Editor’s Note: The video above is from KXAN’s newscast on Oct. 16, 2025.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — With a decision less than a month away, Austin Independent School District is still in the process of talking with district parents and staff about their consolidation plans.
“Austin loves our public schools, our community chooses our public schools and shows up for our public schools,” said AISD Trustee Lynn Boswell earlier this month.
But now some parents could pull their kids out of the district altogether after AISD released their draft plan, which would close 13 schools and move kids and teachers around the district.
Some parents tell KXAN they are already looking into other options outside AISD, while some are waiting to see what happens Nov. 20 when trustees vote on a plan.
“I certainly understand those comments,” said AISD Superintendent Matias Segura. “I hope our families choose us and understand that the reason we are doing this is not because we just want to make a change, it is because we are facing severe pressures.”
AISD said 98% of schools would see impacts by a boundary change.
In many schools there are more school seats than students, and the district said that means it does not need as many neighborhood schools.
Some schools are too crowded while others are half empty, but some parents wonder if they have planned for families to leave AISD and what impact that could have to their boundary changes.
“Regarding whether we made adjustments based on feedback about threats to leave, no, we really let the data focus on historically undeserved students, the misalignments the efficiencies the goals, to drive our work,” Segura said.
What does that mean for schools where they are expecting to raise utilization?
“How can you make a plan without accounting for even general attrition, let alone people are mad attrition and still think that you are being fiscally responsible,” said Becker Parent Tanner Van Essen.
A district spokesperson tells KXAN that they will launch a recruitment and retention campaign following the Nov. 20 vote.
“While we anticipate there could be short term losses, which we intend to mitigate, we are basing our decisions off the long-term. We firmly believe that we will win families back by delivering on our vision of giving every family access to an excellent neighborhood school, one of it is vibrant, well resourced, and able to meet the needs of every child.”
-AISD spokesperson
This plan would close 13 school buildings across the district: Barrington Elementary School, Becker Elementary School, Bedichek Middle School, Bryker Woods Elementary School, Dawson Elementary School, Maplewood Elementary School, Martin Middle School, Oak Springs Elementary School, Palm Elementary School, Ridgetop Elementary School, Sunset Valley Elementary School, Widén Elementary School, Winn Montessori Elementary School.
Starting in January, AISD staff will evaluate each school on the closure list and decide whether to reuse, lease or sell the property. The district has taken each approach before.
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