In the League of Women Voters, positions are adopted at the national, state, and local levels. Positions are developed by careful and deliberate study and then adopted by consensus.

Find League positions on Issues:

LWVUS - Impact On Issues.

LWVTX - Advocacy & Issues.

LWVAA - LWV Austin Area Position Statements also listed below.

The League of Women Voters takes action on an issue or advocates for a cause when there is an existing League position that supports the issue or speaks to the cause. A position can be established at any level - national, state, regional, or local, - as long as it does not conflict with a position at a higher level.

 At any level, positions come out of a process of study. 

• A study is a thorough pursuit of facts and details about an issue, generally done by a study committee. As the study progresses, the committee member continually discuss pros and cons of each situation they find. 
• "Consensus questions" are created by the members of the study committee as they prepare to present the results of their study to the general membership. These questions help facilitate the broader discussion. 
• League members who  were not part of the study committee learn the the study committee results. Additional discussion, pro and con, takes place - aided by the consensus questions. The intent is to reach a consensus agreement. 
• The consensus agreement goes to the League Board of Directors at whichever level the study was done. The Board at that level forms a consensus statement based on that agreement.
• A position is the public issuance of the consensus statement. Based on that position, firm action or advocacy can be taken on that issue.
• Without a studied consensus position, action and advocacy cannot be taken.

1. Support of equality of opportunity in employment and housing.

2. Support for well-run community development programs with frequent administrative reviews by city government.

3. Support of preservation and development of open space and parks.

(Adopted at the 1995 Annual Meeting; updated in 2007, 2012, 2015.)

1. Form of government: Support of council-manager form of government with the City Charter as its document.

2. Council and Elections

• Support for direct election of the mayor.
• For council member elections, support for the following structures, provided that under these
• structures, there are enough equal-sized geographic districts drawn to support minority opportunity districts:
• geographic-district representatives plus at-large representatives, or
• geographic-district representatives plus super geographic-district representatives, or
• geographic-district representatives only.
• Support of a campaign spending ordinance to be mandated in the City Charter.
• Support of an Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.

3. Personnel, General Provisions, and Ethics

• Support of an impartial board of ethics with an independent staff.
• Support of a financial disclosure ordinance to be mandated in the City Charter.

4. Planning and City Services

• Support for a commission in the City Charter to plan for human resources.
• Support for independent neighborhood groups.

5. Financial

• Support for the early setting of budget priorities by Council.
• Electric Utility and Electric Utility Transfer:
• Support for an electric utility transfer based primarily on the needs of the utility, including its bonded indebtedness, rather than on the needs of the City budget.
• Support for an electric rate policy that is based on the cost of service for each class of user and that strives for a goal of 100% relative rate of return for all customer classes.

6. Annexation

• Support for full consideration of an annexation’s fiscal impact on the City before City Council action.
• Support for flexibility in the timing of annexation based on fiscal, planning, environmental, and social factors.
• Support for the continued use of fees to cover the cost of utility extensions and other capital improvements necessary for new development.
• Support for homeowners in municipal utility districts’ continuing to pay off the district’s debt after annexation.
• Support for a strengthened subdivision ordinance covering the City’s entire extraterritorial jurisdiction.

7. Planning and Growth Management

• Support for cost benefit analysis as an integral part of the planning process.
• Support for ongoing public input into long-range planning with coordination and communication between City departments, boards, and commissions.
• Support for a balanced representation of diverse interests on the Planning Commission.
• Support for a standardized, streamlined, and understandable development process with proper regard for public notification from developer application to Council decision.
• Support for City involvement with private and other governmental entities in the selective
• recruitment of businesses. Environmental concerns should be taken into consideration, as should the employment of Austin’s citizens.
• Support for tax abatements and/or tax rebates as an incentive to encourage economic development in the city. Among the criteria that should be considered by the county when determining which businesses receive tax abatements or rebates are:
• Amount of total investment in Austin.
• Location in the Desired Development zone.
• Length of commitment for the company to stay in Austin.
• Demand on the community’s infrastructure.
• Competition with existing local businesses.
• Alignment with the city’s long-term economic development.
• Environmental concerns.
• Number of new jobs for Austin citizens.
• Certain criteria for the newly created jobs, i.e.,
• Health insurance
• Diversity in hiring and promotion
• Employee training programs
• Livable wage
• Support for an accounting of the tax abatement/rebate incentives and their associated cost which is presented once a year, along with the Budget public hearings.

8. Drinking Water Supply (Adopted at the 1998 Annual Meeting.)

• Support for use of factors that should be included in regional planning for: population, supply, water conservation, needs of sustainable industry, fishermen and agriculture, flood control and flood plain preservation, reservation and/or purchase of water (including water rights and inter-basin transfers), privatization as an alternative, impacts on water quality, drought planning, governance, water and sewer treatment capacity, and the economic impact on the region as a whole.
• Support of a voluntary, aggressive treated water conservation plan that should become mandatory only under drought conditions.
• Support of utility-provided educational programs, water-wise programs, a system-wide water leak detection program for utility-owned pipes, residential block pricing, programs to repair leaks for low-income housing, and development of incentives for conservation, where possible.
• Support for the following factors in evaluating future funding proposals for water treatment facilities: cost of maintenance, need to respond to immediate crisis, need to meet federal requirement, existence of a master plan, environmental impact, cost effectiveness, privatization as an alternative, and currency of technology.

9. Electric Deregulation (Adopted at the 1998 Annual Meeting.)

• Support for the City Council consideration of all of its options regarding the future of the electric utility, including sale of part or all of the utility and/or merger with other entities. Factors that should be considered include:
• impact on rates for the various classes of consumers; maintenance of a “lifeline” rate for low-income consumers;
• the impact on the funding of city services (i.e. the transfer to the general fund and compensating fees and taxes);
• the competitive position of Austin Energy;
• environmental impacts;
• stranded debt and the ability to pay off electric utility revenue bonds;
• the level of local control that would exist;
• responsiveness and quality of customer service;
• and electric service reliability.
• Support for continued energy conservation programs, but they should be modified to be more cost effective and to have customers share more in the responsibility for programs from which they will benefit.
• Continue to provide:
• Energy audits.
• Rebates for low-income customers.
• Rebates to encourage new or more efficient technology.
• Lists of contractors.
• Inspection of rehab jobs.
• Weatherization of homes for low-income residents.
• Consultation on new construction.
• Support for more operating independence for the Utility.
• Responsibility for purchasing, hiring, and other administrative functions should lie with Utility management.
• Establishment of an oversight board for the Utility, which would assume many of the policy-making powers currently held by the City Council, but would leave the powers of eminent domain, rate-making, and bond issuance with the City Council.
• Members of the oversight board should be selected on the basis of designated areas of expertise and should include at least one member representing the public.
• Change the City Charter to allow purchases without City Council (or oversight board) approval to a level commensurate with the expenditures of the Utility.

(Updated in 2007.)

1. County Budget

• Support for one budget officer, a performance/program budget prepared and made available to the public before public hearings.
• Support for budget approval before the adoption of the tax rate and before the beginning of the fiscal year.

2. Law Enforcement

• Support for increased cooperation between Austin and Travis County law enforcement officers.
• Support for increased use of interlocal contracts between the county and incorporated governmental units for effective law enforcement.

3. Wastewater Management

• Support for improved cooperation among the City, County, LCRA, and the TCEQ in the enforcement of wastewater regulations.

4. County Parks

• Support for a unified county park system organized and maintained by a master plan.

5. Tax Assessment

• Support for fair and equitable appraisal of all real property in Travis County.

6. Planning and Growth Management

• Support for tax abatements and/or tax rebates as an incentive to encourage economic development in the county. Among the criteria that should be considered by the county when determining which businesses receive tax abatements or rebates are:
•  Amount of total investment in Travis County.
• Location in the Desired Development zone.
• Length of commitment for company to stay in Travis County.
• Demand on the community’s infrastructure.
• Competition with existing local businesses.
• Alignment with the county’s long-term economic development.
• Environmental concerns.
• Number of new jobs for Travis County citizens.
• Certain criteria for the newly created jobs, i.e.,
• Support for an accounting of the tax abatement/rebate incentives and their associated cost, which is presented once a year, along with the Budget public hearings.

(Adopted 1995. Updated 2024)

The League of Women Voters Austin Area supports that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that these basic policies should guide their services. The League supports full service public library systems.

 A. Public libraries should support our First Amendment right to intellectual freedom and expression by playing an important role in facilitating free and open access to information. 

B. Individuals should be trusted to make their own decisions about what they read and believe. Removing and banning books from public libraries is a slippery slope to governmental censorship and the erosion of our country’s commitment to freedom of expression. 

C. Library staff, operating within the standards of the American Library Association (ALA), should make professional decisions about selection, organization, preservation, and dissemination of resources, services, and technologies without political interference.

1. Support of a library system for Austin and the surrounding area, which includes both traditional library services and modern information management.

2. Support of a library system that includes:

• Adequate funding, even if it means a tax increase.
• The traditional role of lending books and other material.
• A reference library with modern information technology, including CD-ROM and access to the
• Internet information services available in the library, by phone, and online.
• Programs and informal education for adults and especially for children.
• Homework centers and tutoring.
• Outreach to encourage reading and library use.
• Community activities and meeting rooms.
• An adequate book/materials security system

3. Support for building more library branches, first in underserved areas, and secondly, in newly developed areas or as larger regional libraries.

4. Support for bond issues that include funding for new technology and replacing rented facilities.

5. Support for the use of the Austin library by people who do not live in Austin. However, those individuals or their communities should pay to help support the library.

6. Support for greater communication and cooperation between schools and libraries.

 (Reviewed in 1996; updated at the 1997 and 2009 Annual Meetings.)

1. Solid Waste (Reaffirmed in 1996.)

• Support for recycling, reuse, and other methods of reducing the volume of waste.
• Support for long-range planning.
• Support for the improvement of our present sanitary landfill operation.

2. Support for Energy Conservation (Reaffirmed in 1996.)

3. Water/Wastewater (Adopted with recommended review changes in 1996; last two bullets adopted in 2009.)

• Continued support for the Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer Conservation District and support for an underground water district for the northern Edwards Aquifer.
•  To protect our water supplies, support use of:
• properly maintained and enforced structural controls, such as water quality ponds;
•  maintained and enforced nonstructural controls, such as impervious cover limits, natural vegetation or vegetative filter strips;
• and best management practices.
• Support of vigorous enforcement of water quality ordinances and laws by City and County officials.
• Support of regular, formal communication between the TCEQ and the City of Austin.
• Support of regional sewage treatment plants rather than numerous small package plants.
• Support of the prohibition of sewage discharge or land treatment over aquifer recharge areas.
• Support of advanced wastewater treatment after cost benefit analysis has been done.
• Support for future development,
• to be addressed with more extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) control;
• fees should reflect the services;
• City should take into account the water usage of new development, i.e., high-rise condos, and assess charges accordingly.
• Support of planning for infrastructure of water and wastewater (drinking water, sewage, and stormwater), to include all funding streams.
• Have scheduled repairs as needed to avoid crisis management.
• Include recurring maintenance costs in annual budgets.
• Reduce usage or implement other conservation programs.
• Budget for recurring maintenance costs for new facilities.
• Create separate budget items for emergencies and capital expenditures.
• Schedule ongoing tests for water and wastewater leakage.

4. Municipal utility district (MUD) (Adopted as reviewed in 1997.)

• Support of the start of the 120-day MUD review process after full documentation is received by the City.
• Support for utility line extension financing through revenue bonds rather than contract bonds.

5. Air Quality

• A 1987-1988 study of Austin’s air quality indicated that at present the City complies with federal air quality standards. While no consensus was taken on the report, should Austin’s air quality deteriorate in the future, further study may be recommended. In 1996, Austin does not exceed federal clean air standards, but the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has designated it as a near non-attainment area. (See the 1996 Transportation positions.)

(Reviewed in 2020)

1. Support of adequate counsel for indigents at all court levels.

2. Support of improved training and selection standards for the local law enforcement personnel

“The School to Prison Pipeline refers to when children are funneled out of public schools and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems.” (Definition from ACLU: School-to-Prison Pipeline). This practice disproportionately affects students of color and students with disabilities.

3. The LWVAA supports policies that will help end the School to Prison Pipeline and provide students, school administrators, parents, and law enforcement with resources to use appropriate options outside of the criminal justice system.

• According to Texas state law, most classroom discipline issues are not criminal acts. School policies and school resource officer policies should reflect a spectrum of available options when dealing with behavioral issues.
• School administrators and teachers should be continually trained on the spectrum of options available to handle classroom discipline issues without involving the criminal justice system.
• Mental health professionals should be prioritized in school budgets as part of the support necessary for students and school administrators in managing behavioral issues.
• All school resource officers should be trained on trauma informed models of care.
• All stakeholders at the school district or individual school level, including students, teachers, administrative staff, resource officers, and community members, should be involved in developing plans to end the school to prison pipeline and to promote appropriate options for dealing with school discipline issues.
• When appropriate, schools should implement restorative justice practices in lieu of involving the criminal or civil justice system.

(Adopted 2019)

Local governments have a responsibility to help assure a supply of affordable housing to their residents.

Responsibility should be exercised in the areas of ordinance-making, policy-making, and public

education.

1. LWVAA supports the consideration of the impact on housing cost when governmental bodies write ordinances and develop policy.
2. LWVAA supports the waiver of development fees, expedited permit processing, and other incentives to developers to encourage the construction of affordable housing, but there should be strict monitoring and ready access of information to the public.
3. LWVAA supports the concept of leasing surplus city/county property for affordable housing projects. The City of Austin, Travis County, and adjoining counties and municipalities should cooperate wherever possible on affordable housing.
4. LWVAA supports the inclusion of supportive services (such as accessible transportation, health care, child care, and educational opportunities) in the design of affordable housing plans because such services enhance the initial and long-term success for both residents and the community.
5. LWVAA supports all avenues of promoting affordable housing (such as density corridors, accessory dwelling units, loan incentives for homeowners, zoning adjustments, and specific bonds) that are consistent with the goal of helping all areas of Austin to be inclusive, diverse, and welcoming.

(Adopted 2019)

We support public funding to create, expand, and/or educate about:

1. Accessible, community-based, culturally competent, integrated healthcare services, where patients receive timely primary and preventive physical and behavioral health services in the same place.
2. The use of the Medical Access Program (MAP) to pay for the health care of those who are not eligible for other forms of insurance, and a sliding-scale fee schedule for the near poor.
3. Maximizing all available state and local financing mechanisms to leverage as much federal money as possible to fund local health care services.
4. Contractual agreements with cities, counties, and other governmental entities for payment of health care delivered to non-Travis County residents.
5. Recruitment, education, and training of diverse professional staff to implement health and social programs based on best practices.
6. A single county or multicounty health care district (hospital district) in Austin and/or Travis
7. County with an appointed or elected board.

(Adopted 2019)

We support public funding to create, expand, and/or educate about:

1. Specialized, community-based behavioral health and substance abuse treatment services that can respond to pediatric and adult patients at whatever their level of need (e.g., hotlines, information and referral, outpatient, crisis intervention, inpatient, long term care/residential treatment, sobriety centers, and telemedicine), regardless of ability to pay.

2. Additional in-patient behavioral health beds in a health care facility or local hospital for crisis

intervention and stabilization.

3. Programs/services (e.g., housing, transportation, employment, and other basic needs) to assist

those with severe behavioral and/or physical health issues to live successfully in the community.

4. Mobile crisis outreach teams and hospital and jail-diversion projects to redirect individuals into behavioral health services and away from unnecessary incarceration or hospitalization.

5. An emphasis on preventive behavioral health programs and services.

(Adopted 2019)

We support public funding to create, expand, and/or educate about:

• A system of public health and strong public health policy as a sound strategy for preventing disease, promoting health, and driving down health care costs.
• Socioeconomic and health factors related to HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
• Encouraging a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet taken in moderation, exercise, and self-education in healthy living.
• Promotion and protection of women's access to health care, including all aspects of reproductive health. (LWV-Texas statement)

We support:

• Organizations, facilities, and providers that offer transparent, culturally competent, and scientific, evidence-based information and services for reproductive healthcare, and that do not use coercive or ideological practices to influence patient decisions.
• Increased coordination between government agencies, as well as partnerships with community organizations, businesses, healthcare providers, etc. in order to create healthy community environments; empower individuals to make healthy choices; integrate clinical and community preventive services; and reduce health disparities.
• Programs and activities to address institutional/structural racism and its effects on health and health care through education, dialogue and action.

(Adopted 2019)

1. Support for a community-wide system that serves the population as a whole; is publicly owned, efficient, and economical; and informs and educates the public on its use.
2. Support for the sustainment of a permanent Mass Transit Authority (CAPMETRO).
3. Support for the continued use of a one-cent sales tax to support CAPMETRO.
4. Support for increased opportunities for meaningful citizen participation in the transportation planning process; and optimum cooperation and coordination in the administration, planning, and delivery of services among agencies that provide transportation.
5. Support for a balanced, multi-modal Metropolitan Transportation System that coordinates the use of:

• Automobiles.
• Buses.
• A regional high-capacity corridor system (i.e. rail, rapid bus, etc.)
• Park-and-ride facilities.
• Pedestrian and bicycle routes.
• Shuttles.
• Special transit services for the disabled and elderly.
• Taxis and Transportation Network Companies (i.e. ridesharing and other technology-
• enabled mobility options)

6.  Support for transportation-related measures that will keep the Austin Area in attainment of federal air quality standards (see Air Quality statement under Environmental Quality position), including:

• Carpools.
• Van pools.
• Buses.
• High-occupancy vehicle lanes
• Bicycles, pedestrian, and other active transportation.
• Transportation demand management (i.e. reducing peak congestion volumes)
• Alternatively-fueled vehicles (e.g. electric, natural gas, hybrid); fueling/recharge stations
• for them.
• A fixed guide-way system (e.g. rail and light rail).
• Teleworking.
• Home employment.
• Motor vehicle inspection that includes emissions compliance testing.
• Land use that supports transit/pedestrian/bicycle use.
• Increase in number and capacity of park-and-ride facilities.

7. Support for the following methods of transportation funding: governmental gasoline tax, the Austin Transportation Fee, and revenue from toll roads. Revenues from these sources should be reinvested toward improving city, county, and regional roads, as well as other transportation projects.

8. Support for multiple funding sources for the construction and operation of a high-capacity, multi- model, comprehensive  transportation system, including the use of bonds, federal funds, sales taxes, and user fees like gasoline taxes and fares.

9. Support for the integration of land-use planning and transportation planning in the Austin Area.

10. Support for local government development regulations, that include site design criteria that would encourage intermodal planning, including accommodations for active transportation and transit.

11. Support for mixed-use development to help achieve the Austin Area’s transportation goals.

12. Support for ongoing, independent performance reviews of the governments and agencies that provide transportation services to the Austin Area to provide accountability to the citizens of the Austin Area.

13. Support for the use of the following criteria to assess the suitability of specific funding proposals:

• Considers project timeliness
• Local dollars are used to leverage state and federal dollars.
• An undue burden is not placed on any socio-economic group.
• Funds are raised efficiently.
• Funds are not reallocated without the consent of the funding body.
• Balance of transportation modes is improved; the overall efficiency of the transportation
• system is enhanced.
• The burden is placed on those that create the most wear and tear.
• The cost of additional use of facilities is appropriately distributed.
• Preference is given to projects that mitigate or do not negatively affect public health in ways such as increasing pollution, reducing access, or changing the community culture.

Transportation, Mobility and Accessibility Glossary

• Access – a means of approaching or entering a place; the right or opportunity to use or benefit from something.
• Active Transportation – a form of transport that uses only the physical activity of the human being, (walking or cycling) or more active mobility means (skateboard, scooter or roller skates).
• Austin Transportation User Fee – The Transportation User Fee (TUF) is a fee assessed to residents and businesses based on the traffic levels generated by each dwelling unit or business. This monthly fee funds street maintenance and repair, annual street overlay and striping, and other activities necessary for keeping Austin’s roadways in good condition. City of Austin residents pay the mandatory fee to help prolong the life of city infrastructure and assets. For more information visit https://austintexas.gov/faq/what-transportation-user-fee.
• Capital Area Rural Transportation System (CARTS) - The CARTS District is a rural/urban transit district organized under Chapter 458 of the Texas Transportation Code as a political subdivision of the state and an entity responsible for transit services in a 7,200 square mile nine-county area surrounding Austin. The District includes the non-urbanized areas of Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Travis and Williamson counties, and the San Marcos urbanized area. CARTS delivers transportation tailored specifically for each of the one hundred and sixty-nine communities it serves and provides predictable connections between these communities to the national intercity bus network, to Capital Metro services and to the metropolitan center of the region. The service frequency in or to the various locales range from many times a day to once a month. For more information visit http://www.ridecarts.com/.
• Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (CAPMETRO) – connects people, jobs and communities by providing quality transportation choices to the Austin Area. Created in accordance with Chapter 451 of the Texas Transportation Code, Capital Metro was established by a voter referendum on Jan. 19, 1985. The agency is funded in part by a 1 percent sales tax levied by its service area members.
• Intermodal – involving two or more different modes of transportation; pertaining to or suitable for transportation involving more than one form of carrier, as truck and rail, or truck, ship, and rail.
• Land Use Planning – seeks to order and regulate land use in an efficient and ethical way, thus preventing land-use conflicts. Governments use land-use planning to manage the development of land within their jurisdictions. In doing so, the governmental unit can plan for the needs of the community while safeguarding natural resources. To this end, it is the systematic assessment of land and water potential, alternatives for land use, and economic and social conditions in order to select and adopt the best land-use options. Often one element of a comprehensive plan, a land-use plan provides a vision for the future possibilities of development in neighborhoods, districts, cities, or any defined planning area.
• Mass Transit Authority (MTA) – a regional, transportation-focused governmental or quasigovernmental agency that provides mass transit (moving the public with efficiency) options to the public, such as bus, rail, toll road or ferry.
• Mobility – the ability to move or be moved freely and easily.
• Mode – a way or manner in which something occurs or is experienced, expressed, or done.
• Multi-Modal – characterized by several different modes of activity or occurrence; including several different types of transportation.
• Park-and-Ride Facilities – parking lots with public transport connections that allow commuters and other people heading to city centers to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system, or carpool for the remainder of the journey. The vehicle is left in the car park during the day and retrieved when the owner returns. Park and rides are generally located in the suburbs of metropolitan areas or on the outer edges of large cities.
• Regional High-Capacity Corridor System – for a defined region, a system that uses express bus, rail or other transportation mode with a high capacity to move people that operates in high-traffic or high- speed corridors to connect various points or destinations across the region. It coordinates the high capacity, high speed modes with other modes to deliver users to their desired destinations.
• Shared Mobility – refers to the shared use of a vehicle, bicycle, or other transportation mode. It is a transportation strategy that allows users to access transportation services on an as-needed basis.
• Transit – the conveyance of passengers on public transportation.
• Transportation – the action of transporting someone or something or the process of being transported; a system or means of transporting people or goods.
• Transportation Demand Management (TDM) – the application of strategies and policies to reduce travel demand, or to redistribute this demand in space or in time. In transport, as in any network, managing demand can be a cost-effective alternative to increasing capacity. A demand management approach to transport also has the potential to deliver better environmental outcomes, improved public health, stronger communities, and more prosperous cities.
• Transportation Network Company (TNC) – an organization that pairs passengers via website and mobile apps with drivers who provide such services. It is a type of shared mobility.

(Adopted 2019)

1. Support of equality of opportunity in education.

• All local public schools should have as their goal to meet, if not exceed, the state and federal accountability standards for:
• student achievement,
• attendance,
• Graduation rates, and completion rates in each school in the district,
• and to reduce the “achievement gap” (disparity in academic performance between groups of students).
• To achieve this goal, the schools must have “highly-qualified” teachers in all areas, adequate resources and support systems, and encourage parent and community involvement in the schools.
• Students should receive an education that prepares them to be responsible citizens in a participatory democracy.

2. Support of equitable education outcomes for students in local public schools through the following

goals at all grade levels, from prekindergarten and kindergarten, through elementary, middle, and

high schools:

• Varied, culturally-competent curriculum.
•  Providing teachers with the necessary support, training, mentoring and funding to improve student achievement.
• Provision of appropriate current, relevant tools, technology, and/or materials.
• Full-time librarians in each school.
• Promotion of active parental and community involvement.

3. Support for equitable secondary education (middle and high school) outcomes in local public schools through:

• Initiatives to ensure a rigorous academic environment;
•  emphasis on critical thinking skills;
• Challenging academic courses that equip students to succeed
• Initiatives to improve “school climate” and student mental health, with individualized student supports

4. Support for educational programs in Austin Community College and in local public schools designed

to prepare students for employment with marketable skills by:

• Having curriculum relevant to the work world with career awareness infused throughout the system.
• Developing curriculum to include courses geared to current workforce needs.
• Use of demonstrated competencies and skills to help assess student progress with documents such as certificates or portfolios.
• Apprenticeship-type programs, cooperative education, or internships to ease the transition from school to work.
• Securing equitable and adequate public funding of all public schools.

5. Support for Austin Community College through:

• Coordinated education paths between high school and college-level work.
•  Education and employer-supervised apprenticeships and internship opportunities.
• Access to state-of-the-art technology for technical programs.
• Communication of changing workforce needs to instructional staff, counselors, and students.
• Support for strengthened adult education programs in Austin Community College and in
• local public schools.

For possible future Education discussion:  

• Consideration of the impact of segregation/concentration of poverty? 
• “School choice” in our area? 
• Flexible learning environments, as in nontraditional schools and alternative learning centers within AISD, and flexible learning environments extending into traditional secondary schools, as well.  
• Programs for English Language Learners (ELL) to improve achievement among non-English speaking students and to support the goal of AISD in having every student speak English fluently, along with support services for the parents of non-English speaking AISD students.  
• Addressing the health care needs of the student population by providing full-time health care team coverage for every school, through appropriate partnerships when possible.  
• Opposition to AISD’s participation in any tax rebates or abatements for businesses to locate or expand in the Austin area.

6. The League supports full service public library systems.

• Public libraries should support our First Amendment right to intellectual freedom and expression by playing an important role in facilitating free and open access to information.
• Individuals should be trusted to make their own decisions about what they read and believe. Removing and banning books from public libraries is a slippery slope to governmental censorship and the erosion of our country’s commitment to freedom of expression.
• Library staff, operating within the standards of the American Library Association (ALA), should make professional decisions about selection, organization, preservation, and dissemination of resources, services, and technologies without political interference..