Austin ISD releases draft consolidation plan proposing multiple school closures, boundary changes

Austin Independent School District (Austin ISD) staff on Oct. 3 released a draft school consolidation plan that would close and consolidate multiple elementary and middle school buildings, change attendance boundaries and concentrate dual-language and specialized programs, a district community engagement staff member said.

Norma Garza, a member of Austin ISD's community engagement team, said the proposal aims to increase building utilization across the district from about 76% today to about 82% after the changes, short of the district’s optimal 85%–90% target. "Nuestra visión es simple pero poderosa, queremos que todas las familias tengan acceso a una excelente escuela en su vecindario," Garza said in the recorded presentation.

The draft, published Oct. 3, lays out criteria used to develop recommendations — building authorization, cost per student, building condition and contextual analyses — and a rubric focused on school-level mismatches such as underuse, overcrowding or poor facility condition. Garza said the district is combining work from its long-range plan, bond program and equity review with months of community feedback to craft the proposals.

Key elements in the draft:

- Closures and consolidations: The presentation lists multiple elementary and middle schools slated for closure or consolidation by attendance zone, with…