Austin ISD has 74,000+ students and 10,000 employees at 130 schools that span 230 square miles of Central Texas. Nearly 60 percent of AISD students are Hispanic and 58 percent are economically disadvantaged. The district’s vision is to reinvent the urban school experience.
The AISD class of 2015 had an all-time high graduation rate of 89.7 percent, up more than 15 percentage points since 2008. Additionally, all student groups posted significant gains over the prior year.
AISD students continue to perform well on the SAT and ACT. Their most recent scores exceeded averages for the state and nation, a trend that they have sustained since 2013. Our students are also proving themselves ready for college and career. Last year, 65 percent of our graduating class enrolled in college within a year of graduation, and high school students completed nearly 3,000 industry licensures and certifications.
The district’s placement on the Seventh Annual AP District Honor Roll showcases our students’ proficiency in advanced academics. AISD is one of only 23 school districts in Texas being honored by the College Board with this distinction. Our students made these achievements while marking an attendance rate of 95.4 percent—the highest in 22 years.
AISD’s key focus areas are three fold:
1) preparing all students for college, career and life
2) creating an effective, agile and responsive organization
3) creating vibrant relationships for successful students and schools
Within these goals, the district is placing specific importance on equity, literacy, Social and Emotional Learning and closing achievement gaps.
Matias Segura is the interim superintendent of the Austin Independent School District, serving more than 74,000 students and 10,000 employees.
