UPDATE: Austin ISD Superintendent Matias Segura has just announced the postponement of certain school boundary change plans until next fall, impacting families across Austin, Texas. This decision follows significant community feedback regarding the proposed school closures amid a staggering $20 million budget shortfall and declining enrollment.
During a board meeting on Tuesday night, Segura revealed that three schools—Palm Elementary, Bryker Woods Elementary, and Maplewood Elementary—will no longer be part of the consolidation plan that initially targeted 13 schools. He emphasized the importance of aligning the district’s schools to improve feeder patterns, stating, “These decisions and the changes that we’re recommending will change the district, really forever.”
The postponement is part of ongoing discussions as the district investigates how community input has shaped the proposed plans. Notably, some staff members have been placed on leave due to the backlash against the consolidation efforts. Segura affirmed, “Just to be really clear, this work is continuing, it is not cancelled.”
Community members have expressed their concerns, urging the district to explore alternative methods for improving educational outcomes rather than resorting to closures. Parent Rebecca Steen, whose child attends Becker Elementary, voiced her hopes for the upcoming vote on November 20, 2023, stating, “We need less people at the central office, and we need more teachers in the classrooms. We need more support and tutoring.”
To support the affected schools, a solidarity event took place at three Kerbey Lane locations, with 10% of all proceeds directed to the schools on the consolidation list. Parent Briana Rubin highlighted the importance of community unity, saying, “I think it’s ever most important to come together as one giant community and lift one another up.”
The district is set to vote on the turnaround plans on November 20, with all proposals needing submission to the Texas Education Agency by November 21. As these developments unfold, the focus remains on ensuring that student needs are prioritized over administrative decisions. Stay tuned for more updates.
