Austin Independent School District (AISD) is transitioning into a new phase as Dr. Stephanie Hawley retires from her role as the Chief Officer of Organizational Transformation. Dr. Hawley's departure comes as the initiatives she led become ingrained within the district.
The Office of Organizational Transformation, previously known as the Equity Office, was established in 2019 to embed equity-focused practices into the district's operations, particularly targeting Central Office decision-makers. Over the past five years, significant progress has been made in this area.
Under Dr. Hawley's leadership, a variety of systems and training programs were put in place. These included the training of over 1,000 staff members and community stakeholders through capacity-building sessions, the reestablishment of the Ombuds Office, and the implementation of Equity by Design for both the Long Range Planning Process and the 2022 Bond Package. Additionally, the Equity Advisory Committee was set up during her tenure. These initiatives will remain a part of AISD's framework.
Dr. Hawley commented on the district's leadership, stating, “At this point, we also have both a superintendent and a chief of staff who have engaged in many more hours of equity-focused learning experiences than any other leaders in the history of the district. They have both led and participated in a number of the high-impact initiatives.”
Even as the Office of Organization Transformation concludes its operations, AISD is dedicated to continuing its organizational change efforts to improve the experiences and academic success of both students and staff.