(Talk1370.com) -- Austin ISD says it's making progress despite a significant increase in failing grades for district campuses from state education leaders. That and more in your Morning Headlines for April 25.
AISD Defends TEA Ratings As 30 Campuses Get An "F": We’re continuing to dig deeper into yesterday’s release of new accountability ratings from the Texas Education Agency. In Austin ISD, where the district received an overall score of a C, 30 of the district’s campuses were identified as failing. AISD Superintendent Matias Segura said Thursday 16 of those 30 campuses scored a B in the 2022 ratings. AISD Board President Lynn Boswell noted that statewide, the new scoring system resulted in a 233 percent increase in schools rated with an F. Across the state, at least five districts are in danger of state intervention, with campuses that have had four years of unacceptable ratings. Austin ISD is nearing that threshold with Dobie Middle School, which scored another F in the latest ratings.
Appeals Court Tosses Austin Freedom Act: Just days after the state’s 15th Court of Appeals ruled against a San Marcos city ordinance aiming to decriminalize lower level marijuana offenses, now the court has done the same against the so-called Austin Freedom Act. Voters approved that ordinance in 2022; the city says it’s reviewing the court’s opinion and will evaluate next steps. In addition to legal challenges against similar ordinances from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, lawmakers at the state capitol are also looking to block cities from enacting similar laws now or in the future. Senate Bill 1870 needs one more vote in the upper chamber before heading to the House.
HaysCo Grand Jury No-Bills Iconic Village Fire Suspect: A Hays County grand jury returned a no bill Thursday against the man accused of setting a 2018 fire at the Iconic Village Apartments in San Marcos, just north of the campus of Texas State University. That blaze killed five people and injured several others; fire ripped through the decades-old complex which had no sprinklers or fire alarm system. Investigators had identified a mattress where the fire started and had charged Jacobe Ferguson with setting the fire; investigators say they’ll go back to the drawing board to try and bring answers to the victims in the case.
Tax Free Weekend For Emergency Supplies: And this is the weekend to buy your emergency supplies. The state’s annual Emergency Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday begins early tomorrow morning at 12:01am and runs through the end of the day on Monday; in addition to batteries, first aid kits, flashlights, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, the holiday also covers portable generators less than $3000 dollars, coolers and ice chests, fuel containers, and more. The Texas Comptroller’s office estimates Texans will save just over $2 million over the three-day period; it was first established by the Legislature in 2015.
24/7 Weather Center Forecast: Warm and humid again for your Friday... rain chances ramping up towards the afternoon with showers and storms possible. High of 87. Rain chances dry out for the weekend; highs inch into the 90s.