About Austin ISD

Austin Independent School District (ISD) serves more than 82,000 students in its 76 elementary school campuses, 17 middle and junior high school campuses, 12 high school campuses, and 5 special campuses. More than 57% of students are Hispanic, 27% are Caucasian, 13% are African American, and 3% are Asian.

Located in the capital city of Austin, TX, the district’s urban setting contributes to its overall spirit and personality. Although being an urban school district presents a variety of challenges, teachers and administrators in Austin ISD have risen to the challenge and have helped to make Austin ISD a model for urban public education.

Austin ISD has received an Academically Acceptable rating under the Texas Education Agency’s Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS). Seven schools earned “exemplary” ratings, and eighteen were “recognized.” Impressively, six of the campuses that were labeled as “recognized” are considered high-need, Title I schools.

Standardized test scores indicate the overall academic success that Austin ISD has been able to achieve in the past few years. Passing rates on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) have improved overall during the past few years, especially for English Language Learners and Economically Disadvantaged students. Both groups saw greater than a 10% improvement in passing rates between 2006 and 2007.

Although SAT scores across the state of Texas and the nation as a whole fell, scores in Austin ISD improved by an average of 12 points. On a 2400 point scale, the national average score is 1511, while the average score in Texas is 1481. Students in Austin ISD scored an average of 1525. Austin ISD students also scored slightly better than the state average on the ACT. In the year 2007, the school district had 141 National Merit Scholars. The future looks bright, as 110 seventh graders were recognized in the Duke University Talent Identification Program.

In 2007, 70 Austin ISD campuses received recognition from the Texas Education Agency’s Gold Performance Acknowledgment system, which considers academic successes that are not taken into account in the AEIS rating. The school district also boasts eight blue ribbon schools.

Teaching in Austin ISD

If you are interested in making a difference in the life of a child, consider becoming a part of the Austin ISD family. The school district has more than 11,000 staff members, including 5,745 teachers. New teachers earn a starting salary of $39,790. Since English Language Learners make up more than 25% of the student population, the district especially needs bilingual teachers. These teachers can earn a 2,500 per year stipend for teaching bilingual classrooms. The district also has approximately 8,300 students with disabilities, so a $1,000 special education stipend is also available.

For more information, including an online application for employment, please visit this website:

http://www.austinisd.org

The Web-Centric Alternative Certification Program

If you would like to become a teacher in Austin ISD or any other school district in Texas, you can become a certified teacher by enrolling in our online alternative certification program. WCACP is an online program in Texas that offers future teachers the opportunity to complete the academic portion of the certification process from the comfort and convenience of their own home. Because the program is conducted entirely online, students can work at their own pace to complete the online curriculum. It is especially ideal for people who because of job or family commitments cannot commit to a full-time traditional certification program.