Parents up overnight for AISD meeting

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Some big decisions will be made Monday night that could affect the education of thousands of students in Austin as a final vote will be taken on the Facilities Master Plan.

This has been talked about and revised for months now - and the board is expected to cast a final vote around 8:45 p.m. Monday.

But around 4:30 a.m. several parents gathered outside AISD headquarters in an effort to be the first to sign up to speak at the meeting.  By 5 a.m. the line had at least 10 people.

During the meeting the superintendent is expected to recommend several items, including not selling the Carruth and Baker buildings.

The bids were not high enough and would not be as much cash flow as the district wanted.

In an effort to ease over crowding a total of 33 campuses would be frozen to transfers next year. This would be down from 36 this past year

The board will also look to put together a committee to review priority transfers. This could mean that siblings would no longer be guaranteed a transfer.

The superintendent does not want to change Ridgetop Elementary school and move it over to Reilly Elementary. A lot of parents were upset and very vocal about this not happening and the superintendent agrees.

And single gender schools are off the table - at least for this next year.

One of the other big items is turning three schools into IDEA charter schools.

Some parents feel like the district is giving up on their child's education by handing it over to another entity.

"AISD can take the ideas of the IDEA charter school and run it themselves," said Vincent Tovar, a parent who came early to AISD headquarters to sign up to speak.  "We don't need IDEA."

Sources report the board is almost split down the middle concerning the charter school with five in favor and four against.

Those wishing to speak to the board can sign up beginning at 7:45 a.m.

KXAN will be at the AISD meeting and have live reports throughout the day.