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(Bob Daemmrich)
Austin ISD will offer face-to-face, on-campus learning to all students whose families choose to take advantage of it starting on Monday, Nov. 2, in compliance with the Texas Education Agency's guidelines.
<p>To prepare, the district has ordered plexiglass dividers and will install them at all campuses next week, AISD Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Elizalde said at a board meeting on Monday. It is also working to access a supply of <a href="https://austonia.com/rapid-covid-test" target="_blank">rapid tests</a>.</p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are now at the front of the line for the rapid COVID-19 tests and are working on having this possibly on hand next week.<br/><br/>The rapid testing is 97 percent accurate and the district would get a supply each month.<br/>— Austin ISD (@AustinISD) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustinISD/status/1320874955211476992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><p>Despite these preparations, Elizalde said she does not expect a mass return of students to campus.<br/></p><p>"I do not believe that on Nov. 2 we will be anywhere near 100% of students reporting to campus," she said.</p><p>As of Thursday, 36% of elementary students, 12% of middle school students and 4% of high school students are attending in-person class. Although in-person attendance among elementary students has nearly doubled since mid-October, attendance among middle and high school students has remained relatively flat.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fad0a3a30d9ec6e66e0bc7a1fe241e8e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="27561" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDYwMTIxMy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNTIwMDAyNX0._8DslF33i5NezTN5tkq086DdihJJgXt25fzgteMzNqY/img.jpg?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Austin ISD)</small></p><p><strong>Funding concerns</strong><br/></p><p>This is likely to change, however, because the TEA guidelines also stipulate that middle and high school students must offer face-to-face instruction—"making it necessary for students to transition between class periods," <a href="https://www.austinisd.org/openforlearning/news/nov2-faqs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">according to the district's website</a>—as of Nov. 2 to receive state funding. </p><p>This compounds the district's financial woes.</p><p>Chief Business Officer Larry Throm told the board <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-isd-enrollment" target="_self">on Sept. 28</a> that an enrollment drop could lead to a state funding shortfall as great as $51.4 million and require layoffs of as many as 232 teachers, among other cost-cutting measures. </p><p>Although enrollment numbers improved slightly from late September to mid-October, it remains around 5,000 students shy of its enrollment of 80,621 students last year. </p><p>Elizalde has attributed the drop to virtual learning and emphasized that this trend is not unique to AISD.</p><p><strong>Teacher accommodations</strong> </p><p>Since AISD reopened its campuses on Sept. 8, the district has reported 58 confirmed COVID cases. Of those cases, 34 were among employees, 18 among students and six were not attributed. </p><p>At the board meeting, Elizalde also addressed concerns about COVID-era accommodations provided to staff. </p><p>As of Monday, AISD has granted accommodations to 1,201 staff members. Of those, 756 are teachers.</p><p>Elizalde <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-isd-enrollment-2648193236" target="_self">said earlier this month</a> that AISD has granted accommodations to more teachers than either Dallas ISD or Houston ISD, both of which are significantly larger. </p><p>These accommodations expire on Dec. 31, Elizalde said, adding that she will share information about the number of accommodation requests for the spring term on Nov. 9. </p><p>Education Austin, a union that represents 3,000 district employees and has encouraged its members to pledge not to attend in-person classes, took credit for this in a tweet on Tuesday.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2a58f3c993f8eecf91c465ee3b7d75c5" id="bf047"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1321122180403499015"><div style="margin:1em 0">After public pressure, the district has now committed to keeping all approved accommodations in place through the e… https://t.co/SVOHtbdcKr</div> — Education Austin (@Education Austin)<a href="https://twitter.com/EdAustin_TX/statuses/1321122180403499015">1603815047.0</a></blockquote></div>
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(Texas Football/Instagram)
Saturday, the Texas Longhorns will face one of its oldest rivals—Baylor—in a matchup that has all the makings of a do-or-die game for the Longhorn season.
<p>Last season, The University of Texas lost a back-and-forth game to Baylor 24-10 in Waco. This year will mark the 60th time the two programs face off against each other in the capital city, with Longhorns fans hoping that this season's home field advantage might play a role in a Texas victory. </p><p>Baylor, losers of their last conference game against West Virginia on Oct. 3, come to Austin in hopes of moving up the Big 12 standing and competing for a conference title at the end of the year.<br/></p><p>The Longhorns, and their fans, are still trying to get over the overtime loss to Oklahoma two weeks ago, which not only knocked Texas out of AP's Top 25 ranking but also put them at 1-2 in conference play. Add into the mix the debate over "The Eyes of Texas" still burning bright on Longhorn message boards, with the Longhorn band reported not to be traveling due to resistance to play the song. Even the school mascot Bevo isn't safe from controversy after being <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/30161099/photographer-sues-handlers-texas-longhorns-mascot-pre-sugar-bowl-charge" target="_blank">sued by a photographer it charged at the Sugar Bowl in 2019</a>. <br/></p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e4a61d128600a3f1e4a8cc094a5f75f8" id="6790a"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1318341497109028866"><div style="margin:1em 0">Dear Baylor Bears: you’d better strap-down your helmets, the Longhorns are our for revenge.
Seriously, you’ll get… https://t.co/YebyNj45Vs</div> — Ed (@Ed)<a href="https://twitter.com/edw1414/statuses/1318341497109028866">1603152081.0</a></blockquote></div><p>One of the only bright spots has been senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger. Ehlinger threw for 200 yards and rushed for 79 more against the Baylor defense last year. This season, Ehlinger has continued being dangerous with both his arm and his legs, leading the conference in passing yards (1,211) and touchdowns (16). Combined with his five rushing touchdowns, Ehlinger is the proven dual-threat quarterback in the conference. But even with Ehlinger and the offensive successes, the Texas defense still ranks near the bottom of the conference in <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/fpi/_/view/efficiencies/group/4/sort/efficiencies.defefficiency/dir/desc" target="_blank">defensive efficiency</a>.<br/></p><p>The defense shouldn't be a problem this weekend however for the Longhorns. Baylor has struggled putting points on the board against good Big 12 competition, scoring only 21 points in two overtimes against West Virginia. </p><p>Longhorns fans of course are always nervous when senior quarterback Charlie Brewer comes to town. Brewer threw for a touchdown and rushed for one last season in the match up in Waco, but was forced to leave against West Virginia two weeks ago due to a shoulder injury. </p><p>After the Bears had to move their game last week against <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/30142470/baylor-bears-resume-practice-surge-covid-19-cases" target="_blank">Oklahoma State back due to COVID concerns</a>, Brewer has had two weeks of rest and should be ready to go for Saturday's game. The Baylor quarterback's arm is still something for Texas fans to keep an eye on as the game progresses on Saturday.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b92292482a9a2a528655d391db8d0a14" id="0a697"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1318720682310701061"><div style="margin:1em 0">A Sam Ehlinger led football team has never beaten a Charlie Brewer led football team:
2015 - lost 35-14
2016 - inj… https://t.co/dT1f3JIIW9</div> — Kyle Umlang (@Kyle Umlang)<a href="https://twitter.com/kyleumlang/statuses/1318720682310701061">1603242485.0</a></blockquote></div><p>The match between the Bears and Longhorns will be ugly. These are two of the most penalized teams in the conferences, and something UT will have to cut down on if they want to win against Baylor. The Longhorns beat themselves on many drives against the Sooners by jumping offsides and committing penalties that took big plays off the board. </p><p>To beat Baylor it will come down to three key questions.</p><ol class="ee-ol"><li>Can the Texas offensive line allow Sam Ehlinger and red shirt sophomore receiver Joshua Moore enough time to move the ball down field and keep Baylor linebacker Terrel Bernard out of the picture?</li><li>Can the Texas defense contain Brewer?</li><li>Can Texas cut out all the different distractions that have been circling this team all season?</li></ol><p>The Longhorns are 12-4 coming off a loss in the Tom Herman era. The Longhorns season may be on the line as they try to protect home field against the Baylor Bears at 2:30 p.m. Saturday on ESPN.</p>
<h2><a href="https://austonia.com/longhorns-coach-in-hotseat" target="_self">Longhorns' head coach in the hot seat after loss against OU</a></h2>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDUwNzU5NS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1OTYxNzQ5OX0.VzM7vNjFdR5F6di9YGJ-jW_k7B6-qH-lPLJHyaSNxgQ/img.png?width=980" id="c7121" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="78724fdd1646ae47c1e111f43675cbc9" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Longhorns' head coach in the hot seat after loss against OU
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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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Longhorn band to skip out on Saturday game due to members not agreeing to play "The Eyes of Texas"
21 October
(Shutterstock)
The latest in a line of University of Texas controversies, The Daily Texan reports Wednesday that the Longhorn band will not attend this Saturday's football game due to band members voting they did not want to play "The Eyes of Texas."
<p>According to The Daily Texan, members of the Longhorn Band were surveyed asking if they would be willing to play the song, with the results coming back showing that the band would not have the instrumentation for this weekend if asked to play.</p><p>This news comes on the heels of <a href="https://austonia.com/sports/university-of-texas-longhorns-reform-" target="_blank">the university community speaking out against</a> "The Eyes of Texas" earlier this year, citing the divisiveness of the song and its racist history. A <a href="https://www.change.org/p/alumni-resolution-to-re-dedicate-the-eyes-of-texas-as-the-school-song-of-the-university-of-texas" target="_blank">petition with over 8,000 signatures </a>has made its way around the internet calling for a "re-dedication" of the song. </p><p>"All of us on staff will do everything we can to create and maintain space for conversations," Longhorn Band Director Scott Hanna said in a message to band members, obtained by The Daily Texan. The message also stated that the results of the survey would not impact whether the band plays and performs at future games, both home and away.</p><p>On Wednesday evening, UT President Jay Hartzell said that a recording of the song will still be played at the game this Saturday and will continue to be played at future games.</p><p><span></span>In July, Hartzell said in a statement that he wanted "The Eyes of Texas" to be a uniting song that the university, students and athletes had the power to define, or redefine, and that the the university would be held accountable to the institutions core values. </p><p><span></span>Just two weeks ago, senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger and others were hailed as heroes by boosters and alums for standing and singing "The Eyes of Texas" after the four overtime defeat at the hands of the Oklahoma Sooners. </p><p>Athletic Director Chris Del Conte told fans in his <a href="https://texassports.com/news/2020/10/14/forty-acres-insider-oct-14.aspx" target="_blank">weekly email last Wednesday</a> that the University would continue to play "The Eyes of Texas" while also looking into the songs history and what the contemporary meaning of a song over 100 years old is.<br/></p><p>"I do want to clarify that I have had many conversations with our head coaches outlining my expectations that our teams show appreciation for our University, fans, and supporters by standing together as a unified group for "The Eyes," while we work through this issue," Del Conte wrote last week.</p><p><em>This story was edited from its first publication to add the comment from the UT president.</em></p><p><strong>More on the issue: </strong></p>
<h2><a href="https://austonia.com/sports/university-of-texas-longhorns-reform-" target="_self">Longhorn football players ask University of Texas to get rid of 'Eyes of Texas,' create more inclusive campus</a></h2>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzM5MDYwMC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NzE5Mjg3M30.5lfzWEz69xjv3eoeGlKkhe8S1rUXgICgnyjjHFiR-2Q/img.jpg?width=980" id="66412" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ef54ddabe543068f96e12c8cad12c88f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Longhorn football players ask University of Texas to get rid of 'Eyes of Texas,' create more inclusive campus
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(2400 Seton)
Austin-based developer Lincoln Ventures recently announced its latest project: a 30-story, 241-unit student housing project called Waterloo at 2400 Seton Avenue in West Campus.
<p>When it opens in 2022, Waterloo will feature 25 resident floors, a mezzanine level with conference and student rooms, and a rooftop terrace with an infinite pool and private cabanas.</p><p>The project broke ground this summer and is the first to be built <a href="https://www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2019/11/west-campus-overlay-grows-without-planning-commission-expansion/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">under the city's new density bonus program</a> within the University Neighborhood Overlay District, which was established in 2004.</p><p>Previously, new buildings in the district were limited to 225 feet. In exchange for an additional 75 feet, Waterloo will make 20% of its units affordable for residents at between 50% and 60% of the area's median family income, <a href="https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Housing/Copy%20of%20MFI%20Chart%20Effective%20April%201%202020%20(003).pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">which is $97,600</a> for a four-person household. </p><p>The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development considers between 50% and 80% of the area's median family income as very low. </p><p>The remaining units will be market-rate. </p><p>The building is also the first in the district to take advantage of the elimination of parking requirements. Waterloo plans for 101 parking spaces for 796 student residents.</p><p>"This agreement opens up a whole new world of opportunities and proves housing can be affordable, beautiful and thoughtfully designed," Lincoln Ventures President David Kanne said in a statement.</p><p>Austin City Council voted last November to pass an amendment to the University Neighborhood Overlay District, which was established in 2004, that grants additional height to developers who agree to make a portion of their residential units affordable or pay a in-lieu fee. The amendment also eliminated parking minimums, with exceptions for accessibility requirements.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bf37c50b3e54e5b21e5e4043ae8cc10e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="d1b48" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDU0NDk3My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTk5OTkwNX0.cG_sBtUy0_FHQGQWZILBxwSypZhpA1zWaq37HGQen_Y/img.jpg?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(2400 Seton)</small></p><p>Rylan Maksoud, a then-junior at the University of Texas and West Campus resident, spoke in favor of the changes at the meeting.<br/></p><p>"Trying to find housing as a student feels like pulling a slot machine and hoping for the best, as students are taken advantage of every single day," he said. "We the students and university are begging you for increased housing in West Campus to bring down prices and increase competition."</p><p><br/></p><p><strong>More on renting:</strong></p>
<h2><a href="https://austonia.com/austin-renter-market" target="_self">Austin market posts lower rents, a pandemic-era boon to some tenants</a></h2>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDQ3OTQ2NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTY3ODc1NH0.starkffGkk6wJiQrq_JbQdOUe-0TW5UTi_EtpMsRsNA/img.jpg?width=980" id="a8a06" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="29c026154265589b9d960d55cc6ef4a1" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Austin market posts lower rents, a pandemic-era boon to some tenants
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(Nan Palmero/Flickr)
Austin-based jewelry empire Kendra Scott is now selling earrings designed by University of Texas students in The Kendra Scott Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute.
<p><br/></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0b3d68391ec84748e48d20d4f629d933" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="fd50f" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDUzMTU1Mi9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwNDUwOTEwM30.BrEtoWbyLpqPL3UXwTq56tTIr9vTRl-7agexQWt1LvA/img.png?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Kendra Scott)</small></p><p>Students in the Textiles and Apparel Design program teamed up to create potential Kendra Scott pieces aimed toward Gen Z, or younger, consumers. According to UT, more than 5,000 people voted online to pick the winning design.<br/></p><p>The winning team, comprised of Anita Ghamarian, Tianjie Pei, Julia Sotelo, Sara Kopenec and Pinar Sarilar, named the earrings Ciarla in honor of the creator and instructor of the course, Jessica Ciarla.</p><p>In an interview with the <a href="https://cns.utexas.edu/news/ut-students-jewelry-design-picked-up-by-kendra-scott" target="_blank">UT College of Natural Sciences,</a> recent Textiles and Apparel Design graduate Ghamarian said that the final designs included pastels, astrological symbols and other trendy elements seen on social media.</p><p>"We really wanted to get into the mindset of the Gen Z individual, so we went to where they spend the most time: social media," Ghamarian said.</p><p>The accessory design, development and merchandising course is offered as part of the Kendra Scott Women Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute. The course was first offered in the spring.</p><p>The earring set <a href="https://www.kendrascott.com/jewelry/categories/earrings/842177179284.html#q=ciarla&lang=en_US&start=1" target="_blank">retails for $78</a> and is available online and in stores with 20% of the proceeds going back to The Kendra Scott Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute, according to the <a href="https://www.kendrascott.com/jewelry/categories/earrings/842177179284.html" target="_blank">Kendra Scott website</a>.</p><p><strong>More on Kendra Scott:</strong></p>
<h2><a href="https://austonia.com/kendra-scott-shark-tank" target="_self">Local entrepreneur Kendra Scott takes a seat on ABC's Shark Tank</a></h2>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDQzMDU0MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NjY2ODkwM30.IpPj4KQ-H2fh_g2lrPUYJIBxHdKdhaq6rN7TugPJAr0/img.jpg?width=1200&coordinates=0%2C1071%2C0%2C318&height=800" id="eb3fd" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="633a1bf838772932b4db3fe6a71bf02a" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Local entrepreneur Kendra Scott takes a seat on ABC's Shark Tank
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(Gage Skidmore/CC)
Former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke is taking a step back from actively participating in politics to instead teach politics at Texas State University in San Marcos.
<p>The University Star, the school's independent newspaper, <a href="https://www.universitystar.com/news/beto-orourke-expected-to-teach-at-texas-state-in-spring-2021/article_efe60970-0f40-11eb-a932-ab76c1028626.html" target="_blank">reports</a> the former U.S. Senate and presidential candidate is pending finalization to begin teaching a virtual Texas politics class in the spring of 2021. The political science department chair told the student paper that if the COVID-19 situation is favorable, they could possibly expect O'Rourke to teach in person.</p><p>More than a 100 Twitter users responded to The Star's tweet, sharing excitement about the announcement. </p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="25507f3ab24b99a63dfe157e6ca6d2a2" id="951c2"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1316916353924739077"><div style="margin:1em 0">@UniversityStar @BetoORourke has so much to offer, he is a natural educator as evidenced by his ability to teach i… https://t.co/4yIKFMsHnJ</div> — Sharon Nelson (@Sharon Nelson)<a href="https://twitter.com/snelsonagain/statuses/1316916353924739077">1602812300.0</a></blockquote></div>O'Rourke, 48, gained a platform, especially among younger people, when he challenged Republican incumbent Ted Cruz for U.S. Senate.<p>The Democrat is also, possibly, the first big name in recent history to become a professor at the university. <br/></p>
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(Austin Public Health)
CARES Act funding has helped pay for testing sites in the Austin area.
As Congress faces a stalemate over another possible coronavirus relief package, local and state governments around the country are facing a looming deadline for the last one.
<p>By Dec. 30, they must spend all the federal coronavirus relief dollars they received through the CARES Act, a bipartisan bill that was signed into law in late March and provided more than $2 trillion in assistance. Any unspent dollars must be returned to the U.S. Treasury Department. </p><p><strong>At the local level</strong></p><p>The city of Austin received nearly $171 million in CARES Act funding, which was intended for necessary expenditures incurred by the pandemic, according to <a href="https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=338985" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">an April presentation</a> by Brie Franco, intergovernmental relations office for the city. </p><p>As of Sept. 30, the city has spent more than $101 million of its CARES Act allocation, spokesperson Bryce Bencivengo wrote in an email to Austonia. More than two-thirds of the spending occurred between July and September. </p><p>Some of this funding has paid for new pandemic-era hires, such as epidemiologists, contact tracers and strike force teams that have helped respond to clusters at long-term care facilities and schools, Austin Public Health Director Stephanie Hayden said on Sept. 29. </p><p>Earlier this month, council members unanimously approved <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-music-venues-qualify-for-relief" target="_self">the SAVES Resolution</a>, which allocated $15 million in CARES Act funding to music venues and other businesses deemed vital to the local culture. </p><p>Although Congress has not yet developed a relief package that could extend funding into 2021, APH is already planning to continue its COVID response efforts beyond the deadline. </p><p>"We understand that the federal funding will end as of December of this year, but we must continue to provide testing and contact tracing, our case investigations, our surveillance and our enforcement," Hayden told City Council. "Those efforts have really helped us as a city and county be in this place that we are in." </p><p><strong>At the county level</strong></p><p>Travis County received just over $61 million in CARES Act funding. As of Oct. 9, it has spent around 43%, with a remaining balance of more than $34 million to administer in the next 11 weeks.</p><p>The largest expense for Travis County has been through its economic development and strategic investments department, which has disbursed nearly $10 million in small business grants. </p><p>The bulk of the county's unspent dollars fall under two programs: 1) rent and mortgage assistance and 2) direct response.</p><p>With a countywide ban on rental evictions in place through at least the end of the year, staff have recommended that some of the rent and mortgage assistance funding be reallocated toward other causes rather than risk it being returned. </p><p>Direct response funding covers direct personnel and operating costs for <a href="https://austonia.com/we-are-blood-convalescent-plasma" target="_blank">the county's public health response</a>. </p><p>Despite the unspent dollars, Budget Director Travis Gatlin told county commissioners on Tuesday that the county's COVID-related costs are far in excess of the CARES funding it has received.</p><p>"We want to spend every dollar as soon as we can because we don't want to take a chance on having to send a dollar back," he said. "We want to keep those funds in the community."</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="dee8fd76e4334dbce369c75d5c9d5054" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="bba43" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDUxOTExMS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MjgyOTExMH0.D8JFtmxA5LK9kBb9R4d3Bg-IhulteFhW8soi61PPefw/img.png?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">An Oct. 13 presentation by Travis County Budget Director Travis Gatlin shows how CARES Act funding has been allocated. </small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Travis County) </small></p><p><strong>At the state level</strong><br/></p><p>The state of Texas received <a href="http://sites.utexas.edu/covid19relief/funding-for-state-and-local-jurisdictions/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">approximately $8 billion</a> in CARES Act funding and had a similarly broad mandate for how it could distribute it. The act also included funding for specific applications, such as homelessness outreach and rental assistance. </p><p>Although the state has disbursed some of its CARES Act funding to public schools, it simultaneously reduced <a href="https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas-school-districts-cares-act-funds-tea-money-state-funds/269-3e09564f-afbb-4d7a-9acf-725011de20fb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">its typical funding to those same schools</a>, leaving many districts—<a href="https://austonia.com/austin-isd-enrollment-2648193236?share_id=5867054" target="_self">including Austin ISD</a>—scrambling to make up the additional costs incurred due to the pandemic. </p><p><strong>At the federal level</strong></p><p>Congress has not passed a relief package since May. Since then, more than 100,000 Americans have died of the disease.<br/></p><p>Earlier this month, President Donald Trump announced an abrupt end to negotiations with Democrats over additional COVID relief funding until after the election. Hours later, he tweeted a request for Congress to send him a bill for a second round of stimulus checks. </p><p>Austin Mayor Steve Adler expressed hope that another relief bill was imminent during an Oct. 1 City Council meeting but acknowledged "it's like reading smoke signals or tea leaves." </p><p>Since then, Congress has struggled to reach an agreement. Treasury Secretary Steven Mncuhin <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/10/14/business/us-economy-coronavirus?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage#mnuchin-says-he-does-not-expect-a-stimulus-bill-before-the-election" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">said Wednesday</a> that he does not expect a relief bill to arrive before the Nov. 3 election. </p><p>Despite the uncertainty of additional funding coming through in the new year, Hayden stressed the importance of the programs currently being reimbursed through the CARES Act.</p><p>"Public health is a number-one priority for the city of Austin and Travis County," she said at a press conference earlier this month. "We will continue to provide the level of service that we have provided thus far."</p>
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