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(Charlie L. Harper III/Austonia)
A marathon hearing on the next Austin budget, held virtually on Thursday, included testimony from hundreds of residents voicing concern that only $11 million was cut from the Austin Police Department's $400 million allocation, KUT reports.
The number was far short of the $100 million in cuts requested in the wake of protests against police violence.
200 out of the 286 speakers that we managed to note asked for the minimum $100 million APD budget cut proposed by… https://t.co/zRThGY5tjL— ATXJusticeCoalition (@ATXJusticeCoalition)1595566053.0
The Austin Police Association and others are pushing back, saying that the department needs funding in order to continue to enforce the law.
As #atxcouncil discusses what @Austin_Police services to pass to other agencies or whether or how the budget should… https://t.co/dqtHMEkEcX— Austin Police Association (@Austin Police Association)1595524920.0
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(Emma Freer)
The Texas Army National Guard dispatched troops to the state Capitol in June amid protests over the death of George Floyd.
The Texas Army National Guard said Monday that it had been ordered by Gov. Greg Abbott to dispatch 1,000 troops to five major cities across the state, including Austin, in connection with the election.
<p>Troops could be deployed to Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio as soon as this weekend, <a href="https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/politics/article/Texas-Guard-Abbott-to-order-1-000-troops-to-15676005.php" target="_blank">the San Antonio Express News reported</a>.</p><p>"The Texas Military Department was activated to provide additional support to the Department of Public Safety in the summer of 2020," Maj. Gen. Tracy R. Norris, the Adjutant General of Texas, said in a statement emailed to Austonia. "Texas Service Members continue to support DPS in this capacity, guarding historical landmarks such as the Alamo and the State Capitol. To be clear, there has been no request nor any plan to provide any type of support at any polling location in Texas."</p><p>Austin Mayor Steve Adler was not immediately available for comment. </p><p>Local police and city leaders <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-protest-election-week" target="_self">said earlier this month</a> that they are preparing for November protests.<br/></p><p>"The Austin Police Department will plan and prepare for any large protest or civil unrest events related to the upcoming elections," spokesperson Tara Long said in an email to Austonia. "The goal of such preparations is to ensure the safety of the community, while protecting the rights of people to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights." </p><p>Austinites marched through the city on the day after the November 2016 election to protest Donald Trump's victory in spite of the fact that Hillary Clinton won the popular vote. And tens of thousands descended on downtown Austin in January 2017, on the day after Trump's inauguration, in solidarity with the Women's March on Washington. </p><p>More recently, Austinites have protested police violence and the death of George Floyd. Although most of the protests have been peaceful, one in July ended in the shooting death of <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-protests-garrett-foster" target="_self">armed demonstrator Garrett Foster</a>. </p><p>Some attendees at a memorial for Foster showed up heavily armed, including members of the Proud Boys militia, a right-wing extremist group. </p><p>Texas Guard members were deployed to the state Capitol, as well as other locations, during these protests. </p><p>More on Election Day:</p>
<h2><a href="https://austonia.com/austin-protest-election-week" target="_self">After a summer of tension and protest, Austin braces for election-week unrest</a></h2>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDUwNzk5NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1OTc3NDY4OH0.8rP6yoBk8LNhm3XPgxxObyB41BOui_21IloCwCgO-ao/img.jpg?width=980" id="e0e16" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1cdd4d2a30beeddd8135678ca4ab5e4c" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />After a summer of tension and protest, Austin braces for election-week unrest(Shutterstock)
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(Laura Figi/Austonia)
The Central Austin Public Library, located on 710 W. César Chávez St., was vandalized with red paint this morning.
<p>Library Division Manager of the Office of Programs and Partnerships Sharon Herfurth said security noticed the paint covering the doors, windows and walls of the front of the library and the Shoal Creek side of the building this morning around 5 a.m. while on patrol.</p><p>The vandals wrote anti-voting sentiments on the walls, which have since been covered up with tarps due to the library being a polling place.</p><p>The damage was done around 2 a.m., likely by two people, <a href="https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/vandals-smear-red-paint-over-doors-windows-of-austin-public-library/" target="_blank">reports say</a>.</p><p>Herfurth said while they are unsure of the cost of repairs, the damage did not interfere with library operations or voting.</p>
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Cold weather is finally hitting Austin, which means it's time to enjoy staying at home and bundling up with some cozy meals.
If you haven't become the cook of your dreams since the pandemic hit, now is the perfect time to try out these recipes which will surely warm your belly.
Blackberry, bacon grilled cheese
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDU5MzQwMS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTU4Nzg0N30.y0sULvOAmBjq1ZbNdQ1fdOUgenNLSkbQitW2O-v-h2E/img.png?width=1200&coordinates=0%2C231%2C0%2C369&height=800" id="248c9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0e9c480efdcda9ca576b8bf3de759c3c" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>If you are looking for a completely different take on a traditional comfort meal, try making a blackberry, bacon grilled cheese. Blackberry, bacon and jalapeños on a grilled cheese? Sounds bizarre, but the mixture of savory, sweet and spicy will have you making these every week.</p><p>This easy recipe will only take 15 minutes and will allow you to cozy up on the couch ready to binge watch your favorite show. For any sandwich lover, this take on a grilled cheese will brighten up any gloomy, cold day.</p><p>You can find the recipe for the blackberry bacon grilled cheese<a href="https://www.lemontreedwelling.com/blackberry-bacon-grilled-cheese/" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p>Jambalaya
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDU5MzM5OS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1OTc5OTEyMX0.760iOWCfyYyyXbA7NmyTDUa4FctY00REUXftmBLAtA8/img.png?width=1200&coordinates=0%2C117%2C0%2C439&height=800" id="2fca4" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ecd9c9503736d209e8dd3e11b94bb4f5" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>For those of you looking for a hearty and flavorful wintertime dinner, try spicing up your kitchen skills by making a cajun jambalaya.</p><p>Jambalaya is a popular dish originated in New Orleans with West African, French and Spanish inspired flavors. With so many different varieties of flavors, you can modify your jambalaya to suit your desires, and add your own touch to the dish.</p><p>This recipe will take about 55 minutes, and will definitely make your neighbors envy the smell coming from next door.</p><p>You can find the recipe for the cajun jambalaya <a href="https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/jambalaya-recipe/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>Sheet pan chicken tikka with cauliflower and chickpeas
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDU5MzQyNS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMTgyOTE3MX0.OOSOmCgn2kXx-KsiZGjZ_cs5r7X1qZZdwNYAJ5lKR_0/img.png?width=1200&coordinates=0%2C310%2C0%2C311&height=800" id="287c6" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5ada473e20e0a3d9e8e302019bbb3c52" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p><br>For anyone looking for an easy meal prep during the colder months, try making a sheet pan chicken tikka with cauliflower and chickpeas. This recipe is protein-packed and takes 55 minutes to make.</p><p>This recipe is perfect for anyone who wants to get home, cozy up in their favorite sweater and enjoy a warm, flavorful meal. Try pairing this chicken with rice or quinoa for some more substance.</p><p>You can find the recipe for the sheet pan chicken tikka with cauliflower and chickpeas <a href="https://www.prevention.com/food-nutrition/recipes/a25620918/chicken-tikka-sheet-pan-recipe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>.</p>Spicy pork ramen noodle soup
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDU5MzQwMC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNzc0NjkyMH0.cIfhB4xkAQdcDYlugGFahbUFRJW-AEklw9i-t68QHxo/img.png?width=1200&coordinates=0%2C530%2C0%2C68&height=800" id="b5335" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e2f83e6aa50d5d8eafd7c4333b0a51ce" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p><br>If you have five hours to spare at home, put those ramen packets aside and attempt making your own spicy pork ramen. Although it is a bit more time consuming, this ramen will impress everyone in your home and you'll forget about buying ramen from the grocery store.</p><p>The broth is made by slow cooking the pork for four hours, which will enhance the taste and be so worth it. Customize the recipe by adding your favorite vegetables and spice it up a bit more with chili flakes.</p><p>You can find the recipe for the spicy pork ramen noodle soup <a href="https://www.kitchensanctuary.com/spicy-pork-ramen-noodle-soup/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>.</p>Vegan mushroom wild rice soup
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDU5MzM5Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MjU5NzI4MH0.YAE_oJnS50B4xV024Eqhs-9AJESRflIpE5XFzCtPHgI/img.png?width=1200&coordinates=0%2C326%2C0%2C191&height=800" id="1f92b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="321a1ea7ed77821f7751ba016b02315b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>As cold weather approaches, what could be better than a mushroom wild rice soup for dinner? When thinking of winter, cream and mushroom definitely come to mind. If you are looking for the perfect cold weather dish, look no further.</p><p>This warm and comforting dish will take about an hour to make and is completely dairy and gluten free. With minimal ingredients and only one pot needed, the total time you'll spend making this soup is about how long it would take for you to order take out and pick it up. Homemade tastes better anyway.</p><p>You can find the recipe for the vegan mushroom wild rice soup <a href="https://shortgirltallorder.com/vegan-mushroom-wild-rice-soup" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
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Minister of Culture Matthew McConaughey talks preserving Austin culture on Joe Rogan podcast
Academy-award winning actor Matthew McConaughey explains his goals for Austin, in his role as the minister of culture of the University of Texas, and what it means to be an Austinite on Joe Rogan's podcast.
<p>While both celebrities live in Austin, McConaughey was recently on the podcast virtually after Rogan announced one of his <a href="https://austonia.com/joe-rogan-cancels-podcast-episodes" target="_blank">producers had contracted COVID-19</a>. McConaughey was brought on to discuss his latest project "Greenlights," a memoir compiled from a lifetime of journals.</p>
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
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<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Joe Rogan Experience #1552 - Matthew McConaughey</small>
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<p>In the conversation between the Austinites, McConaughey said he is focused on his role as minister of culture, which he described as being about reminding people why they love Austin and initiating and educating newcomers on the city.<br/></p><p>A UT alumnus and current professor at the university, McConaughey named himself <a href="https://www.chron.com/sports/longhorns/article/Matthew-McConaughey-Longhorns-Minister-of-Culture-13559820.php" target="_blank">minister of culture last year</a>. Also involved with Austin culture outside of the university, he is a <a href="https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-culture/matthew-mcconaughey-austin-fc-new-owner/" target="_blank">co-owner of Austin's first Major League Soccer team, Austin FC</a>. </p><p>When <a href="https://austonia.com/joe-rogan-austin-texas/timeline-of-joe-rogan-moving-to-austin" target="_blank">Rogan moved to Austin</a> this summer, McConaughey welcomed him, he said on the podcast. The two also had a conversation about how not to change the unique city of Austin. </p><p>Rogan asked the actor what newcomers should not do when they come to Austin, as not to tarnish the city for what it is. McConaughey said that newcomers have to pay a tithe in the form of being fair and taking accountability.</p><p>"It's not what Austin can do for you, it's what you can do for Austin," he said. "The rule in Austin is all you have to do is be yourself."</p><p>McConaughey believes Austin is about celebrating differences, but there are social contracts for people to be good to one another.</p><p>"We look ahead, but we appreciate tradition at the same time; we take care as much as we can of our natural beauties around here but at the same time we're metropolis, we're growing up," he said. "Now, how can we grow up, grow wide and still grow deep? That's what I want to lean into."</p>
<h2><a href="https://austonia.com/city/matthew-mcconaughey-book-greenlights" target="_self">'Greenlights': Matthew McConaughey spins his journals into a book</a></h2>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDUxODYwMy9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NjI0NjAyMH0.PmD5cNCcCIlGw1GX0B5CRiWFHjrLbJogTKu6BvWXXHE/img.png?width=980" id="d15b0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="67a94f13405343eab1be24c7dc1b66fa" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Matthew McConaughey featured on the cover of People Magazine… in a photo taken by his kids(Matthew McConaughey/Instagram)
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(Peter Svensk/Flickr)
A second, stronger cold front is expected to hit tonight—bringing chilly weather through at least the rest of the week and rainy weather through Wednesday.
<p>Temperatures will continue to gradually drop to around 46 degrees through tonight and will remain below normal through the week. Rain is only expected to last through Wednesday, so expect sunny weather for the remainder of the week.</p><p>Today, there will be higher chances of rain as the day progresses, according to <a href="https://weather.com/weather/hourbyhour/l/e984113ce3e551f4914f965a69b5e6f0ad8f76cb5da62ea88e32639a2af2a66f" target="_blank">The Weather Channel</a>.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="db297b2951aa82e3bd618aa7c1ed7aba" id="070fd"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1320717642194276352"><div style="margin:1em 0">8:16 AM CDT Scattered showers are moving northward through the Hill Country & portions of the I-35 corridor. Rainfa… https://t.co/SmFLaMo5Wg</div> — NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWS Austin/San Antonio)<a href="https://twitter.com/NWSSanAntonio/statuses/1320717642194276352">1603718598.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Today will be the last warm morning for a while. Through Wednesday, expect daytime temperatures in the mid-50s and nighttime temperatures in the 40s.<br/></p><p>For the rest of the week, expect highs in the high 60s and lows still in the 40-degree range.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9bd26815ed0b19b637442b24a7415f08" id="8a9fb"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1320485324481531904"><div style="margin:1em 0">A strong cold front arrives Monday with warm morning temps and turning much cooler in the afternoon. Below normal t… https://t.co/MFAxYtCWjM</div> — NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWS Austin/San Antonio)<a href="https://twitter.com/NWSSanAntonio/statuses/1320485324481531904">1603663209.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Temperatures aren't expected to get above 70 degrees until Saturday, with a high of 73 and a low of 52.<br/></p><p><em><strong><br/></strong></em></p><p><em><strong>Sign up for our daily morning newsletter to get the weather in your inbox everyday!</strong></em></p>
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(Kamala Harris)
Sen. Kamala Harris, Democratic vice presidential candidate, will make a campaign stop in Texas on Friday—the last day of early voting in the state—according to an email sent to Democratic lawmakers.
<p>Harris will be the highest profile representative of Joe Biden's campaign to come to Texas. It is still unclear where in Texas Harris will visit for the campaign.<br/></p><p>Harris had planned a trip earlier this month that <a href="https://www.statesman.com/news/20201014/kamala-harris-cancels-texas-trip-after-spokeswoman-tests-positive-for-covid-19" target="_blank">she had to cancel</a> due to her communications director testing positive for COVID-19.</p><p>Although Biden himself has yet to visit the state, the former vice president's campaign has <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2020/10/06/texas-biden-presidential-campaign/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">spent over $6 million on TV ads</a> to run through Election Day in Texas alone, according to the Texas Tribune.</p><p>Texas voters have been coming out in droves, poised to break records with <a href="https://austonia.com/early-voting-travis-county-numbers" target="_self">43% of Travis County</a> already casting their ballots as of Thursday.</p>According to the latest poll from the <a href="https://www.uttyler.edu/politicalscience/files/oct2020-rv-codebook-dmn-uttyler-poll.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dallas Morning News and UT Tyler</a> made using a random sample of 1,012 registered voters, Biden leads President Donald Trump in Texas by 3 points at 48% to 45%.
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(Amna Ijaz/The Texas Tribune)
As fall progresses, Texas public school superintendents are realizing that virtual instruction simply is not working for thousands of students across the state.
<p>Report cards from the first weeks of the school year show more students than last year failing at least one class. Students are turning in assignments late, if at all; skipping days to weeks of virtual school; and falling behind on reading, educators and parents report. Many parents say they're exhausted from playing the role of at-home teacher, and some students <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2020/09/01/texas-schools-reopening-virtual-learning/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">without support at home</a> are struggling to keep track of their daily workload with limited outside help.</p><p>The problems are concentrated among students trying to learn from home, more than 3 million of the state's 5.5 million public school students, according to administrators' accounts. The trends are adding urgency to calls for getting more students back into classrooms as quickly as possible.</p><p>By now, many school districts hoped their students would be making up academic ground lost last spring, when the pandemic caused them to shut down classrooms. Texas is mandating that districts get back to normal this fall and prepare students for upcoming state standardized tests. Schools dialed up the intensity of their classes — and then an alarming number of students began failing.</p><p>As the first grading period came to a close, some administrators began temporarily backpedaling from their initial insistence on academic rigor. They gave teachers the message: Do what you can to make sure kids pass.</p><p>Judson Independent School District, in San Antonio, added a note to its grading handbook allowing principals to "grant any exceptions" and "extend grace" to students, letting them make up late work or drop assignments. "We understand that connectivity issues, lack of devices, technological issues with the Student Portal, Canvas, and electronic books may impede a student from submitting their assignments in a timely manner," the <a href="https://www.judsonisd.org/Page/24249" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">handbook now reads</a>.</p><p>Cathryn Mitchell, principal of Austin ISD's Gorzycki Middle School, sent an email in early October, obtained by The Texas Tribune, alerting all staff to a "campus-wide dilemma." Almost 25% of students were failing at least one class, including 200 failing more than one subject. She attributed the failures to steep technology learning curves, lack of access to devices and Wi-Fi, shifting reopening guidelines and anxiety over the health risks of on-campus learning.</p><p>The email implored teachers to exhaust "all measures to assist the student before failing them," including working with them one on one, emailing or calling parents, and setting up Zoom parent conferences. For teachers unable to do everything to help a failing student before the grading deadline, Mitchell wrote, "we would ask that you gift the student with a 70." Texas' <a href="https://www.uiltexas.org/policy/tea-uil-side-by-side/academic-requirements" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">"no pass, no play" rule</a> prohibits students pulling less than a 70 in one or more classes in a marking period from playing sports or participating in extracurricular activities for three weeks.</p><p>"We know that some students are taking advantage of the situation or have procrastinated to get themselves into this position. There is no question about that," Mitchell wrote. "But we also know that we have asked a great deal of them these first five weeks. ... This will not be the norm every six-weeks."</p><p>Austin ISD officials told the Tribune that school leaders are "committed to high standards of academic rigor" and working to "better serve" students with low averages or incomplete grades based on their individual needs. They did not respond to questions about whether Mitchell's approach was supported by the district or whether 25% is an average failure number across the district this marking period. <a href="https://www.kvue.com/article/news/education/austin-isd-50-increase-students-failing-throughout-district-covid-changes/269-0765cec4-b06e-48c3-9997-2571c5da8930" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">According to KVUE-TV</a>, about 11,700 Austin ISD students are failing at least one class this year, a 70% increase from last year.</p><p>As the extent of students' struggles become clear, parents and superintendents are increasingly determined to get students back to school, the pendulum of their worries swinging away from health risks and toward the risks of students not learning at all. "Districts are starting to feel some real internal pressure as educators," said Joy Baskin, legal services director at the Texas Association of School Boards. "If they feel that there's enough momentum around getting everyone back, I think that's their preference."</p><p>State data on COVID-19 in schools is <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2020/10/01/texas-schools-coronavirus-data/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">limited and full of gaps</a>, but it points toward low student infection rates, encouraging some experts. Experts say layering policies such as sanitization, social distancing and masks is needed to reduce the risk of transmission. Despite outcries from some teachers and parents, dozens of school districts have <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2020/10/21/texas-schools-remote-in-person-learning/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nixed their virtual learning options</a> altogether and brought nearly all students back to classrooms.</p><p>According to the <a href="https://www.expressnews.com/news/education/article/As-students-drift-some-rural-school-districts-15664687.php" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">San Antonio Express-News</a>, at least one of those districts is attempting to require all remote learners with failing grades to return in person — violating <a href="https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/covid/SY-2020-21-Attendance-and-Enrollment.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">recently updated state guidance</a>. "Discontinuing remote instruction in a way that only targets struggling students is not permitted," the updated guidance reads.</p><p>Texas school districts don't have much time to get students back on track. This academic year, the Texas Education Agency will <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2020/07/27/staar-texas-fifth-eighth-grade/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">resume strict sanctions on schools</a> and districts with consistently low student standardized test scores after pausing those penalties last spring. And there are dollars at stake, with state funding tied to student attendance. Districts have reported <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2020/10/01/texas-schools-enrollment-funding/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">losing track of thousands of students</a>, including some of their most vulnerable, who haven't logged into virtual classes or responded to phone calls and door knocks. According to state leaders, schools that are open for in-person instruction have seen higher levels of enrollment than those with only virtual education.</p><p>San Antonio's Northside ISD has not changed its expectations for virtual students, despite seeing higher failure rates, said Superintendent Brian Woods. Since many students learning from home are low income, Black and Hispanic, lowering academic standards for those students could end up deepening existing inequities, he said.</p><p>Instead, the district has put together a call team to reach out to low-performing virtual learners and urge them to come back to campus. Just under 45% of students are learning from classrooms in the second grading period, up from less than 25% earlier in the fall, when the district slowly phased students in. "We're not going to fix it by only taking the good grades or dropping half the grades," Woods said. "We've got to dig in and look more at the root cause. We know what it is: There's kids who need to be in the building, period."</p><p>In Brazosport ISD, where 78% of students are learning in classrooms, a quarter of virtual learners are failing two or more classes, compared with 8% of at-school students. The district is "not dropping our expectations for at-home students," said Superintendent Danny Massey. But with coronavirus cases dropping in Brazoria County and district officials being transparent about COVID-19 cases on campuses, more parents are gradually choosing to send their students back.</p><p>Some Austin ISD parents are considering sending their children back later this fall, once the district returns to <a href="https://www.kvue.com/article/news/education/schools/austin-isd-reopening-students-return-campus-nov-2/269-c342bf83-21ed-46d8-9b74-78a79b8cce44" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">in-person instruction that more closely resembles a regular classroom</a>. When the district reopened, it had students sitting in classrooms but learning virtually. The state halted that approach. Rosemary Wynn, an Austin ISD parent, thinks her eighth and ninth grade sons may get more out of learning in person once it includes more face-to-face instruction.</p><p>She and her husband had a stern talk with their O. Henry Middle School eighth grader earlier this fall after realizing he had not opened about 100 emails from his teachers, except one from his football coach. He was previously a straight-A student, but at one point his grade in one class had fallen to 29, she said.</p><p>"Children don't know how to read email. That is not part of their repertoire," she said, with exasperation. "I haven't had a single teacher reach out to say, 'your kids' grades this, your kids' grades that.' I think the whole way this is set up is a recipe for disaster."</p><p>Kelly Sanders and her son Bizuayehu Crouther, a 14-year-old at Austin High School in Austin ISD, regularly debate whether he should return later this fall. Bizuayehu has dyslexia and dysgraphia, which impacts his ability to write clearly by hand, and he's found virtual learning much easier. "I do not want to go back," he said.</p><p>Sanders is concerned that the second grading period will be even more academically rigorous and that her son will not be able to keep up virtually. "I'm happy that [he is] making really good grades right now, but I'm concerned that it still isn't as rigorous as the classes would be if it were in person. If at some point he has to take a standardized test on the material, I don't know what that looks like," she said.</p><p>But for other parents, the decision is easy. Single parent Renee Schalk chose to keep her 17-year-old son and 2-year-old triplets home from Georgetown schools and doesn't regret it. "My children are children of color," said Schalk, who is Black. "I don't want them subjected to COVID-19. … We're not doing enough in this state, we're not doing anything in this country to make it safe."</p><p>Angelina Allegrini, a 14-year-old ninth grader in San Antonio's North East ISD, said her grades suffered in the beginning of the year as she got accustomed to the variety of programs teachers used for online learning and the exhaustion of staring at a screen for three to four hours a day. After a few weeks, and a little leniency from teachers, she pulled them back up.</p><p>But the social, extroverted teenager still felt she was missing something. "I wanted to try to get to know people in my class. I saw some of them on the screen, but that's not the same," she said.</p><p>On Monday, after several weeks of learning from home, Angelina walked into her high school for the first time this year. Her mother, Cherise Rohr Allegrini, a prominent epidemiologist in San Antonio, said she was "not thrilled" about her daughter's decision but predicted it wouldn't last long, with a surge in COVID-19 cases likely on the horizon. "I think they're probably going to change and close schools in a couple of weeks or so," she said. "We're going to start seeing outbreaks on campuses."</p><p><strong>More on schools:</strong></p>
<h2><a href="https://austonia.com/aisd-back-in-school-no-social-lives" target="_self">Austin ISD continues its phased-in reopening, but kids' social lives remain absent</a></h2>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDUwMzI4MS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NjgxNjAwMn0.l6x_74Bsz3sXkKeSalYZUX_nPUzKyVFA3iMODY0PZ6U/img.png?width=980" id="108bd" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="71d5f1f44c68683e24751546b6002007" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Austin ISD continues its phased-in reopening, but kids’ social lives remain absent(Sheryl and Dean Jett)
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