The Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees held its regular voting meeting on August 21, where all agenda items were approved.
During the meeting, the board adopted a new digital device policy in response to House Bill 1481. The legislation prohibits students from using personal devices during the school day, including lunchtime. Exceptions will be made for students with documented needs as outlined in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Section 504 plans, or health plans. Each campus will implement secure storage for any confiscated devices, and all staff members are authorized to confiscate and log these items. Schools are expected to take reasonable care of confiscated devices but are not liable for any loss or damage.
The board also renewed its consultation agreement with Education Austin, which serves as the representative body for district teachers and classified staff. Additionally, a new employee benefit plan received approval.
In alignment with a new state law, trustees updated policy FD(LOCAL) to specify that students enrolled in private schools or homeschools are not eligible to participate in district extracurricular activities.
Trustees unanimously approved the Quarterly Evaluation required by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) Special Education Agreed Order. The Lone Star Governance (LSG) model is designed by TEA to guide district governance practices. As stipulated by the order, the board must reach and maintain “Meets Focus” status over four consecutive quarters. Since April 2024, self-evaluations have reflected this status. This quarter’s evaluation showed an increase from last quarter’s score, reaching 74 points—five points higher than before—surpassing the minimum threshold of 60 points needed for “Meets Focus.”
The next board information session is scheduled for September 18.
