Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott Visits AACAL

Posted Date: 06/02/2020

May 12, 2014 – On Friday, May 9, 2014, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott visited Amarillo ISD’s specialty science, math and engineering high school, AACAL, for a tour of innovative classrooms. While there, Abbott held a press conference in which he addressed his desire for increasing the educational opportunities and prepared workforce in Texas.

“He toured a geometry class, an animal science class, our PRO class and our graphic design classes, all of which were demonstrating the use of digital technology to enhance learning,” said AACAL Principal Jay Barrett. “He was really interested in PRO with the partnership we’ve created with our local business partners, and he said the way we used our iPads to research, to create, to start conversations, and to put kids in charge of their own learning was exactly the way education should be.”

Amarillo ISD Online School is offered through AACAL. Online education is a major part of Abbott’s education platform in his gubernatorial campaign.

The press conference was held in an engineering classroom, and students were able to sit in on the discussion. For many, this was the first time to meet a politician and experience a press conference.

“From the students’ perspective, they were interested that he supported the idea of putting control of schools back in the hands of the local school board,” Barrett said. “They also liked his take on online learning being more accessible to students.”

Online School: https://blackboard.amaisd.org/bbcswebdav/courses/CHS003_BARRETT_0708/AOS_Website/index.html