Photo by Kelli WeldonIn a Dec. 16 public overview of the annual evaluation of Austin ISD Superintendent Meria Carstarphen, AISD board of trustees President Vincent Torres said the board is pleased with progress made by the district under Carstarphen's leadership during the 2012–13 school year.
"She has led the work to manage our resources wisely with a strategic, long-term view and, as a result, we have received high bond ratings over the past three years," Torres said in his review. "Further, as an example of her personal commitment and understanding of these financial constraints on the district, for two consecutive years, she has declined the equivalent of a 3 percent salary increase."
Torres shared a brief summary of some of Carstarphen's work with the school district during the 2012–13 school year. He highlighted some of Carstarphen's achievements, including her work on restructuring of the Alternative Education program in AISD for discretionary removals, her increased focus on literacy and numeracy, and her leadership in establishing social and emotional learning programs in three vertical teams. He pointed out AISD graduation rates for all student groups also increased, reaching an all-time high in the class of 2012.
Challenges for Carstarphen include new high school graduation requirements, investing in and supporting schools' staff, and improving the environment at AISD campuses to respond to the competition from private and state charter schools, he said.
