Blended learning is an approach that combines face-to-face classroom instruction with online learning. The face-to-face learning experience is closely aligned to the online learning experience. Students, at least in part, have some control over the time, pace, path and place of their learning.

BLEND is a learning positioning system that allows teachers to provide instructional support, class calendars, assignments and resources for students in a safe online environment. Features within BLEND are intended to be used to amplify the best practices of teachers and enhance the skills and interests of students. BLEND provides learning, assessment and organization tools that allows users to be more efficient and effective in their day to day teaching and learning tasks. BLEND will not replace the district gradebook (TEAMS).

BLEND is designed to:

• Improve teachers' capacity to understand and serve your child at an individual level
• Enable your child to create ePortfolios, where he or she can keep work from grades K-12
• Enable your child to self-identify his or her strengths and weaknesses,
• setting personal learning goals and accessing appropriate resources to meet those goals
• Provide your child with collaborative learning experiences that improve social learning interactions and support diversity
• Provide opportunities for your child to learn about and apply responsible digital citizenship

Parents will have their own accounts in BLEND that allows access to view their child’s courses through the BLEND Parent Portal. In BLEND, a parent has a role called an observer. Observers have limited permissions that allow them to see what is going on in a course and a calendar of assignments.

Below are some of the features available to parents/observers. Please note that not all courses use all features.

• Set your Notifications
• View the Dashboard
• View the course syllabus
• View but not submit assignments
• Preview and download some files
• View the modules page
• View canvas grades
• View the calendar
• Communicate with the teacher​

• An introduction to BLEND: http://bit.ly/BLENDparentTOUR
• BLEND can be accessed through the Austin ISD Portal at: https://portal.austinisd.org
• Your username and password are the same as your Austin ISD Parent Portal account.
• If you are experiencing trouble with Austin ISD Portal or BLEND Parent Portal login or password, please contact (student services)
• Parents should not use their student's login credentials. ​
• The Canvas Parent app, which allows you to access BLEND, is available in Google Play and the App Store for tablets and smartphones. Windows devices use the browser. ​
• BLEND is new to the District and campuses are developing plans for parents as observers. If you have specific questions about how your child’s campus is using BLEND, please contact the campus.

Austin ISD is happy to announce the launch of our mobile app—a new way to stay connected.

The app will allow all AISD students, staff and families to receive notifications from the district and campuses for which they wish to subscribe.

Other helpful tools include a COVID-19 self-screening for users to complete before coming into contact with others or before leaving home for work or school.

The app allows for quick access to:

• see the calendar for the current school year,
• links to
• Parent Cloud
• Parent Self Serve
• WheresTheBus
• School Café,
• the School Directory, and
• the latest news.

Director of Management Information Systems Brenda Richmond is among the Austin ISD leadership who led the development of the app.

“Our hope is that this app provides our families, students and staff with useful technology that will make the school year a little easier to navigate,” Richmond said. “We have even more robust customization options coming down the pipeline that will include quick access to grades, assignments, and ability for families to contact teachers. In January, the app will contain a brand new mobile-friendly student registration feature.”

Locate the free Austin ISD Mobile App in the digital store for your mobile device by searching for Austin ISD.

For questions concerning the new app, call 512–414–9187.