Austin Independent School District officials presented a draft school-consolidation plan at a community meeting that would close or repurpose the Martin campus and reassign students to nearby campuses, and said the district’s board is scheduled to vote on the plan on Nov. 20.

The draft would reassign students from the affected Martin campus to nearby schools including Lively, Kealing and Marshall at the secondary level and to high schools cited in district materials such as LBJ and Travis, district staff said. Superintendent Matías Segura and other administrators described a multi-step process that could include a TEA (Texas Education Agency) “transformation” submission for campuses with multiple years of unacceptable ratings, a staffing and student-transfer plan, and potential reprogramming of the campus as a PreK–8 site in the future.

The vote date and the TEA review timeline make the proposal time-sensitive to families and staff. “We’re desperately trying to address the problems we have in our system,” Superintendent Matías Segura said. “I give my life to this, I’m passionate, and really we are going to take this one step at a time.”

What district staff described
District presenters said the consolidation is part of a broader rezoning and accountability response. Administrators explained that a campus facing three consecutive years of unacceptable accountability ratings may be required to follow TEA transformation rules; in that case the district would submit a plan to TEA. District staff described the TEA review steps cited at the meeting: an initial review period of 45 days followed, if necessary, by a 15-day window to respond to state feedback. Staff emphasized they will not submit a plan they expect TEA to reject and that the district is working with Region 13 service center as a technical adviser.

Officials said the district aims to preserve staff employment when possible. Administrators described a hiring-preference goal that would aim to split new school staffing roughly 50/50 between teachers from the two impacted campuses (the presentation example cited a 50 percent/50 percent target), while acknowledging the split is a target rather than a guarantee. The district also cited a proposed initial investment “about $8,000” per site to begin supports such as counselors, instructional coaches and family supports (amount described by staff as approximate).

Timeline and next steps
District leaders said the board’s vote is scheduled for Nov. 20 and noted a community review meeting is set for Nov. 6; materials and a comment form are available online. Staff directed families to the district’s consolidation page (austinisd.org/consolidate) and to a story map visualizing proposed changes. The superintendent said the process of repurposing a campus (for example, to PreK–8) typically takes around two years and that the district must plan hiring, programming and any bond-funded construction well ahead of an opening.

Community concerns raised
Parents and community members at the meeting focused on transportation, staff transitions, how the district will preserve programs (including bilingual and wraparound services), and whether families feel welcome and heard. One parent said, in Spanish, “como madre de familia, yo no me me siento bienvenido ni respetada” (“as a parent, I do not feel welcomed or respected”), and urged clearer, more empathetic outreach and more accessible meeting times. Lisses Herrera, who identified herself as working with families, urged the district to expand parent representation at planning meetings and to provide accessible tools for families to see where they would be rezoned.

District responses on staffing, grants and transportation
Administrators said they have drafted transition plans intended to prioritize current staff for openings at receiving schools and to maintain grants and service contracts where possible. They acknowledged some contracts and grant timelines are separate from district decisions and that some five-year grants are at risk if program eligibility changes. On transportation, staff said they are examining routes and supports but could not promise universal transport for every reassigned student; they said Sanchez campus families would be guaranteed transportation in the district’s planning example.

Limits and dependencies
District leaders repeatedly cautioned that some elements depend on external approvals and available funding. Segura said TEA must approve transformation plans for specific campuses and that the district will work with TEA and Region 13 on required program and curriculum alignments. He warned that delays in the district vote or in planning timelines could push implementation into the 2026–27 school year.

How to comment and next meetings
Staff noted additional meetings across the district and asked community members to submit feedback using the QR-coded comment system provided at the meeting or via austinisd.org/consolidate. Administrators said they will continue community engagement while finalizing plans for board consideration on Nov. 20.

Ending
District officials said they recognize the disruption consolidation proposals cause and said they will continue public meetings and planning work in the coming weeks. “These meetings are important, they’re worth it,” Segura told attendees. “I appreciate all of you.”