Segura said his main focus will be on support and stability for everyone in the district—especially educators and staff.
"One of the things that we've been talking about for quite some time now is how we need to support our educators and our staff," Segura said. "We've had challenges over the last couple of years, and we know that. We're not where we want to be regarding teacher staffing."
He said staff retention is a major goal of his while he is interim superintendent.
"We know we want to compete for great talent to support us in the classroom," Segura said. "We also know that it is very expensive to live in Austin, so, for us as an organization, the priority has to be moving forward with a budget that produces a competitive compensation package."
Now that the $2.44 billion bond has passed, he said, the district has "more levers that we can pull to make creating a competitive compensation package a reality."
"That goes across the board," he said. "Certainly teachers will see a larger compensation package, but also people, like our groundskeepers, our custodians, our plumbers and electricians. They are also part of this organization and support our students every single day—and they're all struggling to make it here in Austin. We want to correct that."
Segura said the district is already working on increasing wages.
"Over the course of the next several months, we'll work with our partners and staff to get a great package put together. We have to be aggressive, and we want to begin implementing this soon," he said. "We want everyone to know we are going to get it done. It helps [staff and educators] to know it will happen so they can plan appropriately."
Student allotments are another area Segura plans to tackle in the coming months.
"Texas ranks at the bottom when it comes to per-pupil spending," he said. "We also know that student allotment impacts every other school district around the state, and they will all benefit by an increase. So, fundamentally, that will be priority one—to increase student allotment."
The student allotment is a little more than $6,000 per student. Segura said he intends to see that raised significantly and that it will be a "full-force initiative" to make it happen.
"Whether that means we are at the Texas State Capitol giving testimony or coordinating with our partners, we are going to take this on," he said.
Stability is another point Segura said he knows the district needs improvement on in the coming months and years. He said he plans to do that by being visible.
"I think people who know me see me, and they see that I'm here and that I'm committed," he said. "I have relationships with campuses, and I intend to be even more visible. I also plan to make sure our central leadership team remains intact. We are all committed to seeing this through, and that's one big step in the right direction," he said. "Austin ISD is home, and I'm going to be here for everyone in our district."
Segura will serve as interim superintendent until July 31, 2023, or until a permanent superintendent is hired.
