Start writing, express yourself. The more of us that write, the louder we will sound and the harder we will be to ignore as a community…as the PUBLIC in public education.

Click here to download the letter.

WHERE: All Along Congress Avenue

WHAT: Help create a strong visual show of support for public education on the “Main Street of Texas.” Wear red, bring a sign, and join Save Texas Schools as they line both sides of Congress Avenue all the way from the Colorado River to the Capitol.

For the sake of time, please RSVP at this link with the number of people in your group so you can receive your block assignment in advance.

WHERE: Space 12, 3121 E. 12th Street

WHAT: The Coalition to Save Austin Urban Schools is hosting an education forum with city council candidates for the upcoming election. It’s a chance to hear their views on educational issues, the relationship between community & school, and the current funding situation.

Candidates from each Place (1, 3 & 4) will each make a 3 to 5 minute presentation, followed by 20 to 25 minutes of Q&A with the Coalition’s membership.

6pm to 6:40pm—Place 1 Candidates

6:45pm to 7:25pm—Place 3 Candidates

7:30pm to 8:10pm—Place 4 Candidates

This disappointing, but not surprising, repeal of the “Save Our Schools” provision should serve as another call to action for Texas families fighting for the best public education for our children.  All of us who have been seeking to avoid school closures and teacher terminations, and fighting to keep all education dollars close to our children should be urging the Governor and State Legislators to use every single dime of this federal assistance to add to the meager amounts they have recommended for public education. This money belongs to our children, it is not a bailout for Governor Perry to plug another hole in the mismanaged State budget.

Read the entire letter at this link.

WHEN: Sunday, April 10 at 7 PM

WHERE: St. Ignatius Martyr (126 West Oltorf)

Hosted by Austin Interfaith, education will be one of the topics up for discussion. Candidates for city council, AISD School Board president Mark Williams, and state legislator Kirk Watson will be in attendance.

Austin’s school board and the voting community have made choices regarding our tax effort and funding education.  We chose to tax higher than other districts to keep class sizes low.  We chose not to offer optional homestead exemptions.  Like districts all over the state, we chose to invest in our children because they need it and they deserve it.  As a voter and taxpayer, I support other communities’ rights to make different decisions, because I support the ability for our community to make decisions for our kids.

Read her entire testimony at this link.

Building on the spirit  and energy of rallies around the country calling on state governments to prioritize education, health care, public safety, the environment, and jobs, [Save Our State] will demand that Texas take a balanced approach to balancing the state budget by spending our state’s savings in the Rainy Day Fund and finding new revenue.  Be part of the movement to move Texas forward!  Bring your family and friends and wear your rain gear!  There’s a torrential storm in Texas and together we have  the power to turn the tides!

“We, the concerned citizens and tax-payers of one of the most educated communities in the country, are sending this letter to ask you, our elected representatives responsible for ensuring a strong public education system in Austin, reject the Facilities Task Force recommendations presented to you this spring.”

Click here to download the letter and see the signatures and comments.

• Closing schools
• Hiking college tuition
• Eliminating Pre-K programs

Attendance at the vigil is expected from all over the state, from noon Friday until the final vote is taken (which could be as late as midnight and maybe beyond)! Organizers are hoping for a Wisconsin-style atmosphere, with citizens packing the House Gallery, the Rotunda, and the South Steps.  Everyone is encouraged to wear black.

Come rally with your fellow Texans for:

• Regular updates from the House floor on which Texas priorities survived the cuts
• Teach-ins explaining how the budget will wreck Texas’ future
• Prayer vigil in the House Chapel, and Nightlight Vigil on the South Steps
• Musical performances by local artists
• Funeral for all the programs and services the budget would cut

Join the vigil with other grown-ups before school lets out for the day, bring the children after school to see citizen turnout firsthand, or even come by in the evening before heading out for a night on the town. It’s easy to show your support, and any amount of time you can spare will make a difference!  Find more information at http://www.texasimpact.org and in the attached flyer.

Meeting Place at the Capitol

While the Vigil is taking place throughout the Capitol, many people have asked if we could set up a location at the Capitol for folks to meet. Great news!  Our Representative Elliott Naishtat has reserved a conference room from noon until midnight where you can go to meet up with friends and neighbors, or maybe take a quiet break if needed.  The conference room is located within the historic Agricultural Museum (Room 1W.14 on the first floor, which is directly under the House Chamber).  When you arrive at the Capitol, we suggest that you first go to the Ag Museum conference room and sign in on one of our clipboards.  We will have fliers with suggested activities for kids and grown-ups.  Please, no food or drink in this historic space.

To help you locate the Agricultural Museum conference room, find a floorplan of the Capitol at:

http://www.tspb.state.tx.us/SPB/Plan/FloorPlan/pdf/cap%20guide1.PDF

Transportation Options for the April 1 Vigil at the Capitol

1. Interested in carpooling?  BHE parent Sharon Peurrung has offered to coordinate carpools for Barton Hills.  Contact Sharon at skdprocks@aol.com Volunteer to Coordinate carpools for your school!
2. Take a City Bus to the Rally!
3. Public Visitor Parking at the Capitol
   Parking is available in the Capitol Visitors Parking Garage at 1201 San Jacinto located between Trinity and San Jacinto Streets at 12th and 13th streets. Parking is free for the first two hours and $1.00 for each half hour thereafter (maximum daily charge: $8.00); accessible parking is available with accessible routes to the Capitol. Metered spaces are available throughout the complex.  Find more info and a map of the Capitol Complex at: http://www.tspb.state.tx.us/spb/plan/parking.htm
4. On-street Metered Parking
   Metered parking spaces are available throughout the Capitol Complex.  Metered spaces are free after 5:30 p.m.

Click here for a flier for this event.

The 44 page response details the inaccuracies and missing data from the final report, and clearly outlines that there is no business case for closing successful schools:

Our research determines the final FMP report to be indisputably filled with inaccurate data and unreliable analysis. If the Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees accept the FMP report they should do so while equally accepting reports like the one embodied here. Our final response has been produced by members of the community and examines the flaws of the FMP report pertaining to BHE. By making sure that ALL of the work of the community is carefully included in the public record, not just the work of the task force, the trustees can honor everyone’s input and allow all of the information to be weighted fairly by our future leaders.

Click here to download the complete report.