AUSTIN (KXAN) — What happens to the bond projects and money spent if 13 Austin Independent School District schools close?
That’s the question many parents are asking after voters approved a $2.4 billion bond to repair, modernize, and rebuild aging schools in 2022.
Last week, AISD released the consolidation and boundary changes draft plan to the public, which included 11 elementary school closures and two middle schools. Because of the consolidations, some schools that were set to receive bond funds will no longer need them if the school closes.
In some cases, though, improvements have already been made at schools that would close if the consolidation plan is approved by trustees in November.
Austin ISD leaders said they expect some money loss in this process.
A look at the 2022 bond projects list shows more than $188,000,000 that was supposed to go to the 13 schools that could close.
“I walked in this year to the first year of school, and there was a brand new security entrance to get through that they had just completed,” said Becker Elementary school parent Tanner Van Essen. “Hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars was done on all this, and now they are going to close it.”
Last week, AISD Superintendent Matias Segura spoke briefly on the topic of bond money and projects.
“My initial thought and my recommendation is to have it move with the students wherever possible,” said Segura. “But we also know that where the students might be moving to won’t have the same need from a facility perspective, and in that case, we would find alternative solutions to meet the needs of our overall system, but again, the focus would be those students who were identified in the bond, making sure they are a priority with reallocation.”
Segura said if there is a surplus after that, it would then go to the board to figure out what to do with the rest of the money.
“What kind of fiscal accountability do they actually have, how can we trust that this plan is OK if they can’t even in 2022 make a bond that makes sense for the future?” said Van Essen.
Parents plan to hold a rally at AISD headquarters on Thursday to share their concerns about the school closure plan.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Credit: Source link
