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🌱 Patch AM: Which Austin private schools are taking Texas’ new voucher money?

You won't want to miss The International Gem & Jewelry Show - Austin, TX (January 2026) on the Austin Patch calendar

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Good morning Austin! We're back in your inbox this morning to keep you in the loop with what's happening in and around town. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • Which Austin private schools are taking Texas’ new voucher money?
  • How a historic East Austin cemetery may soon gain landmark status
  • Why Austin ISD is tightening security at three elementary schools

Also on today's calendar: The International Gem & Jewelry Show - Austin, TX (January 2026) and 9 more events.

Find out what's happening in Austinfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: What did the shovel say to the dirt? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Austinfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Friday: A stray t-storm; not as warm, with a high of 70 and low of 44 degrees.
  • Saturday: Cooler; breezy in the morning, temps: high: 58, low: 40.
  • Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high of 58 and low of 37 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. About 70 Austin-area schools sign up for Texas $1B voucher program (statesman.com) — Families in the Austin area now have 70 private schools approved to accept Texas’ new Education Freedom Account vouchers, with applications for families opening Feb. 4. Most participating campuses are in Austin and Round Rock, and many serve pre-K and elementary grades, offering up to about $10,500 per student for tuition and more for special education services.
   

2. Oldest known Black cemetery in Austin on its way to landmark status (kxan.com) — Austin’s oldest known Black cemetery, Bethany Cemetery in East Austin, is moving toward official city landmark status after a key recommendation from the Historic Landmark Commission. Preservation Austin and local advocates say the designation would better honor Black history in Austin, where only a small fraction of existing landmarks currently recognize Black heritage. City Council will take a final vote later this year.
   

3. Austin ISD says recent threats against schools came from outside US (kvue.com) — Austin ISD says a recent social media threat naming three local elementary schools appears to have originated outside the U.S., but police will still closely support Andrews, Baranoff and Barrington campuses. District leaders outline how they communicate during threats and urge families to report suspicious activity while daily safety protocols remain in full effect.
   

4. Twin brothers in Texas foster care need to find a forever family together (kvue.com) — Austin viewers are being introduced to 7-year-old twins Christian and Christopher, energetic brothers in Texas foster care who need to be adopted together. Filmed at the Austin Ninjas gym in Cedar Park, their story highlights their athleticism, kindness, and the urgent need for a permanent Central Texas family ready for high-energy kids.
   

5. Woman charged with arson for setting boyfriend's jacket on fire in North Austin apartment (cbsaustin.com) — Residents in a North Austin apartment complex were displaced after a balcony fire spread through multiple floors, injuring one firefighter and sending another person to the hospital with breathing problems. Investigators say a 23-year-old woman admitted to lighting her boyfriend’s jacket on fire at The Lakes at Renaissance Park, and she is now jailed on an arson charge as the case continues.
   

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Thank you to Tech Ridge Oaks Assisted Living and Memory Care for hosting a Coffee with a Cop on National Law Enforcement Officer’s Day! Our APD North... (X: Austin_Police)
  • Statement from Commissioner Sid Miller: “President Trump has delivered a bold, long-overdue course correction for America’s health—and none of this... (X: TexasDeptofAg)
  • The University of Texas at Austin posted a job opening for Building Attendant II (Custodian) Dayshift Porter in Austin. Apply here.
  • Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits of America posted a job opening for Stocker (Austin, TX) in Austin. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Austin here.

Ok Austin! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I really dig you!
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