Your Daily Guide

Austin Mayor Seeks Alternative to State Takeover of AISD

The state could take over the Austin Independent School District after Burnet and Webb middle schools received their fifth failing grade from the Texas Education Agency this year. To avoid an outright takeover, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson is trying to drum up support for another option.

• Parents could petition to close the schools. Watson says, under Texas law, if a majority of parents at Burnet and Webb petition for their campuses to be shut down, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath would be obligated to do so. [The Watson Wire]
• Watson says a districtwide takeover would be an “extraordinary intervention.” He says Austin ISD has made significant reforms that have improved students’ academic performance, highlighting that the TEA gave the entire district a B rating this year. [KUT]
• The TEA does have to act. Morath is required to intervene once a school gets five F’s in a row. He could decide to close Burnet and Webb middle schools, or he could replace the elected school board with a board of managers. [Austin Current]
• A parent petition helped another Texas district avoid a takeover. Snyder ISD was in a similar boat to Austin ISD in 2019. Snyder Junior High had five consecutive failing grades from the TEA and parents there petitioned to close the campus. As a result, Morath shut down that campus and put a conservator in place to direct the elected school board’s decisions. [Austin American-Statesman]
• AISD could appeal the grades that Burnet and Webb received. Texas school districts have until 5 p.m. today to challenge academic ratings they received under the state’s accountability system. [Texas Education Agency]

Jimmy Kimmel Won’t Air Talarico Interview

The late-night host says the interview with Austin Democrat James Talarico will not be broadcast. Instead of airing on ABC, the interview with the U.S. Senate candidate will be posted on YouTube, following what Kimmel described as “threats” from the Federal Communications Commission. [Jimmy Kimmel Live]

• This is the second time this year that a late-night show has opted to post an interview with Talarico online instead of broadcasting it due to FCC pressure. Stephen Colbert’s February interview with Talarico was also posted on YouTube. [PBS News]

Austin Health Officials Confirm Second Measles Case This Year

Austin Public Health officials say an unvaccinated infant in Travis County has measles and likely contracted the virus while traveling internationally. APH confirmed the county’s first case of measles this year back in May in an unvaccinated man who had traveled abroad. [KVUE]

Austinites Commemorate 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Attacks

First responders and community members are holding a variety of events to honor those who were lost on Sept. 11, 2001. One event is the 9/11 Memorial Tower Climb at Circuit of the Americas, which helps support the Samaritan Center’s mental health programs. [Fox 7]

Texas Lawmakers to Consider Adding New Mexico Counties

A Texas House committee is scheduled to spend part of a Sept. 30 hearing contemplating what it would take, legally speaking, to make one or more New Mexico counties part of the Lone Star State. This is one of the many issues Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows asked legislators to study ahead of the new legislative session next year. [KXAN]