The Austin ISD board of trustees Oct. 28 approved school improvement plans for 11 schools that did not meet Texas Education Agency standards earlier this year, as well as reconstitution plans for three schools that did not meet state standards for two years in a row.

"I think it's important for our public to know that all of the schools with improvement plans and reconstitution plans are making great progress, and that they missed targets by just a few points," said AISD trustee Ann Teich.

The board unanimously approved improvement plans for Rodriguez Elementary School, Dobie, Garcia, Martin, and Pearce middle schools, Eastside Memorial High School at the Johnston Campus, Lanier, LBJ, and Travis High Schools, Rosedale School and Travis County Day School.

LBJ High School, as well as Pearce and Garcia middle schools, did not meet state standards for the second consecutive year, so the state requires that AISD develop reconstitution plans for those schools, Carstarphen said. The board passed 7–2 a motion to approve reconstitution plans at Pearce, Garcia, LBJ, with Mathias and Schneider opposing. The schools' initial reconstitution plans, which must go to the TEA for approval by Oct. 31.

During citizens communication and a public hearing on the improvement plans, a few members of the public spoke about the district's efforts.

Parent Vincent Tovar said he wanted to ensure the district maintains transparency in its process for improvement at schools, particularly EMHS.

Helen Miller, a Johnston alumna, told the board she thinks the district should also plan for improvement at the elementary level.

"Children receive the educational and structural foundation in elementary school. If these children would get that in elementary school we wouldn't have to worry so much about the middle and high schools being low-performing," she said, adding that when that foundation does not exist, high school students can end up reading on a third-grade level. "I'm just devastated about how long this has been going [on]."