Reminder about this Saturday, May 18,2013 Brownie Community Day Fair.  All business and organizations will need to arrive by 8:30am. If the weather changes by Saturday : snow or rain it will be postpone until Fall 2013.

more info:mycah.arellano@austinisd.org v

Two propositions pass, but voters reject two more


Austin ISD is reeling tonight, as two of its four bond proposals were
defeated at the ballot box. Voters backed two measures, totaling $490 million
for urgent renovations and technology upgrades, but rejected two more. Now the
district will be reading the tea leaves on the narrowness of the vote, as all
four measures circled around 50% support.
 
By close of voting,
38,946 residents of the district – 10.25% of all registered voters – cast a
ballot. In the final results, Prop. 1 (Health, Environment, Equipment and
Technology) passed by a razor-thin 50.62%, while Prop. 3 (Academic and Building
Infrastructure Renovations) had the healthier margin, passing by 51.13%.
However, Prop. 2 (Safety and Security and Relief from Overcrowding) failed by
roughly half a percent, falling 49.74% to 50.26%. Prop. 4 (Academic Initiatives,
Fine Arts and Athletics) took the worst beating of the night, going down with
only 48.9% support.


Read more:


http://www.austinchronicle.com/blogs/news/2013-05-12/aisd-bonds-half-pass-half-fail/

From Irene Koenig, Quail Hollow:

http://pflugervillepflag.com/2013/04/21/school-board-candidates-discuss-education-issues-at-chamber-forum/

This link above will give you more information on the elections which are coming very very soon. The incumbents, Acosta and Fletcher, both who have been on the School Board for years and have backgrounds in teaching and education and who are well respected, now have two contenders who basically are running on the platform of denying benefits to domestic partners. Pflugerville ISD is the first school district in the State to offer benefits to domestic partners who are gay. If the contenders get elected, they will influence the School Board for years to come, not only in their own views, but in the choice of a Superintendent. The incumbents have helped guide the school district for a number of years, even while it is facing problems with lots of additional students, and often students whose first language is not English. They have done a good job.

I cannot give you political advice on how to vote, because that is not what this neighborhood association is for.

What I can tell you is the the Texas Freedom Network, which carefully monitors issues of separation of church and state, is endorsing the incumbents and if any one is interested in seeing their endorsement and take on the situation, just let me know and I can forward it to you.

In addition, a local minister wrote about having heard of a particular church that has many practitioners who live in the School district,  advising its practitioners to make sure to vote and to vote as the Bible would advise them according to their Christian credo that was espoused in this particular church, or something to that effect.

I don't have first hand knowledge of this, but it came from a reputable source, who is trying to confirm this outside of the information he personally received.

As I said, I don't feel that I should be giving you any particular advice, but I do think you should take a few minutes to read up on this, and then go cast an educated vote. We make up the Pflugerville School District, and we have the opportunity to have a say in who is running it. Please go and vote either tomorrow or May 11.

More info:

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/local/domestic-partner-benefits-a-campaign-issue-in-pflu/nXXCT/?icmp=statesman_internallink_textlink_apr2013_statesmanstubtomystatesman_launch

Early voting has started. Regular voting day is May 11. Please vote!

http://cms.pflugervilleisd.net//site/Default.aspx?PageID=3377

Family Fun Night
March 27, 2013
5:30pm-7:00pm in the Cafeteria

 Presented by:
Lanier High School
Boys & Girls Club

 Join us for an evening of family competition!

• Family Dance Contest
• Lots of other games
• Food and
lots of fun!!!

Sunday, March 17, 3 - 5:00 pm
St. David's South Medical Center
901
West Ben White Blvd.
Community Room, Free parking.
Take elevator to 5th floor.
Follow League signs.

Get answers to questions such as these:
1.How do Texas taxpayers
rank for the local and state tax burden compared to taxpayers in other
states?
2.What is the average increase in number of students in Texas public
schools from 2008- 2012? How has state funding kept pace with the increase in
number of students?
3.How does Texas compare with regard to the number of
residents 25 years and older with high school diplomas?
4.What is the
approximate operating expenditure per hour for Texas public school
students?
5.How does the ratio of teachers to non-teachers now compare with
the ratio of teachers to non-teachers in past decades?
6.How much would
school districts save by privatizing operational activities such as maintenance
and food service?
 LWVAA's own Gwen Santiago draws from her deep and
rich experience with public school funding to provide us with a sobering yet
entertaining and interactive approach to explain the whys and hows of the
current system of funding public education in Texas

Come with your questions. Get answers. Free and open to the
public.
 
For more information, Nancy Oelklaus, VP Program, nancyoelklaus@gmail.com

reposted from

Senator Wendy Davis Files Bills to Restore Funding to Public
Ed

 AUSTIN --  Sen. Wendy Davis today filed two bills to restore last session's
cuts in funding to public education.  Senate Bill 1048 would repeal an automatic
downward adjustment that shortchanged public schools.  And, Senate Bill 1047
would increase the per student funding the state provides schools from $4,765 to
$5,500.

 SB 1048 would repeal the Regular Program Adjustment Factor (RPAF) passed by the legislative leadership last session, which was created in order to
artificially decrease formula funding.

"The revenue re-estimate indicates a colossal budgeting error that occasioned
the basis for the cuts.  As a consequence, local taxpayers have been forced to
endure $5.4 billion in cuts to public education that did not need to occur,"
said Davis. 

"The leadership in the Legislature needs to admit that it was misled by a
faulty estimate last session and correct a serious wrong.  If not, our
children's future and Texas's economy will suffer for it.  SB 1048 would
eliminate an unnecessary cut over the next two years and return $1.05 billion
back to schools and taxpayers where it belongs."
 
In 2011, the Legislature established the RPAF to reduce the obligation the
State of Texas has to public schools. Legislative leaders decided they only
wanted to meet 92 percent of their obligation for 2012 and 98 percent of their
obligation for 2013, costing schools and local taxpayers $2.5 billion over two
years, according to the Legislative Budget Board. 

If the 98 percent adjustment is allowed to continue for 2014-2015, the
reduction would cost schools an additional $1.05 billion over two years.  Worse,
the lowered floor would continue to penalize schools unnecessarily for years to
come by providing an artificially low starting point for budget writers each
legislative session.  The reductions were never needed.  In January, Comptroller
Susan Combs reported that her revenue estimate for the 2011 session should have included $8.8 billion in additional revenues.
 
Sen. Davis's SB1047 would increase the state's per student funding for the
first time since 2009.  The increase to $5,500 per student, falls short of Judge
Dietz's yardstick of $6,500 per student for "adequate" funding under the state
constitution, but makes an important first step toward that goal.  The increase
from $4,765 to $5,500 would cost $5.5 billion over two years.
 
"SB 1047 represents a down payment to meet the constitutional requirement for
school funding under the court decision," said Davis.  "This funding would show
that the state is a partner with our public schools in preparing our students
for achievement in higher education and the workplace."

The Eagle Talk Show - AISD Cable Channel 22

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Next week is the kick-off of the Lanier High School Healthy Living Program! 

The  first meeting will be held on Thursday, February 28th from 6:30pm-7:30pm in the  Gold Room and will feature a local doctor who will discuss how to lead a
healthier life, and of course, great food will be served.  Hope to see you
there!

more info: info@lovenorthaustin.com

Lanier High School  Atlas Club is putting on a Lunar New Year Celebr
Friday, February 15th
Cafeteria
5:30PM to 7:00PM
Free Asian Food and Entertainment 
Please Come to Support Cultural Diversity

 North Austin Community/School Alliance meeting is next Monday,
February 4 at noon in the library at J. Frank Dobie Middle School.  

Hermelinda Zamarripa, from the Police Monitor's office, will be hosting the
lunch this month and Margo Frazier, the Police Monitor, will be speaking briefly
at this meeting.  There is a lot of activity going on in North Austin right now,
from the "Restore Rundberg" project to "The Eagle Talk Show" at Walnut Creek
Elementary and re-districting for city council elections and all points in
between.