The Board of Trustees has approved a partnership to lease the Pease School building for an early childhood education center, set to operate for at least 10 years. The center will be managed by Goodwill Central Texas and is expected to serve up to 130 children aged six months to five years. Priority enrollment will be given to Austin ISD teachers, staff, and families. Renovations on the building are planned, with operations anticipated to begin in 2027.
In addition, the board is closely monitoring legislative developments that may impact the district. Two budget bills are currently under consideration: House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1. These bills propose increased funding for education and tax relief measures. "House Bill 1 adds $4.85 billion for public schools, $450 million for the Teacher Retirement System, and $3.5 billion for property taxes relief (pending other legislation)." Meanwhile, "Senate Bill 1 proposes increases for teacher pay by $4,000 for all teachers and an additional $6,000 for rural teachers, totaling a $10,000 increase," along with "$3 billion in residential property tax relief and $500 million for businesses."
The legislature is also discussing Senate Bill 2 which would establish an Education Savings Account program. This program allows every Texas student—whether in public school, private school or homeschool—to apply for vouchers valued at $10,000 or more.
The board discussed its quarterly Lone Star Governance Progress Report during their meeting. The report indicated that the board achieved a rating of “meets focus” for the third consecutive quarter. This rating shows progress toward completing requirements ahead of schedule.
The next Board Information Session is scheduled for February 13.