and my
087sons who are already in school. Right now we have a D designation, and Silker also has these rates, and there are many other programs that aren't for me, and I know that other communities have had more resources and other programs and access to those programs. So at the next campus, I would consider a transfer, and that the new area has a programmer, or even Silker, which has a Strength in the arts. So maybe this could also be another program that can be considered. So thank you for that. These are the kinds of things that as we go through the process, we're going to be very intentional about these kinds of things that we can adjust as the leadership comes together. It's the kind of feedback we need. Again, I want to lay out the principles
088and go through it. It's what we have the ability to do in terms of transportation for Zilker. I don't know if this is a district expense or if it's something that's being funded locally . It's something I need to understand before I commit to anything, but I imagine it's being funded locally. Um, it's not something we 're paying for on their behalf, but we do have the flexibility there. Yes. Very well. First, I want to say that I understand how difficult the situation is being superintendent and that this board is being governed or directed by the state. I know that the consolidation issue was a matter of proposals, budgets, and all that, but my concern is really It's a long-term plan for the school district in East Austin. The attrition level has been declining, and
089I'm concerned that this plan is going to have a complete or very drastic impact. I know there's data based on previous consolidation plans in other areas. I haven't seen it anywhere in this plan, but for this community here, I know there have been surveys . There are 30% of families who are considering alternatives to being in the district. Many of us are motivated by anxiety issues. Can you talk about attrition levels and how you're going to regain trust with families again after this plan is implemented, or whatever happens? I want to acknowledge that it's going to be a disruption, and I want families to do what's best for their families when it happens. I also want to acknowledge that we're desperately trying to be on the other side, even though families see themselves as part
090of our school, our schools. And it hasn't been long because we've seen many families deciding to leave another school or go to a charter school or something like that. And regarding As for a plan, in terms of what we anticipate should happen, and what I've seen in 2019, it's strongly influenced by what happened that year. We went through a consolidation process, and then three months later, the pandemic hit. So there was so much student movement that it kind of overwhelmed any understanding of what was happening locally, because we had students who completely dropped out because we required masks there, so I can't see it as a viable data point. Both Richards and San Antonio also went through something like that. They saw a decrease across the district. When it comes to school by school, there
091could be an increase, right? But what also concerns me is that I've had past experiences— and I say this because it's an experience I've had with the community—and it was a letter indicating that 80% were going to leave, and then we worked together, we built it together, and then it was a different result. So I think that for modeling purposes, 15 to 25% is... In the short term, it will drop a little more, and then I think that in 18 months, they'll vote again. And how does that work? Many families are anchored to the experience of this preparatory level for the Austin district. So there are these changes and everything, right? But we see families returning and all that, but the trustees have asked me for feedback. Yes, we're losing students in other districts and
092all that, so how will that affect those dropout rates? But I believe that based on these changes, they'll return to the Austin school district . We've heard that too. That's what makes it so complex in terms of the analysis available in our video conferencing. So that's why I can't say for sure if we're going to ask for 10%, 5%, if we're going to grow, etc. But we are seeing that in the analysis. So, follow-up question specifically for the parents here because I imagine you feel the same anxiety as we do. Joe indicated that the numbers don't match up regarding the available dual-language seats. For Becker students, I think it's about 10% of the children in dual- language programs. Right now, that process is very opaque; we don't really understand how that's going to work in
093terms of the timeline and all that. We have to plan for our students for next year if Becker closes, or I hope it does n't, but we do have to plan what that looks like. Can you give us a guarantee of dates, deadlines, and all that so we can make plans? Yes, of course. I'm very involved in all of this work. The transition plans are a big part of this, regarding key points, like when people are being hired, when we're going to coordinate transportation, what you want. Before that, it seems to me what you want is to have assurance that each of the schools can really accommodate your child, right? We're using maximum capacity as the limit, right? As the guiding factor, right? That's what we're afraid of—that we'll get to 100% utilization. So again,
094we observe certain things in student movement. The assumption of 100% is not something we frequently see because families decide to do different things every year. Second, these temporary classrooms are temporary situations, but as a district, we have made them permanent. We currently have 490 temporary classrooms, which is a lot, and over time we need to move that occupied space aside, but these are plans that can be used in the short term, and that's part of what gives these schools flexibility; that's why they exist. Now, as time stabilizes, that has to be removed. Our newest temporary classroom is 30 years old, and I'm going to commit to being hyper-precise about how the numbers work here in these communities and what we can rely on to ensure that a student and all that can be accommodated. That's
095why we can even talk with transfer students about how we're using space and all that. They're going through each of the school zones and saying, "Yes, uh, we can make this work this way." That's what we see and how we do it for the communities, because we have worked for this. Yes, please do that because you are at risk of losing many families. I appreciate your comment; it's something I can build on. I've been thinking a lot about this because I 've heard about this tendency to go to charter, to go to a private school as an option as these changes happen. And I don't like it because these are schools, these communities also succeed because of you, and this plan as it moves forward, and whatever form or shape it takes, will be more
096successful if we continue to have your support. It's essential. We need your continued support. So, as you're weighing your options, leaving public education only makes this more difficult. Good morning, everyone. I'm Windy Mills. Oh, I used to be the principal of both Norman and Sims. And then when we consolidated, I was the principal of Nor Sens, and I remember being in this same position at these parent-teacher meetings of Sims and Norman, which were about 8 miles apart. There were people who were yelling at me every day and saying, "If you move us 8 miles, no river or anything. We're going to go, we're not going to go. And I had to sit there and say exactly what Travis said, it's your choice, but I hope you'll join us and stick it out . I know
097that any change is difficult, but just look at the access and opportunity that will come to both communities if we stay together. Those same parents were crying 5 years after I announced I was leaving school. He says, "Oh, we give them everything, sir, friends. We were so rude, we were losing our minds, but to see where we are now and how the schools are here, uh, they apologized." And I didn't need that because I understand why change is difficult, but they said that if we could have seen 5 years ahead of where we were then versus where we were at 6 or 7 many nights with our signs, going to the temporary site on Sixth Street and yelling and biting, kicking and everything, just to realize in the end it was something sweet. The new
098Sims institution was very similar to this one. Every time we tried to plan a graduation, a parents' event, we were just always overbooked and everything. And I still have this video of the parents going into that building for the first time. I think it finally dawned on them that the access and opportunity they were receiving wasn't actually difficult. It was difficult, of course. Excuse me. Yes, but we want to say, uh, thank you Travis for saying that. I don't want to pray or anything, but I want to ask if things will improve with time and with being part of the community. I will continue to support during this time as well, and I have been doing so . Yes, yes, it's different. It's different. Yes. And I don't work like that. We do n't work
099like that. He would have a job even if I wasn't there . I have a few fears and I have another statement. I've been waiting for you to read my main fear: I have a child with asthma. Excuse me, the microphone isn't nearby, so I'm worried about the children who are there, about their health as well. I have been part of the Austin school district community. I am this intermediary for the eastern side. I've been part of this conversation, and so sometimes I felt that the district was annoyed at having us there just to have the conversation and then they wanted it to end as soon as possible. I love it here. I love the family, the teachers, the principal. Another concern of mine is implementing the plans that we apparently just are. I'm afraid
100the implementation won't be done well. Every year is so important to all our friends. Having said that, I just wanted to say that if my friend could read something for me, I 'm getting old. So I 'm reading it. It's not me. The student population of Becker Sánchez are different. How will the district ensure that it can provide this for Spanish and dual language while also integrating students from all languages who only speak English? How are we going to ensure that these teachers can support such a large population in all these things? Right now there is a very big focus on protecting the Sanchez community, but at the same time Becker is closing and there are teachers and staff with more than 20 years of service with very deep connections to the family and community.
101What specific steps will you take so that Becker and his staff can also be supported and honored, versus that we are building something that could mitigate that? Huh? Perfect. Good morning. Yes, thank you all for staying late. I appreciate this. Pecker is an amazing school, it's diverse, it's been proven by all the transfers that come here there's a smaller percentage for kids who are within the area. So what I'd like to do now is simply take it off the dual language cap and the other one is to put on one like a Becker kid, this Becker student who's inside the zone. In many of these solutions we hope that Becker will stay, but in case we can't find a solution, the closest school in the Becker area is Silker, it's where we share these outdoor
102games with the other children who we can get so close by walking or biking, and Galindo is quite far away, but I'm starting to get really nervous if this information about Becker is questioned. And we are losing, I think, the second part of their plan, which is to create these very good and important schools. I'm sorry that Dr. French isn't here to hear that, but if you could pass that information on. Yes, it's a very big focus for us. We just want you to know that we're above it and we're over it. We're doing well there. Yes, I hear that, I understand. Hi everyone, I'm Andrea. I have a second-year student here. This is our second year here, so we're relatively new to the district, considering the district's budget deficit and these consolation events that
103the district has said are really to improve the state's performance, what strong safeguards exist to ensure that it is governed locally by the district and not by state interference. Ah, how are we going to meet this budget to help him, or the grades, the exams, aren't what one would want because there is so much uncertainty, and I can almost guarantee that no one wants their child to be part of any political or social pawn, and it seems that might be happening there. This is the moment, from the moment I came into this role on January 9, 2023, I have been handling all of this. I don't know if you remember, but the TEA has been saying that they want to come here. Ah, we've had reports from the agency, there are many things that have
104changed and that was a real risk. That was as much a risk as the responsibility we had. Now that we have the luxury of time, it was urgent, it was happening, there was a recommendation on the table that we were working on. I will tell you that the board and I were all aware of the risks we were taking to maintain control. I have, I am hyper-thought-out. I will tell you that I strongly believe in the elements of this plan that move us with control in a significant way in how we are taking those school grades, doing the subjects. We feel safe. We have the data and the accountability plan. We have been working very hard for the last 2 years. We have received the educational plan. We have teachers that we didn't have 3
105years ago. The investment we made in 2024, what we did that increased in 23, 24, and 25 has led us to the right direction. We're seeing the numbers on the ceilings. We are following the movement. We have 30 absences, 23, 24, and 25, and it continues and will continue to go down because we are not doing it the right way. There are different ways we can do it. We choose to do it in the most sustainable way. Each one of us, if one of us leaves, it's in our bones. It's not about passing an exam, it's about learning to love reading. That's who we are. I feel confident that we are taking the right risk. That's the thing, that's what we 're supporting, and I hope the community and special education look at it .
106It has been a very big risk, our directors, our systems, our staff, and we are on the path towards that. I just wanted to share this with you. I think I'm sure we're moving in the right direction, but I think we're constantly thinking about that . I will try to be brief. I didn't grow up in the United States in the district. The first time I saw the website was when my daughter was 3 years old and how she could learn Spanish and how she could go to classes where they spoke Spanish. I understand that for my student we were going to do a transfer to Pleasant Hill. We had two options. I tried to make my life easy. We chose Manchaca because it was very close to the clinic where I work, and the
107next one was Kirk, but I chose to make my life easier. I chose Manchaca. Manchaca did not open for us from Carline. We had parents who were coming. Deep down, in the bottom of my heart, I wanted to come here. My question was that wherever we do or wherever we go, the dual language should be respected and supported, because we came here hoping to improve our Spanish since she spoke. We all speak Spanish at home, although my husband's main language is English, we all speak Spanish. We are trying to help her learn Spanish, or well, we are all choosing, but she didn't speak Spanish. She didn't want to speak Spanish, even though she understood everything. Then we came to Decker for kindergarten and he started speaking more Spanish and now he's in love with the
108language and respects it. She is proud, and I don't think any resume can give children that. I 've heard rumors that the district wants to get rid of those programs. What I ask of you is that you fight for Spanish as much as you can so that our students can have it in their lives and can feel proud. She could speak Spanish maybe, but the love and respect she chooses for the Spanish language, I think it's because of the people at this school, not because of the building, but because of all the people. One, if we can continue with that legacy, very good. And two, if we can support the people who want to go. And that's what I'm asking for. And the question is, let's say we're going to Sánchez, where are we going
109to be? Where will our new border zone be? Because the school we have doesn't have Spanish or doesn't have a solid program. What are the district's plans? Where do I go from here ? What happens when she finishes elementary school? That? How are we going to move forward after that? Yes, that's where we talk again about the alignment of where we ended up. Absolutely. You're not going to see it in the plan right now , but we're having behind-the-scenes conversations about what it will look like. So we know that we have three high schools. We have the ones that are in the lively walls area, so we're having these conversations about how we can create those lines, how it should look, but I don't know, we don't know how it's going to look, but it's
110in our minds. What resources will be available for children in Spanish or dual language? We have a program, a very good program. They have a problem, a program right now. Part of the transition. If this vote, if this vote is a yes for some of the plans or pieces, there will be a transition. We already heard Natesa talk about the bridge of creating a dialogue for families and we are talking about the staff, that the staff have the opportunity to work together and get to know people. We're talking about that, it's social. I'm talking about money. Money exists. Yes, they do have it in the budget. Hi, I'm going to talk a little bit about everything, but I'm going to do it very quickly. Thank you for being here, thank you for giving us the
111opportunity to talk about this. My parents came to the United States when I was 2 years old. They went against the norms at that time. They taught my brother and me in Spanish, although we spoke English wherever we could. This is a gift that I have, a horrible job I did horribly with my daughter. Now, from the moment you arrive you see Miss Martinez and all the staff greeting you at the door saying good morning, welcome and I chose that over our school by area because of that experience. I want all children to have that experience. We're not asking for anything, we want what you want here, for all our children who want to have that experience to have it. We believe, we agree with what you just said, with what the director just said.
112We are stronger together as a community and we are saying it here today and we have been listening from the beginning of this process. From the beginning of this process, we heard that the intention was to keep the community together, but you're also realizing that families are going to be scattered all over the place. We want to stay together and advocate, and we want to be part of the solution to reach the goal you have for the school district. We have seen this process. I have become an activist. I've never been an activist before, but for our schools I will be, and I will use that same energy to keep fighting for what we want for all our children. So I heard you said you'll be looking at some of the proposals to have the
113South Central so that everyone can stay together. I appreciate it very much. I wish Dr. French were here to show us the maps in the present moment. I hope you can consider keeping the option open, which could allow our families to stay together. And I'd also like to say that this is another thought I heard this week, you said you're adding a sensitivity analysis and I want to say that 3 or 4% scares me, those percentages are too low. I know you studied in Chicago and San Antonio. San Antonio accounts for 20% of my daily work. I know it's very difficult, that it takes a lot of money to bring in new students, to take care of the ones we already have, and to use the families who already have the resources to help and
114support the families and do what you want to do and have very successful schools for all the children. I think that's all. We want to be part of the solution instead of just saying, " Thank you, thank you so much for all the work you're doing." I know it's difficult to keep everyone happy. My question is whether the board votes no to the plan. Do you have a replacement plan to be able to meet the pressure you are receiving from the TA, or is this plan you are making for the reconciliation just the one you need? We are talking about this inclusive plan; it is one of the things that we are legally required to do . We are in a position where we are not going to take a vote based solely on the
115elements. There are things that ca n't be seen as tabs, as part of the plan that allows the tab to work in a different way. But there are some moves being made that demonstrate success or that move us towards success. So the plan may just be a vote for the board of directors. The board of directors is the only one that can carry it. You are asking this question specifically to distribute the votes. I'm sorry, the question probably can't be heard in Spanish . If the options for TBS are what is best for the specific school, for the responsibility of the risk we are taking. There are some schools that have 44 or 52 or 59 eh ratings. We have seen the growth and we have taken it there and they have and will continue
116to grow. And there are other schools that have an F, but the understanding of what it means to the children is different. So we're making those changes to the November timeline as well, meaning it's just for the cycle we 're in as a public school. We've made some combinations for the enrollments, but we need to hire staff early in the process so they can hire more people and put together the PTA. And we also need to have a plan in place for when summer vacation comes, so we can take the teachers to their new home. A delay isn't a matter of months, it's a matter of years. This is a disruption to our system, but that's something we 've learned from the past. We're not going to do it. We're going to make a change
117in the spring. We'll do it for next year. I apologize, the microphone stopped working. So, I think you've just hit the nail on the head. I know she's laughing, but that's exactly it. We have shown in recent years that we can do very difficult things. I think it's not always visible, but there are hours and efforts we've put in that we're very prepared and we're in that position. Yes, there are other things we have to take with us while we're in between weeks, while we're talking. If this is the case, perhaps there are more risks in the end. the risk of stopping or doing it later. We can make some adjustments to certain things, but critically, what we're thinking we need to address is to mitigate the risk. If we wait a year, then what
118will happen? So, what's going to happen? The deficit will continue to grow. Miss Wilson, we need to finish. They have places to be, but we also have children who will come to this space. I would love it if some of you could take them and put them up there against the wall. We'll take them later. Thank you so much. Ah.