Podcast appearances and mentions of austin isd

In hour three, Mark & Melynda talk about a father who's being charged for his daughter's mistake and Austin ISD trying to fix failing Middle Schools.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In hour four, Mark and Melynda talk about Austin ISD trying to save some of its middle schools, the I35 cap and stitch project, and an Amtrak employee healthcare scandal.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to a new poll, Texans have predictable opinions along party lines about Donald Trump’s immigration policies – but it’s more complicated on the economy.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking legal action against Austin ISD, accusing it of teaching critical race theory. It’s not the first time a Texas district has faced such charges.Shrimp […] The post How shrimp fraud is affecting coastal fishers appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Joining to discuss the Austin ISD board voting meeting on Thursday April 24th and the Lamar community meeting on April 21 with Sharyn and Cuitlahuac are Nikkie Shubitz, Nadia Khan, and Lisa Flores. The group starts by weighing on the the decision to remove the principal from the Ann Richards School of Young Women Leaders, then react to the community meeting at Lamar Middle School. They also discuss their hopes for futures budget cuts and the District Turn Around Plan that will be presented to the board during an informational meeting on Friday May 2nd.

We discuss Austin ISD school performances. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Tim Walz staffer keys a Tesla and we discuss Austin ISD. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we're joined by Chelsea Burkett, Deputy Program Director with AECOM[00:01:13] Meet Chelsea BurkettChelsea introduces her role with Aecom and the scope of Austin ISD's massive bond program.[00:02:29] GMP 101A foundational look at GMP pricing and how it supports collaborative delivery models.[00:03:37] Early GC InvolvementWhy selecting general contractors early creates synergy and reduces surprises.[00:05:23] Community-Driven Design = Scope Creep?How community input shapes schools—and complicates budgets.[00:06:38] What's in a GMP?Chelsea walks through what the contract amendment includes and how it's executed.[00:08:49] Staying in BudgetThe bond book, voter expectations, and how cost alignment is maintained.[00:11:13] Supply Chain ChaosMaterial pricing, long lead times, and how GCs manage risk today.[00:15:24] The Open Book AdvantageFull transparency into sub bids, contingencies, and value engineering.[00:17:02] The Grading GameHow GCs and subs are evaluated—points, interviews, and all.[00:20:28] Risk, Clarifications & AllowancesUnpacking who owns what risk in complex multi-GMP projects.[00:24:07] Liquidated Damages & DeadlinesWhy hitting school opening day is non-negotiable—and risky.[00:30:12] The Art of NegotiationNavigating owner–GC–architect dynamics for long-term project health.[00:34:08] Tariffs & Steel ShockwavesThe ripple effects of global politics on your jobsite.[00:36:09] Fee StrategyHow GCs compete on cost and credentials—and when they ask for more.[00:37:03] Chelsea's Pain PointsWhy early communication is everything in GMP negotiations.[00:41:19] Use the PMIS!Advice to subs: use project management systems to get seen and heard.[00:43:14] People MatterHow staffing and turnover shape success across multiple projects.[00:46:00] Smart Strategy ≠ Low BidThe delicate dance of rewarding excellence while staying fair.[00:48:35] Megaphone MomentChelsea's call to the industry: prioritize relationships over ego.Go build something awesome!CHECK OUT THE PARTNERS THAT MAKE OUR SHOW POSSIBLE: https://www.brospodcast.com/partnersFIND US ONLINE: -Our website: https://www.brospodcast.com -LinkedIn:   / constructionbrospodcast   -Instagram:   / constructionbrospodcast    -TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@constructionbrothers?lang=en-Eddie on LinkedIn:   / eddie-c-057b3b11   -Tyler on LinkedIn:   / tylerscottcampbell  If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

In hour four, Mark & Melynda talk about an Austin ISD middle school that's going to close due to poor performance, a light rail coming to Austin, and much more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Austin ISD is considering consolidating schools in the face of a massive budget deficit, a high school athlete in Frisco was stabbed to death by another student at a track meet and the recently announced tariffs by President Trump are receiving mixed responses. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharyn and Cuitlahuac tackle head on the prospect of school closures after financial consultants hired by the district present that idea and others to the board as a cost cutting measure.

Trustee Candace Hunter rejoins the podcast with Sharyn and Cuitlahuac to talk about how well Austin ISD is meeting literacy goals for its students and engaging student families. Trustee Hunter also updates us on looming budget cuts and how she and the rest of the board deals with the TEA monitor and Lone Star Compliance is

Sharyn and Cuitlahuac breakdown a lengthy board meeting that includes a budget workshop which discusses possible cuts including less planning time for teachers and school closures, as well as reports on the the district's academic performance and improvements plans to support specific struggling schools.

In hour three, Mark and Melynda talk about an Austin ISD official that is accused for deleting data requested by police and Zelensky's visit to the White House.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The City of Austin might issue tickets to cars parked on bike lanes and there is a hiring freeze at Austin ISD. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we sit down with Bianca Medina-Leal, Program Director at AECOM, to discuss the challenges and triumphs of managing multi-billion dollar school construction projects.00:57 – Meet BiancaBianca introduces her role at AECOM and how her team helps Austin ISD manage massive school construction projects.02:31 – The $2.4 Billion BondAustin voters approved a $2.4 billion bond to modernize over 130 school facilities. Bianca's team oversees more than $1 billion of the work.03:41 – The Challenge of Aging SchoolsMany Austin ISD buildings are over 50 years old. Deciding whether to renovate or rebuild is a complex process driven by facility assessments and community needs.09:00 – Race Against the ClockWith Austin's rapid growth, the district must move fast. Their aggressive five-year timeline puts pressure on every phase of construction.09:52 – Competing with Mega ProjectsTesla's Gigafactory and Samsung's plant are pulling contractors away. Bianca shares how Austin ISD retains labor despite the competition. 14:05 – Navigating Construction During COVIDCOVID disrupted timelines, but school projects were deemed essential. Bianca details how her team adapted to keep things moving.20:37 – Scaling Up: The Current State of the ProgramFour new schools are opening soon, with more in design and construction. Managing this level of activity requires constant coordination. 21:17 – Why Owners Push Fast ConstructionDelays mean rising costs. With a fixed budget, Austin ISD must act quickly or risk cutting projects due to inflation.26:03 – Choosing the Right Delivery MethodBianca explains why Design-Build and CMAR are the preferred models, emphasizing the importance of strong contractor-architect relationships. 33:20 – Community Engagement in School DesignNo two schools look the same—community input ensures designs reflect local culture and student needs.36:41 – Prefabrication & InnovationPrefab construction offers speed and cost savings, but not every site is a good fit. Lessons learned from past projects guide future decisions.39:20 – The Data DilemmaManaging a $2.4 billion program requires massive data tracking. Despite advanced tools, Excel remains a critical part of the workflow. Bianca's wish? Seamless tech integration and better alignment between school construction and district-wide operations.55:00 – The Megaphone QuestionHer message to the industry: Trust, collaboration, and communication are the foundation of every successful project. Construction is about more than just buildings—it's about people.58:48 – Closing ThoughtsBianca reflects on the impact of building schools and why it's all worth it. If you're in construction, take pride in the work you do—it shapes the future.Go build something awesome! -----CHECK OUT THE PARTNERS THAT MAKE OUR SHOW POSSIBLE: https://www.brospodcast.com/partnersFIND US ONLINE:-Our website: https://www.brospodcast.com-LinkedIn: / constructionbrospodcast-Instagram: / constructionbrospodcast-TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@constructionbrothers?lang=en-Eddie on LinkedIn: / eddie-c-057b3b11-Tyler on LinkedIn: / tylerscottcampbellIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

In hour two, Mark and Melynda talk about some big issues locally with Austin ISD putting naming rights up for grabs for athletic facilities to try and minimize their monetary deficits and the City of Austin giving away grants to musicians and music venues around town.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Election Day! And since the City Cast Austin team all voted early, we decided to hold an election of our own. Host Nikki DaVaughn leads the team down a very Austin ballot, and is joined by producer Rishi Bajekal, Hey Austin newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw, and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec. The team pitch candidates for who should be the chef for Austin ISD, the Austin musician who writes our walk-on music, Austin's celebrity mayor, and where we'd have our Election Night watch party. Play along and cast your ballot via email, and if you haven't voted in the actual election, peep our guide for all the info you'll need.  Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter.  Follow us @citycastaustin You can also text us or leave a voicemail.  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE  Learn more about the sponsor of this November 5th episode: Tecovas BetterWay Blood Testing - Get 20% off your first order with code CITY at BetterWay.com

In honor of Careers in Construction Month, we invited a Construction Technology Instructor and the Director of Career & Technical Education from Austin Independent School District to share how the construction pathway in the eighth-largest school district in Texas prepares students for successful careers in a lucrative industry. They cover how project-based courses through the pathway provide personal and professional growth and leadership opportunities for students, earned certifications position Austin ISD students ahead of their peers, and internships and mentorships convert to interviews and jobs. Careers in Construction Month is an annual campaign by the National Center Construction Education and Research (NCCER) and the Build Your Future organization to increase public awareness of construction careers and inspire the next generation of craft professionals. To l learn more, visit https://www.byf.org/careers-in-construction-month/#. Connect with Austin ISD's Director of Career & Technical Education,Tammy Caesar, on LinkedIn and on Twitter (X) check out @caesar2656. Follow Austin ISD's Career & Technical Education on Twitter (X) at @AISD_CTE.

#texasvaluesreport with special guest Dr. Leor Sapir, Fellow at @ManhattanInst , and host Jonathan Covey, Director of Policy, Texas Values Follow Dr. Leor Sapir on X @LeorSapir / Follow Manhattan Institute on X @ManhattanInst Learn more about Texas' law protecting children from harmful & irreversible gender modification procedures and surgeries StopChildGenderModification.com Read the Cass Report: https://cass.independent-review.uk/home/publications/final-report/ Register for Texas Values 7th Annual Faith, Family, & Freedom Forum Sept. 13-14! https://register.txvalues.org/policyforum2024 Please sign our petition to show you support the Governor and Commissioner of Education mandating that Sex-Ed Opt-In continue next school year. The amendment to make Human Sexuality instruction Opt-In means that schools had to ask ALL parents permission before they could teach ANY child sex education. Before this law, parents were the ones who had to “Opt-Out” their kids from human sexuality instruction. We know that school districts like Austin ISD and surrounding areas have since implemented a permission slip system to teach Sex-Ed. But we also know that many school districts complained about this process and cannot wait to see the Opt-In law expire! This was a crucial win for parents and children of Texas, because it offers more control to the parents. Sex-ed opt-in expires August 1, 2024. Sign today! https://txvalues.org/sex-education-opt-in/ Help us build our channel so we can maintain a culture of Faith, Family, & Freedom in Texas by interacting with us; like, comment, share, subscribe! For more about Texas Values see: Txvalues.org To support our work, go to donate.txvalues.org/GivetoTexasValues

Learn from Jose Mejia (Principal) about: - Creating a system that middle school students love - Integrating restorative practices with points - Balancing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation - And more! Tune in to learn from Jose

Welcome to BG Podcast Episode 227! On this episode the Bingham Group CEO A.J. Bingham and Associate Hannah Garcia wrap up the week of December 11th in Austin politics. Topics include: ✅ A Travis County Court signs final order overturning three zoning ordinances ✅ Updates on the city of Austin's demographics ✅ Austin ISD board names its lone finalist for superintendent and more. LISTEN ON! Reference links: ✅ [VIDEO] City Demographer presentation ✅ City Demographer presentation link (PDF): https://binghamgp.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=21fda84ed14160c8989e94828&id=a510bbf8d2&e=bedf362f50 ✅ [VIDEO] Austin City Council Special Called Meeting (13h 18m) -> austintx.new.swagit.com/videos/283723 ✅ 2024 City Council Meeting Calendar -> services.austintexas.gov/edims/docume…fm?id=419404 EPISODE 227 ABOUT THE BINGHAM GROUP, LLC Bingham Group works to advance the interests of businesses, nonprofits, and associations at the municipal and state level. Follow Bingham Group on LinkedIn at: bit.ly/3WIN4yT Learn more about today's hosts at: ✅ A.J. Bingham -> www.binghamgp.com/ajbingham ✅ Hannah Garcia -> www.binghamgp.com/hannah-garcia Contact us at: info@binghamgp.com www.binghamgp.com

Dr. Darryl J. Henson joined Marlin ISD in May 2020 after serving as the Assistant Superintendent of School Leadership in Cedar Hill ISD.  Henson began his educational career as a fourth grade teacher in Austin ISD, later serving as a middle & high school mathematics teacher, instructional specialist, and principal in the Lockhart, Ysleta, and Houston ISDs. In Cedar Hill ISD, Dr. Henson supervised 13 campuses and 7,700 students.  Dr. Henson graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor's of Science in Elementary Education, the University of Texas at Arlington with a Master's of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, and the University of Houston with a Doctorate of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. @drhenson2 #drdarrylhenson #superintendent #professor #leader #houston #ut UH #marlin #tsc #gogetit Social Media Links Wrote by Me Site https://t.co/loWDv6eU7x Youtube Channel youtube.com/c/ChipBakerTheSuccessChronicles LinkedIn http://linkedin.com/in/chipbakerthesuccesschronicles Facebook- Profile https://www.facebook.com/tscchipbaker Facebook- Page facebook.com/chipbakertsc Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chipbakertsc/ Twitter twitter.com/chipbaker19 TikTok tiktok.com/@chipbakertsc Linktree https://linktr.ee/ChipBakerTSC Online Store http://chip-baker-the-success-chronicles.square.site/ Chip Baker- The Success Chronicles Podcast https://anchor.fm/chip-baker

The Texas Education Agency is moving forward with plans to monitor problems with Austin ISD’s special education services. What did we learn from COVID-19? We’ll talk to UT’s Lauren Ancel Meyers, who has been tapped to help the U.S. develop a plan to better tackle the next pandemic. Texas tops the nation in oil industry […] The post How a UT professor is helping the CDC plan for the next pandemic appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The state will have a monitor for Austin ISD's special education program. There could be rain in Central Texas Wednesday. The writers strike comes to an end. Wake up with KXAN's first newscast of the day. Monday-Friday from 4:30-5:00 a.m.

Austin ISD will discuss a state plan for its special education department Thursday. People in Austin who are at risk of opioid overdoses nearly lost some resources that some say could potentially save their lives. Wake up with KXAN's first newscast of the day. Monday-Friday from 4:30-5:00 a.m.

Another chance for rain Friday evening. Closing arguments are expected to start in the impeachment trial of suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. More students are doing better on tests at Mendez Middle School in Austin ISD. Wake up with KXAN's first newscast of the day. Monday-Friday from 4:30-5:00 a.m.

Parts of Central Texas seeing rain on Wednesday. New security measures are in place on Austin ISD campuses. The cause of a downtown Austin restaurant fire is out. Wake up with KXAN's first newscast of the day. Monday-Friday from 4:30-5:00 a.m.

The impeachment trial of suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton begins today. A high school student was a arrested at gunpoint on an Austin ISD campus. More hot & humid weather this week. Wake up with KXAN's first newscast of the day. Monday-Friday from 4:30-5:00 a.m.

The state has a new plan for Austin ISD's special education program. The trial for a 6th street mass shooting suspect continues. Little day-to-day in our weather, but humidity is on the rise. Wake up with KXAN's first newscast of the day. Monday-Friday from 4:30-5:00 a.m.

The family of a man who died in a 6th Street mass shooting speaks. Austin ISD speaks on COVID-19 cases in its district. Idalia makes its way towards the Florida coast. Wake up with KXAN's first newscast of the day. Monday-Friday from 4:30-5:00 a.m.

Episode 281 brought to you by Honest Air Conditioning and Plumbing, Shoal Creek Saloon, and Jim Saxton III - State Farm Insurance Agent Mike Hardball Hardge stopped by the Man Cave for a Dallas Cowboys heavy conversation.The Dallas Cowboys were dealt a blow on the defensive side when former Longhorn and Cowboy rookie linebacker, Demarvion Overshown suffered a season ending ligament tear on his knee in the 2nd preseason game.Get 20% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code MANCAVE20 at http://MANSCAPED.com #ad #manscapedpodDeuce Vaughn continues to impress in his rookie season in the preseason. He's often compared to Darren Sproles. But, the former Cedar Ridge Raider Football star resembles former Oklahoma Sooners running back great, Quentin Griffin.Which Cowboys receiver will add depth and a threat consistently?The QB2 race.The Texas high school football season kicks off with one of the best inner city rivalries at one of the oldest cathedrals and gems of a high school football venue in Texas, House Park Stadium.The 22nd edition of the Taco Shack Bowl: Anderson Trojan Football vs McCallum Knights The evolution of the Taco Shack Bowl and this Austin ISD rivalry.The 2008 Florida Gators documentary will soon be released. The Texas Longhorns should've faced Florida in the BCS title game that season. Instead it was OU.Tik Tokking in the Man Cave: be sure to saw off that branch.Be sure to like or follow each of our social media platforms on Instagram, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and on Tik Tok.Support the showPlease like and follow each of Stories Inside the Man Cave Podcast social media links on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Tik Tok.

A family is okay after a house fire in Austin overnight. Austin Fire says it started as an issue with a charging lithium battery. Austin ISD will have a counseling team ready at McCallum High School Wednesday after protests upset several parents and students. Austin broke its stretch of triple-digit heat. Wake up with KXAN's first newscast of the day. Monday-Friday from 4:30-5:00 a.m.

Austin ISD buses children to Austin Pride to be EXPOSE to NUDITY and ADULT TOYS! This is SICKENING!

Austin ISD invites students and staff to attend Austin Pride Parade. Pags gives his thoughts. PLUS...Chip Roy from Texas joins Joe at the bottom of this hour...Roy is trying to stop all the spending going on in Washington and he's going after Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas

Austin ISD is asking some teachers for money. Email records show some teachers are being asked to pay back a $2,000 retention stipend. Hays County investigators are detailing how a fire started at an apartment complex in San Marcos in 2018. Five people died when the Iconic Village apartments went up in flames. Temperatures continue to climb this weekend. Wake up with KXAN's first newscast of the day. Monday-Friday from 4:30-5:00 a.m.

Breaking news overnight, Austin ISD approved its 2024 school budget. Nearly $2 billion dollars planned for, but it comes with a near $53 million deficit. Texas troopers will be back in Austin patrolling. The partnership between the Department of Public Safety and the Austin Police Department resumes on July 2nd. You can expect a hotter and drier weekend for Central Texas. A look at how far this heat wave takes us. Wake up with KXAN's first newscast of the day. Monday-Friday from 4:30-5:00 a.m.

Morgan Smith: Welcome to the Intersect Ed Podcast, where the stories of public education policy and practice meet. I'm your host, Morgan Smith.Today we are talking about something that could make a positive difference in the lives of many Texas teachers and their students: high-quality mentorship.The formalized practice of having more experienced teachers coach those newer in the profession could help with a major challenge facing Texas public schools — teacher shortages. It also benefits everyone involved — from the experienced teachers acting as mentors who now have a chance to learn new skills, to the newer teachers they are supporting, and to the students who now have confident, calm educators in the classroom.So why aren't high-quality mentoring programs more common in Texas public schools? Well, as is often the case, the reasons for that mostly come down to time and money.Right now in Austin, some lawmakers are trying to change that by expanding an existing pilot mentorship program. Two proposals to would do that — House Bill 11 and Senate Bill 9 — have both passed their home chamber but are currently stuck in limbo waiting for hearings in the second. With less than two weeks left in the legislative session, time is running out for either of these bills to make it.Morgan: While teachers can sometimes find peers to reach out to organically, research shows formalized, high-quality mentorship programs deliver the best results — especially when it comes to teachers working with vulnerable student populations. And those programs have specific characteristics.Mario Piña: A high-quality mentorship program has a lot of components. I think first of all, it has time for teachers to reflect with their mentors, and usually this really needs to happen during the school day. And it needs to have the time for the mentor to observe their mentee and vice versa, because if they're not being able to see what's happening or how something can be done, they're not going to be able to execute that in the way that's most effective.Morgan: Mario Piña is a Regional Advocacy Director with Raise Your Hand Texas. Before joining them in 2022, he spent nine years in Austin ISD as an elementary and middle school teacher, and instructional coach.  Mario: And I think definitely making sure that we're paying people. A lot of times in school districts, people are being asked to be mentors and are not being compensated and not giving the time to mentor their mentees, and so it becomes really difficult for them to find the time during the day to really help each other out, and so it becomes more of a chore rather than a real mentorship process.There's so many other things that teachers are worried about. They're worried about grading. They're worried about making sure that their students are okay. They're making sure they have high-quality lessons. And so having time to go talk to their mentor is probably at the very bottom of their list a lot of times.And I think the other part of it is training for the mentors themselves. A lot of times, teachers are being asked to be mentors but are provided no training, and we have this idea that just because you're a really good teacher, you're going to be a really good mentor, and that's not always the case. I know that when I was a teacher, a lot of the times my mentor would come and ask me, "Hey, what do you need help with?" And unfortunately, as a first- or second-year teacher, you don't know what you need. And so asking me what I need help with or how am I doing isn't always the most helpful, because I don't know what I don't know. And so we really need teachers to have that training of how to ask the questions, setting those goals and working on those goals together, and really guiding that novice teacher.Morgan: A high-quality mentorship program can provide much-needed time for collaboration and support during the early days of teaching, which can be a trial-by-fire for many new educators. Mentors are also around to help new teachers figure out the simple everyday logistics that anyone who's ever started a new job knows can be quite daunting — like making sure they know how to use the copier, or that there's a bathroom in the teachers' lounge. Most importantly, they help their mentees hone their instructional strategies and master classroom management – all skills that translate directly into improving students' academic outcomes, which also makes mentoring programs an excellent financial investment for the state.Jerome Johnson: It's like that famous Mike Tyson quote, that everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth, metaphorically speaking. And so that's what teaching is like that first year. You have this idea of how your day's going to go, and then boom, a student does something totally not planned. You can imagine the things that we've seen.Morgan: This is Jerome Johnson, who is in his sixth year teaching English Language Arts in Channelview ISD, a school district of about 9,000 students on the Gulf Coast. He grew up a few miles down the road from where he now teaches – and entered teaching in his mid-thirties after he felt a calling to work with students like the kids he grew up with.Jerome: The calling kind of hit me and I was like, “I wonder if I can do this and be great at it, and be able to serve the underserved in a way?” I just always wanted to be a great educator in a place where they probably wouldn't get good teaching, more than likely. I think those personal challenges are what drew me originally to teaching.Morgan: For Jerome, having mentors during his first years in the classroom provided invaluable feedback — both positive and negative — that helped him grow as an educator.Jerome: I think as a mentee coming into the profession at such an older age, it was important that I got that confirmation like, "You are equipped for this." I remember being in a hallway and my mentor, one of my mentors at the time, just came to me and was like, "You have what it takes to ..." She said, "You have that thing that teachers have to reach and connect with students." And I had no idea what I was doing. I had no barometer, no way to measure it. I think that meant the world to me, just not knowing what to expect or am I on the right path…Because you're in a silo, unless you are in a different culture where collaboration is welcome. But if you are the professional in the room, and you are with a bunch of younger people, younger individuals, you just need those outside eyes telling you both good and bad. Because my colleagues have checked me on some things of like, "Yeah, that's a little above what they're talking about. You're missing them with that language," or, "You need to have this structure in your class to reach them."So both the critical and the compliments make a difference when you have those relationships. And I think mostly it took me a while, maybe three years in, before I realized amongst teachers it's really a people business, really about investing in individuals and people so they can reach their maximum potential.Morgan: Most importantly, when teachers feel supported and encouraged, they can provide that same support and encouragement for their students. So in that way, high-quality mentoring ends up providing a safety net for students with new teachers, who are also often the students with the greatest needs. Here's Mario again.Mario: Our Title I schools are the ones that have the most revolving teachers, and I can think of, at the last school I worked at, more than half the campus is new. And so how are we going to continue to mentor these teachers when our veteran teachers are still in need of mentors themselves? And so our most vulnerable students are the ones who are suffering the most, and I don't think we talk about that enough – and  it's hard to fulfill a high-needs classroom when you're just struggling to stay afloat yourself.Morgan: If you are feeling overwhelmed, it's going to be very difficult for you to be an effective teacher. If you don't know how to pace your curriculum, it's going to be very difficult to be an effective teacher. If you can't figure out how to manage behavior in your classroom, you aren't going to be an effective teacher. High-quality mentorship shrinks the learning curve for new teachers on all of those things, while increasing student achievement and decreasing teacher turnover.Jennifer: Most people want to be given an opportunity to help somebody do more, or better, or bigger, or see things through a different lens, or whatever it is in that situation. That's certainly been my experience. Then on the flip side, because I have benefited from mentors in my life, and mentorship opportunities, I also like being a mentor. So I think of it as the same as teaching actually. It's just that you are helping guide a peer versus a student or a child, but the meat of it is still the same. That you are helping someone accomplish something in their life and that's special, that's meaningful.Morgan: Jennifer Cook is heading into her 10th year in the classroom. She teaches 7th grade English Language Arts in Livingston ISD, a mid-sized school district in rural East Texas. Jennifer says she loves teaching middle school students — an age group she knows can be intimidating to some.Jennifer: They want to learn, and they want to find their own voice, and their own independence, and all of these things. But they're old enough to where they can handle some pretty deep topics, and some deep conversations. Just their capacity for what they can handle and how much they're able to learn and get from anything, not just literature, but literally anything that you're giving them access to, I think, is really special with this age group, the middle school age group.Morgan: Jennifer is also a teacher who would not still be in the classroom if not for a mentor she had during a particularly difficult second year of teaching.Jennifer: That year there were a few days where thinking about going to work brought tears to my eyes. And that's a horrible experience to have, and no one should have to go through that. You should not be crying before you go to work. My co-teacher that year, she had been teaching for probably 35 years at that time, so she had been through everything. She not only helped me maintain a positive outlook, but she also helped me take a stressful situation and do what needed to be done, but also turn it into my own.She helped me a lot, and made me understand that not every year is going to be easy, but it's still only a year, and there's really nothing that we can't get through. So you just have to find your voice, and find a way to make it the best you can.Morgan: Now Jennifer serves as a mentor herself. This year, she had two new-to-the-profession educators under her wing. But even though she knows from personal experience how important mentorship can be, she still struggles with finding time to meet with her mentees, and as the school year closes, has not had an opportunity to observe them in the classroom. There's simply not enough time in the school day where teachers often have their schedules planned down to five-minute increments. She's hopeful, though, that can change.Jennifer: Everyone doesn't have to be best friends, but when you trust each other, and you trust that you can discuss and work through situations, it just makes everyone happier, and more effective. So I really think that in every aspect of life, connecting with and keeping those connections and relationships is really key to growth. So this is one way that schools can try to manage the culture of their workplace through, I think, a pretty minimal amount of work.Morgan: As the end of the legislative session approaches, Raise Your Hand Texas is pushing for lawmakers to take the framework of what's already a good program and expand it so that more teachers — whether veteran or new in the classroom — and students — can benefit from it for generations to come.If you want more details on the characteristics of a high-quality mentorship program, please visit the Raise Your Hand Texas blog post, “Investing in Teacher Mentorship Leads to Stronger Classrooms,” which is linked in the episode notes.To stay informed on critical education issues, you can sign up online for Raise Your Hand's Across the Lawn weekly newsletter at raise - your - hand - texas - dot -o-r-g - back slash - get - dash - involved.To receive text alerts that will allow you to join Raise Your Hand in taking action at key moments this legislative session, text RAISEMYHAND– all one word – to 40649.Today's episode was written by me, Morgan Smith. Our sound engineer is Brian Diggs and our executive producer is Anne Lasseigne Tiedt.Thank you for standing up for our Texas public school students.

Get a FREE “Fake News Stops Here” mug when you buy an annual subscription to The Texan: https://go.thetexan.news/mug-fake-news-stops-here-2022/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=weekly_roundup The Texan's Weekly Roundup brings you the latest news in Texas politics, breaking down the top stories of the week with our team of reporters who give you the facts so you can form your own opinion. Enjoy what you hear? Be sure to subscribe and leave a review! Got questions for the reporting team? Email editor@thetexan.news — they just might be answered on a future podcast. This week on The Texan's Weekly Roundup, the team discusses: The Texas House preparing for “budget night” and the hundreds of proposed amendments from lawmakersNew developments in the murder trial of Army Sgt. Daniel Perry who shot a protester in 2020A House committee approving ballot measures to legalize sports betting and permit several casinos in TexasThe Senate voting for a cost-of-living adjustment and lump-sum payment for retired teachers in TexasThe Senate passing a ban on child gender modification, which will now proceed to the HouseThe Texas Hospital Association opposing a bipartisan bill to require itemized billing for patientsThe Texas Education Agency intervening in Austin ISD to oversee its “noncompliant” special education programThe Texas DPS seizing 70 pounds of methamphetamine in Austin on the first day of its partnership with APDThe district attorney of Nueces County facing calls for his removal over “incompetency”A federal judge returning twelve “inappropriate” books to public library bookshelves in Llano County

Morgan Smith: You're listening to the Raise Your Hand Texas IntersectEd podcast where the stories of public education policy and practice meet. I'm your host, Morgan Smith. And today we're talking about the amount of money Texas pays to educate a student in public schools. This topic is notoriously complicated and can be very dense, but I've tracked down some very knowledgeable people to help guide us through it. We have three guests with us today, Laura Yeager, a public school parent and founder of Just Fund It TX, a nonpartisan group of parents, students, and community members, Bob Popinski, Raise Your Hand's, resident school finance and policy expert, and David Pate, the assistant superintendent of finance for Richardson Independent School District, which operates 55 campuses and serves more than 39,000 students in the suburban Dallas area.So right now, we are in the middle of the legislative session we've been hearing since last summer about this record-breaking budget surplus, lawmakers have to work with a historic $33 billion surplus. Plus there's tens of billions more in estimated growth in revenue over the next two years. Meanwhile, depending on what measure you use, Texas ranks at least in the bottom 10 states in public school funding. So the money is there. It's clear Texas is behind where we should be. So why can't we just give the schools what they need? Well, as I said, this is complicated. Here we go.Bob, so today we're going to be focusing on what's known as the basic allotment or the per-student sum the state uses as the foundational building block to determine how much money it will pay to educate a student. Could you start us off here by explaining how the basic allotment works in conjunction with the rest of school funding.Bob Popinski: Yeah, absolutely. The basic allotment is actually the building block of how we fund our students and our schools, and pay for our teachers and the operations of everything that goes on within a campus and a school district.So back in 2019, when they went through a lot of school funding changes, they set the basic allotment at $6,160. That's the basic building block per student. Now, if you have special characteristics, say you're a special education needs student or you qualify for free reduced lunch or you're in the bilingual program or you're in the gifted and talented program, you get additional dollars attached to that way. And so as you use that basic building block, you create what's known as an entitlement and that entitlement varies from school district to school district. But on average, it's about $10,000 per student. Now, it could be a couple $1,000 more in a school district or a couple $1,000 less in a school district. But on average it's $10,000. So that's kind of where we start. That $6,106 has kind of been set in stone for school districts for the last three years. And so there's really only a few ways to increase revenue for your students. You could either go out for a tax rate election or you could get additional revenue through enrollment increases or attendance. So we're really dependent on the state to do one thing and that's increase the basic allotment. So it flows through the rest of the formulas so that our school districts can actually give teachers pay raises and staff pay raises and operate the schools with our 5.4 million kids and over 375,000 teachers.Morgan: So David, what does the basic allotment mean to you in practical terms as you're working on a school budget? And why don't you also give our listeners a sense for where budget matters stand in Richardson.David Pate: On where budget matters stand for Richardson, our demographers are predicting that we're going to lose about 8000 students over the next 10 years. And we adopted a $26 million deficit for fiscal year, 22-23. And, for us, right now we're trying to figure out how we're going to provide raises to teachers, how we're going to provide for our cost increases. So the basic allotment, it is the major driver. When we're looking at 16% or 17% cost increases, we're having difficulty staffing. We're competing with quite a few districts here in the North Texas area for staff trying to raise our teachers starting salary.For instance, in our case, which we are different from all the other districts on this measure here in Dallas County, about 40% of our students are not economically disadvantaged. And then we've got another 20% of our students are not only economically disadvantaged, but they're living in the highest level of poverty according to the state measures. And so trying to meet the needs of those two groups in a situation where costs are increasing in revenue is declining is very challenging.Morgan: So you use the basic allotment, you pay for teacher salaries, you pay for support staff like classroom aides, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, I mean, the basic allotment really is the biggest part of your budget.David: Yes, it funds the basic needs of the district.Morgan: Laura, I want to bring you in here because you experience the hardships that districts go through when they have budget shortfalls from the parent side. Can you tell us what happened in 2018 when your child was a junior in high school in the Austin Independent School District?Laura: Sure thing. Thank you, Morgan. Yes, my three kids went through Austin ISD and my youngest was a junior at McCallum High School here in Austin. And she came home from school and said, “Mom, kids are crying in the halls and people are up in arms. We're worried they're going to close our Fine Arts Academy,” which is this beloved institution, one of many choices within Austin ISD. And a few of us got together to try to understand what was going on and it ended up being that Austin was facing a $30 million budget deficit and looking at things to cut. And that's when several of us decided to get together and try to help parents and community members understand how school funding works because that $30 million budget deficit was something Austin was facing. But really, it was a result of how our state funds our public schools. And so that's when Just Fund It started. And it was interesting because parents don't always think about funding. There are things that kids and parents think about every day. But funding was really hitting us at home because it was getting to the point where it was threatening just basic programs that we all rely on and parents pay, they see these growing property tax bills and think when they are paying them to the school district that they are either going to their district or a different school district through our recapture Robin Hood, what you want to call it, what people didn't understand is we're paying billions of dollars in that are then being just not given to any school district, they're going to the bottom line or to the surplus in this case. And I believe, Bob may be able to tell you better, but I think it's $8.2 billion of local school property taxes that have been paid in by parents that are going to the surplus. So we thought there was some educating that had to be done to help parents understand, to learn how to advocate, and also to educate legislators on how far behind we really are and that parents and students care that their schools are funded.Morgan: Well, so that brings us back around to the legislature. Bob, Governor Greg Abbott has been very vocal on education issues this session and one thing I've been hearing a lot from him and some other lawmakers as they talk about public schools is this idea that they have more money than they've ever had before. Is that true? And how do we square that with what we're hearing from parents and educators around the state?Bob: I think if you look at what your own household budget has done over the last three years, you can get a good glimpse of what's happening to a school district in terms of just purchasing power being the same as it was in 2019.Since 2019, inflation has gone up double digits, and the Comptroller has estimated inflation has gone up 12.5%. In some cases, it's even more than that. If you look at individual things that you're spending your money on. For some districts, fuel has gone up 40% if not more, insurance for their building and their buses have gone up double digits, food service, 25% in some instances. Even health insurance has gone up drastically and construction has gone up 50%. And so school districts are in a pinch just to keep up with inflation. And so if you look at what's needed to kind of keep up with that basic allotment of $6,160 for the same purchasing power they had back in 2019, it needs to be $1,000 higher.And so that's what we're aiming for, is to make sure that the basic allotment actually keeps pace with inflation and so with that, we're recommending that they invest more into public education. And, Laura is right. It's kind of the basics of school finance – if you don't want to kind of get into the weeds, is that as local property values increase, that means local taxpayers are paying more for the overall school entitlement and the state has to pay less. So the state, because the local value increases, saved roughly $8.2 billion last biennium for last state's budget and we want them to reinvest that back into our 5.4 million students.Morgan: So let's talk about inflation for a second. We've mentioned the last time the state increased the basic allotment in 2019. That's four years ago now. And then depending on what measure you use, there's been between 12% to 16% inflation. David, can you give us some specific examples of how that's affected your budgeting process in Richardson?David: Yes, our utility costs have been increasing substantially and Bob mentioned property insurance. That's one of the things that for us that we just recently did property insurance and it increased $900,000. So that increase of $900,000 is about 13 teachers for us.Morgan: Wow. So Bob, if I'm understanding correctly, there's not a mechanism that adjusts state funding for schools based on inflation. School districts have to come back every so often and ask for more money. And it kind of sounds like you're just asking to be funded at the same levels as you were in 2019, accounting for inflation.Bob: At a minimum, absolutely.Morgan: Yeah, at a minimum.Bob: I think because we're $1,000 below where we needed to be from 2019 because of inflation, that doesn't even consider that Texas is in the bottom 10. We're $4,000 behind the national average. And so what we're recommending is not only to catch up for where we need to be, but actually create an inflation adjustment so that school district don't have to come back every other year during a legislative session and say, “Hey, look, we, we need more funding just to keep pace with what's going on out in the world so that we can cover all of our expenses, so that we can give teachers a pay raise.”If you look at the Charles Butt Foundation poll from earlier in the year, 77% of our teachers are considering leaving the profession, and pay is a big important factor in that. We're $7,500 below the national average and inflation is catching up with our teachers' pockets books as well. Living expenses, being able to afford a home in some of these cities across the state. It's very difficult to keep teachers in the profession and school districts need to be able to compete.Morgan: Laura, I want to come back to you because through your work with Just Fund It and other grassroots education efforts, you have so much experience helping parents and community members develop political literacy around these issues. Can you tell us a little bit about what is at stake here if the legislature doesn't provide an increase to the basic allotment this session?Laura: I mean, it's hard to overstate it. There's just so much at stake. I mean the ability of our public schools to educate 5.4 million kids. We need more funding to keep up with kids around the country. We did increase funding in 2019, but everyone else did too and the national averages moved up and we are really no better than we were then and worse off because of the inflation situation that you just heard about. I mean, our schools need funds to address student needs so they can thrive.And as we mentioned before, funding is a little tricky because it's not felt directly, people feel it and then they blame the district and, there may be issues within a district but really it's so confusing. Administrators work so hard to shield students and teachers as much as possible and do whatever they can with the limited resources they have. And we are ranked better than we are funded in terms of actual output, but it just shows that we have been really squeezing our educators to do what they can with so little resources and it's unsustainable.It's being felt more and more by teachers and students and families from teacher burnout to overcrowded classrooms. We need counselors and mental health resources and more. And so all of this really comes back to increasing the basic allotment to make sure every single kid in the state of Texas has what they need to thrive.I'll mention that well-regarded economist, Dr. Ray Perryman, updated a study on the return on investment of every single dollar in public ed. And it's, it's almost unbelievable.It's the single best investment the state could make. And what they found was every dollar the state invests in Public Ed yields a lifetime economic benefit of almost $57. which includes benefits to the private sector, personal income. I mean, it's literally the highest return on investment of any public or private sector investment. And then just lastly I'll say, when we started Just Fund It we made a very clear point of doing something different.That we were not going to let the legislature do what they're so good at doing, which is dividing to conquer, dividing rich against poor, large, against small urban, against rural.And that we fight for every single kid in the state of Texas to be better than bottom-of-the-barrel funding. The way you do that is by increasing the basic allotment. Morgan: Please, David, why don't you give us a sense for what's at stake in Richardson?David: Well, so as we've been going through our budget meetings with the board, really since January, we've been presenting options for the opportunities we have to increase revenue here in the district. And there's really three options for us. We're one of three districts in Dallas County that still offers a local optional homestead exemption. That is an option our board could exercise and eliminate that. That would give us one-time funding of about $7.8 million.We can open our enrollment to students that are not residents of the district and that's going to generate somewhere between about $7,000 to $10,000 per student depending on the specific educational attributes of those students, whether they're, in generating bilingual funding or CTE funding, etc. And, that really just depends on how many students want to choose to come here who don't live here. We could have called a V A T R E. Our voters approved a tax ratification election back in November of 2018, which was then compressed.So we've got about a little over three cents. We could go back to the voters, which would generate about $3 million net to recapture. And then it's really a matter of, what can we do to reduce expenditures? When we start backing out the things that we have to do. So, I've got to pay the utility bill and I've gotta have property insurance. I've got to pay the Dallas Central Appraisal District. When you start backing out those kinds of activities, you're left really with people. And so, we had a staffing study performed and we're presenting that information to the board and it will be tough making any of these decisions.Everybody is attached to their individual campus and the staff in those campuses, those are their friends and neighbors. And so any time you start talking about making cuts in the school district, it's difficult.Morgan: Yeah, I mean, it sounds like you're doing what good school administrators do and is trying to kind of consider all options before you start kind of hitting things that are really going to affect the people in your district community. So we set up top that there's plenty of money to go around this session. What Bob is the challenge to getting this accomplished? Bob: Texas has a pretty substantial two-year budget. A lot of moving pieces. There's other programs other than public education, but public education is one of the largest expenses our state has. It's a $70 billion per year system when you take into account state and local revenue. Right now we have a house budget that's moving through the process. They're going to hear that pretty soon. We have a Senate budget that's moving through the process and they both have $5 billion in there for public education.Now, you remember what I said, we need at least $1,000 increase in the basic allotment just to keep pace with inflation. The price tag on $1,000 basic allotment increase is about $14 billion for the state budget and both sides right now are putting in $5 billion and it's not just for the basic allotment. There's a lot of other programs that they're funding on top of that. So what actually flows to school districts and to our students is going to be a lot less than that for operating expenses. And so we need to make sure that our members know as they continue these budget discussions that we're woefully short of where we need to be. And, so as they start moving through the process with less than 60 days left here, I think the more school districts and teachers and the general public and community leaders speak up that schools actually need more funding just to keep pace with inflation, is very important. We've got a long way to go in the session. And so I think it's time that our members hear from our communities.Morgan: Well, thank you. We're going to have to end here today.Thanks to Laura Yeager, Bob Popinski, and David Pate for being here and to you our audience for listening. And I also want to let you know that to stay informed on school finance and other critical education issuesToday's episode was written and narrated by me, Morgan Smith. Our Sound Engineer is Brian Diggs and Executive Producer is Anne Lasseigne Tiedt.As the 88th Session progresses, you can sign up online for Raise Your Hand Texas' Across the Lawn weekly newsletter and you can find that at www.raiseyourhandtexas.org/get-involved. 

The Texas Education Agency wants to appoint a management team to help Austin ISD address “systemic issues” in serving students with disabilities, less than a month after the state announced a takeover of Houston ISD. Some real fish tales out of San Angelo: We’ll tell you about the lake where anglers are catching tons of […]

You are undoubtedly familiar with Pride Month, described as “a month, typically in June, dedicated to celebration and commemoration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) pride.” Now school officials in Austin, Texas, are preparing for “Pride Week” to be held later this month. “Pronoun buttons,” rainbow flags, LGBTQ stickers, and other items will be distributed to students and staff. The event is timed to coincide with National LGBTQ Health Awareness Week.  Why does secular society “normalize” LGBTQ identity?  Author: Jim Denison, PhD Narrator: Chris Elkins Subscribe: http://www.denisonforum.org/subscribe Read The Daily Article: https://www.denisonforum.org/daily-article/austin-isd-to-promote-lgbtq-pride-week-among-students-and-staff/    

We hear from newly elected Austin ISD Trustee Candace Hunter as she shares her experience and journey from classroom teacher to board member. Emily and Cuitlahuac also give their analysis of the election results including the historic Austin ISD bonds. And we weigh in on the news that Interim Superintendent Dr. Anthony Mays will be leaving the district sooner than expected. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/aisdxp/message

More districts make the move to electric fleets, school bus manufacturers announce new products and pilots, and the NASDPTS conference focuses on student safety. Kris Hafezizadeh, executive director of transportation & vehicle services at Austin ISD in Texas, discusses the process, logistics and nuances of taking the district fleet fully electric by 2035. Read more at stnonline.com/tag/electric-bus.

Cuitlahuac makes his picks for the Austin ISD Trustee elections and why you should vote for all three Austin ISD bond proposals. There are only a few days of early voting left, and of course Election Day. Give this short episode a listen, share it with your friends, and get out and vote. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/aisdxp/message

Host Alishba Javaid interviews Arati Singh who is running for reelection  on the Austin Independent School District Board.  Arati was first elected to the board in December 2018 and is the first Indian-American to serve on the Austin ISD school board. They discuss her path from teacher to elected official, and how she believes we can create an inclusive setting for students of all identities,  backgrounds, and from all communities.  She tells South Asians listening to get involved! Learn more about Arati on her website, here.  Learn more about WiseUp TX, volunteer, or donate on our website. The WiseUp TX podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play and the WiseUp TX website.  WiseUp TX is non-partisan and does not support any candidates or political party.  But, we love to hear from South Asian candidates, and other candidates who want to talk to our South Asian followers! WiseUp TX interviews candidates who (1) reach out to us (2) are running in regions with Asian population density and/or (3) are of South Asian descent. For the general election, WiseUp TX makes an effort to reach out to key opponents.

Candace, Emily & Cuitlahuac are joined by special education services advocate Lisa Flores to discuss the Austin ISD discipline data presented to the trustees as part of the superintendent scorecard during the first board meeting of September. What can Austin ISD do to stop disproportionately discipling Black students? Did the district meet its goal when it comes to disciplining students with disabilities, or are campuses using "shadow discipline" to improve their data? What purpose do police on campus serve and what impact are they having? While this conversation about discipline in schools starts by focusing on the the Austin Independent School District, its goes over issues of students safety in schools that are important to everyone. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/aisdxp/message

Once again, Anette visits with Patti Everitt about charter schools in Texas. They discuss the push from higher ups to grow the presence of charter schools in Texas and beyond, and how they are not a good investment for the future of Texas.The earlier podcast with Patti can be found here, from September of 2020.Patti Everitt is a consultant on state education policy with a focus on the impact of charter schools on public education.  She collaborates with many statewide education organizations, school districts, and parent groups to increase understanding about how charter schools operate and to make charter schools more transparent. Patti has worked with national and international foundations, school districts, and nonprofit organizations to develop innovative education and employment programs for youth.  She is a graduate of public schools, and her son attended Austin ISD from K – 12.Episode produced by Darwin Carlisle. Music by Bret Boyer. 

Just as students and teachers are heading back to school for a new term, the Texas Education Agency has released its first school accountability ratings in three years. Reporter Hannah Norton, a Report for America corps member serving with Community Impact Newspaper, shares how local districts fared in the TEA's assessments. Plus, editor Darcy Sprague gives insight into Austin ISD's new proposed bond—and a measure that would have provided housing for teachers that was left on the cutting room floor. The Austin Breakdown is a production of Community Impact Newspaper. This episode was produced by Olivia Aldridge with assistance from Morgan O'Neal and editing by Marie Leonard. Weather and allergy reports are sourced from www.weather.com and AccuWeather.

Join the AISDXP team as we learn more about the bond, get an update on where the district is in the bond process, and hear our take on voting. https://www.austinisd.org/equityoffice/framework https://www.austinisd.org/advisory-bodies/lpc (meetings tab) https://www.austinisd.org/advisory-bodies/bsc (meetings tab) https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-22/texas-schools-are-stuffed-to-the-max-as-voters-reject-bond-sales --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/aisdxp/message

A new poll shows that most Americans oppose the teaching of sexual orientation and transgender issues to kindergarten through third grade. Why is the Left hypersexualizing our kids? Florida continues to lead the fight against the radicalization of our kids, and 57% of Americans support the “Parental Rights in Education” law a legislation that the Left has highjacked and turned it into the “Don't Say Gay” law. Did the Left overplay its hand? In Austin, Texas, a parent dressed as the Easter Bunny was handing out eggs, and inside the eggs there were condoms. This was at an Austin ISD elementary school, why are parents pushing for their kids to be sexually active? Kelly S, host of A Time To Stand Podcast, joins the podcast to discuss the latest attack towards our kids and how is affecting them emotionally.Florida continues to push back, and the latest push was when the Florida Department of Education rejected 41% of proposed k-12 math books because they had references to CRT, Common Core, and SEL. Can we go back to teaching that 2 + 2 = 4? Todays Sponsors: As the dollar becomes worth LESS every day, transition some of your nest egg to something OF WORTH with Gold and Silver from Birch Gold. That's right, Birch Gold will help you convert an IRA or 401k into a TAX-SHELTERED ACCOUNT in gold and silver. Get started NOW. Text “CHAD” to 989898.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices