Austin ISD proposes temporary closure of Martin Middle; students to be reassigned as district seeks turnaround and budget balance

Austin Independent School District officials told parents at a community meeting at Martin Middle School that the district is proposing to temporarily close Martin and reassign students to Keeling, Lively and Marshall middle schools for the 2026-27 school year as part of a draft consolidation and boundary-change plan designed to meet state turnaround requirements and reduce budget shortfalls.

District leaders said the move is tied to a turnaround plan process required by the Texas Education Agency and described a timeline that includes posting a revised plan on Oct. 31, a Board of Trustees information discussion on Nov. 6 and a planned board vote on Nov. 20. Superintendent Matias Segura told attendees the district intends to submit required turnaround plans the day after a board vote, and that the agency has up to 45 days to accept or decline those plans.

The proposal and its timeline matter because three consecutive years of unacceptable ratings on state accountability metrics trigger turnaround (TAP) requirements, and the TEA commissioner can install a board of managers and replace district leadership if submitted plans are rejected. "We are desperately trying to address... historical issues that we've had in our system for well over a hundred years," Segura said, framing the consolidation as part of a larger effort to align feeder patterns, stabilize programming and preserve local control.

District staff described how the turnaround plan would follow the campus that receives the majority of reassigned students. "If the majority of Martin students are reassigned to Keeling, the turnaround plan follows where that majority is reassigned," said a district operations official, describing what that means for staffing and oversight. The appointed principal at the receiving campus would have authority under the turnaround plan to hire teachers and staff who meet staffing criteria; the district said it will attempt to proportionally reflect student-source percentages in staff assignments and will host internal match fairs in February and March for employees seeking placement. The district also said it will freeze outside hires while the transitions are being planned.

Officials said the district plans to invest roughly $800,000 of the savings from consolidations into additional supports for turnaround schools; examples given included extra counselors, assistant principals, instructional coaches and parent supports. Bond-funded construction at Martin is on pause while the district determines the campus's future. "The project funding will stay with Martin; it's just a matter of what that's going to look like based on that community process," the district's facilities representative said.

The draft plan would also change programming at nearby campuses: Sanchez Elementary is proposed to become a campuswide dual-language school without an attendance zone, and Go Valley is proposed as a campuswide Montessori program. District staff said those districtwide programs would not have attendance zones but that the district can provide transportation in response to community feedback; the operations official said the district is considering transportation access for Sanchez families.

Officials repeatedly said Martin could be repurposed in the future and cited a possible pre-K–8 or K–8 model as one option under consideration. Segura stressed that any repurposing would require community engagement and state approval if a new campus designation is sought. "We cannot give that certainty as to what it will be until we go through that process," he said, adding that launching a new campus typically requires a longer timeline and state review before the first year of operation.

Community members at the meeting expressed concerns about engagement, representation, student safety during longer commutes, transportation eligibility, continuity of wraparound services and the rights of existing teachers and staff. Parents and employees also raised the risk that district reassignments could jeopardize ongoing grants and contracted wraparound services. One attendee who identified herself as a district staff member cited a $2.5 million, five-year grant that she said could be at risk if affected campuses are repurposed.

District leaders said they are tracking those issues and will bring community feedback into revisions. They pointed to resources on the district consolidation webpage and encouraged further input via a digital comment card open through Oct. 28. The district said it is working with Region 13 and TEA staff to get early feedback on scenarios and to reduce the chance that submitted turnaround plans will be rejected.

The district emphasized the stakes of the timeline: a delayed vote would compress the enrollment, staffing and planning windows needed to implement changes for the 2026-27 year. Segura said the district wants local authority to remain in place and to avoid the risk of a state takeover if turnaround plans are not accepted.

Next steps listed by the district include public comment through Oct. 28, publication of a revised plan on Oct. 31, a Board information session on Nov. 6 and a board vote on Nov. 20. Materials and staffing guidelines are available at austinisd.org/consolidate, the district said.

Community organizers at the meeting requested immediate formation of a Martin planning group and stronger outreach to families who do not attend daytime meetings. District staff said they will schedule more meetings and coordinate parent outreach, mailers and transition teams to support impacted families.

No formal board action was taken at the community meeting; the proposal remains a draft until board consideration and vote.