Check out the new candidate video presentations from AISD.

http://www.austinisd.org/inside/board/election.phtml

AISD Board of Trustees Early Voting

Early Voting:
Monday, April 26, 2010 - Tuesday, May 4, 2010

SOUTHWEST
Randalls South Mopac and William Cannon
6600 South Mopac @ William Cannon
Mon–Sat 7 am–7 pm, Sun Noon–6 pm

Randalls Brodie and Slaughter
9911 Brodie Lane @ Slaughter Lane
Mon–Sat 7 am–7 pm, Sun Noon–6 pm

Community Impact SW Austin article on Candidate's Forum

http://impactnews.com/southwest-austin/144-news/7925-aisd-candidate-forum-at-mills

AISD candidate forum at Mills Elementary

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By Yvonne Lim Wilson Thursday, 08 April 2010

Budget priorities dominated the conversation at candidate forum hosted by the Mills PTA on April 7 held at the Mills elementary school cafeteria. The forum was for Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees candidates running for District 7 (Southwest Austin) and At-large District 9.

Incumbent Robert Schneider and retired educator Warren Faulkner are running for the District 7 seat. Tamala Barksdale, Cassandra Brown, Julie Cowan, Dianne Mendoza and Mike Reed are running for the at-large seat. All listed candidates except for Mendoza and Reed attended the forum.

The district’s $7.1 million shortfall was a source of many of the audience’s questions. All the candidates expressed reservations for a tax increase, saying they would prefer looking at budget cuts first.

“I have not heard a lot of support for a tax increase right now,” said Cowan, who supports first examining programs that are not working and could be cut.

Brown added that the board needed to give superintendent Meria Carstarphen a chance to look for efficiencies before going to voters to ask for a tax increase. However, she did say that she believed a tax increase would be needed at some point in the future.

“Tax cuts are the very last thing to me,” Barksdale said.

Schneider also said he is not in favor of tax cuts at the moment and said that structural deficits need to be addressed.

Faulkner echoed similar sentiments about looking for program cuts and efficiencies first, but also added that a small tax increase to support the strategic plan and salary increases for teachers could be approved by voters.

“We don’t need to sell our citizens short,” he said, adding that the last tax increase was approved by 60 percent of voters three years ago.

Other topics discussed included plans for a new high school in southwest Austin, school closures and ideas to improve school boundary processes.

Currently, District 1 incumbent Cheryl Bradley, District 4 incumbent Vince Torres and District 6 incumbent Lori Moya have no challengers. District 1 encompasses East and Northeast Austin and District 6 encompasses South Central Austin.

Early voting takes place April 26 through May 4 and Election Day is May 8. For more information, visit http://www.austinisd.org/inside/board/election.phtml.

AISD Board Candidates Info

If you weren't able to attend our recent Candidate's Forum at Mills Elementary, here is a few of the candidate website addresses and Facebook pages. This is not an endorsement, but information for you to learn more about the candidates and the events they are having. I am following these, and have learned the most about the candidates on Facebook.

Tamala Barksdale
http://www.tamalaforaisd.org/
Facebook: Tamala Barksdale for AISD

Jill Cowan
http//www.juliecowan2010.com
Facebook: Julie Cowan for AISD School Board At-large Place 9

Warren Faulkner
Facebook: Friends of Warren Faulkner

Bowie Makes the List

Group ranks Central Texas schools

by KVUE News

Posted on April 19, 2010 at 4:12 PM

Some local schools are celebrating after being ranked among the best schools in Austin.

The group Children at Risk released its rankings Monday morning at Canyon Vista Middle School in Northwest Austin.

The group evaluated dozens of campuses in seven Central Texas counties --- considering graduation rates, scores on college entrance exams, and other factors.

Among high schools, Westwood tops the list. Other schools that made the grade include Westlake High School, Wimberley High and NYOS charter school.

Two Austin ISD campuses made the list -- Anderson and Bowie high schools.

Trustees Name New Southwest Elementary

April 6, 2010 - Trustees Name New Southwest Elementary School
Austin School Trustees have voted to name the new Southwest Austin Elementary School for Ross Baldwin, a long-time AISD student mentor, successful business owner, and community leader.

Austin School Trustees have voted to name the new Southwest Austin Elementary School for Ross Baldwin, a long-time AISD student mentor, successful business owner, and community leader. Mr. Baldwin was an active mentor at Joslin Elementary School for nearly 30 years, mentoring several students each year, and supporting their success by attending games, plays, scout meetings, and other activities. In 2005, he was named AISD Mentor of the Year. A World War II veteran, he was also the founder and owner of Baldwin Beauty Schools, as well as an active member of the Oak Hill Rotary Club for more than 25 years. Mr. Baldwin died in 2007 at the age of 82.

Ross Baldwin Elementary School, located at 12200 Meridian Park Blvd., will open in August, and is a project of the District’s Apple at Work Bond Program.

Naming New Southwest Elementary

The Austin ISD Board of Trustees will be naming the new Southwest Elementary School at tonight's board meeting. Check out all the possible name ideas at:

Board Agenda