Education X Podcast

Sharyn and Cuitlahuac are joined by Lisa Bennett and Emily Germain, two parents with children at Maplewood and Sunset Valley elementary schools respectively, both schools on the closure list of Austin ISD's draft plan released October 3rd, to talk about how it feels to have their school targeted for closure, what their reaction is to a trustee who already came out against the plan, and what th...

Sharyn and Cuitlahuac respond to the public comments at the Sept 18 board information session and detail how Lone Star Governance has become the Party by telling trustees that whatever LSG holds to be student centered, is student centered. They also ask, can the superintendent even keep the promises he is making with regards to the scorecard and stadiums? Finally, just how low a bar can the distri...

Cuitlahuac and Sharyn talk about new policies the board recently passed, Lone Star Governance’s iron grip on the district, and Bryker Woods’ high-profile lobbying  to stay open. 

Former Trustee Noelita Lugo joins Lisa, Nadia, Sharyn, and Cuitlahuac to go over closure plans, literacy goals, special education compliance, the cell phone ban, and if the district is actually interested in community feedback.

Nikkie and Nadia join Sharyn and Cuitlahuac to review the rubric published by Austin ISD that will be used to formulate a consolodiations and closure plan this fall.

Sharyn and our panel of advocates, Nikkie, Nadia, and Lisa, share their takeaways from AISD's recent consolidation workshops: pleasant surprise, wat was missing, and they they way to see in the final plan.

Sharyn and Cuitlahuac discuss why the leadership in Austin ISD cannot articulate a clear academic vision, whether it be pedagogical curriculum and instruction, or a baseline of offerings and programs that every parent can expect at any AISD school, as trustees vote to approve a budget, turnaround plans, and get an update on consolidations and closures.

Sharyn and Cuitlahuac cover a lot of topics including -TEA Commissioner Mike Morath on curriculum and literacy -Austin ISD Protesting at TEA Offices -Turnaround Plans for 3 Middle School -Consolidation and Closure Plans for the district -Instruction Support for Special Education -Budget Deficit -Advanced Math at 6th Grade -Community Meetings with Trustees It's a long episode we hope you listen...

Sharyn and Cuitlahuac mark the end of one cycle and the beginning of the next as the academic year comes to an end with profound sadness and joy. They also look forward to the beginning of the latest cycle of school closure in Austin ISD with a focus on turnaround plans, budget cuts, and a call for the community members to consider what sacrifices they will be expected to make.

Lisa Flores joins Sharyn and Cuitlahuac to discuss the impact of Lone Star Governance (LSG) on the Austin ISD Board's efforts to discuss district turn around plans and school closures. They also focus on the current state of Special Education as well as recent community meetings at Webb and Burnet Middle Schools.

Joining to discuss the Austin ISD board voting meeting on Thursday April 24th and the Lamar community meeting on April 21 with Sharyn and Cuitlahuac are Nikkie Shubitz, Nadia Khan, and Lisa Flores. The group starts by weighing on the the decision to remove the principal from the Ann Richards School of Young Women Leaders, then react to the community meeting at Lamar Middle School. They also discus...

Four current Dobie Middle School staff join Sharyn and Cuitlahuac to discuss what its like to teach at Dobie, how the possible options for next year could affect students, and how the students and Rundberg community are reacting to the possible closure of Dobie Middle School

Sharyn and Cuitlahuac tackle head on the prospect of school closures after financial consultants hired by the district present that idea and others to the board as a cost cutting measure.

Trustee Candace Hunter rejoins the podcast with Sharyn and Cuitlahuac to talk about how well Austin ISD is meeting literacy goals for its students and engaging student families. Trustee Hunter also updates us on looming budget cuts and how she and the rest of the board deals with the TEA monitor and Lone Star Compliance is

Former Austin ISD School Board Trustee Noelita Lugo joins Sharyn and Cuitlahuac in conversation about how she went from Pease Elementary School parent fighting closure, to becoming an elected member of the board. Former Trustee Lugo also details the scope and limitations of a trustee working under different superintendents and administrations. The conversations also centers Special Education servi...

Sharyn and Cuitlahuac breakdown a lengthy board meeting that includes a budget workshop which discusses possible cuts including less planning time for teachers and school closures, as well as reports on the the district's academic performance and improvements plans to support specific struggling schools.

Sharyn Vane and Cuitlahuac Guerra discuss the Austin ISD Board Information Session from Thursday February 13, 2025 where the district informed trustees of an even bigger budget deficit than anticipated as well as highlighting how well secondary students are performing on the Texas Success Initiative. Sharyn and Cuitlahuac also talk about how the TEA monitor and Lone Star Governance / compliance is...

Austin ISD Ex Officio Podcast has a new name and new co-host. Join Cuitlahuac, Candace, Emily, and Sharyn as they catch up with Candace about her work as a school board trustee.

We hear from newly elected Austin ISD Trustee Candace Hunter as she shares her experience and journey from classroom teacher to board member. Emily and Cuitlahuac also give their analysis of the election results including the historic Austin ISD bonds. And we weigh in on the news that Interim Superintendent Dr. Anthony Mays will be leaving the district sooner than expected. 

Cuitlahuac makes his picks for the Austin ISD Trustee elections and why you should vote for all three Austin ISD bond proposals. There are only a few days of early voting left, and of course Election Day. Give this short episode a listen, share it with your friends, and get out and vote.

Candace, Emily & Cuitlahuac are joined by special education services advocate Lisa Flores to discuss the Austin ISD discipline data presented to the trustees as part of the superintendent scorecard during the first board meeting of September. What can Austin ISD do to stop disproportionately discipling Black students? Did the district meet its goal when it comes to disciplining students with d...

Join the AISDXP team as we learn more about the bond, get an update on where the district is in the bond process, and hear our take on voting. https://www.austinisd.org/equityoffice/framework https://www.austinisd.org/advisory-bodies/lpc (meetings tab) https://www.austinisd.org/advisory-bodies/bsc (meetings tab) https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-22/texas-schools-are-stuffed-to-the-ma...

We understand that voting for a Bond is a complex and individual process. We felt that the last 4 minutes of S3 E3 deserved to be heard again and on its own. 

In this episode Emily and Candace analyze the June 23 Austin ISD Budget Hearing and Regular Board meeting; providing commentary and asking the questions that have yet to be answered around the essential areas redesign, district partner accountability, and the way forward.

Join the AISDXP team as they reflect on the interim Superintendent selection process, how the process can be improved, as well as the path forward for the community.