Parents, teachers and community members urge AISD to slow planned turnaround moves and resist TEA takeovers

Dozens of parents, teachers and community members told the Austin Independent School District board on June 12 that district turnaround and consolidation planning has been rushed, has not included authentic community input and risks destabilizing campuses already under stress. Speakers raised concerns about teacher reassignments, transparency around staffing and facilities, and the prospect of TEA-led interventions or conversions to charter management.

Commenters singled out Dobie, Webb, Burnett and other middle schools identified for turnaround. Webb teachers and parents said re-staffing decisions had been communicated before community input was complete; teachers who left recorded messages said they had been told to reapply for their positions and that the process caused some to leave the district. A Webb teacher who left a recorded message said she had been asked to commit to a two-year placement and that important programs such as AVID could be lost if a charter plan moves forward.

Parents representing Burnett, Dobie and Webb said they were excluded from meaningful planning and were told of major staffing and program changes with little notice. Several callers and in-person speakers demanded “job security for educators,” more time to plan any restructure, and an assurance that special education placements and supports would remain in place. A number of callers said they had traveled to TEA offices earlier in the week to demand clearer answers and to protest the district’s process.

Speakers also raised specific campus concerns: a parent asked whether proposed floor plans for the district’s Alternative Learning Center at Mendez separate middle and high school circulation; another public commenter alleged administrators at one campus were placing assistant principals or other leaders without campus principals’ approval, which she said undermined principals’ authority.

Trustees and the superintendent acknowledged the volume of public concern and said the district would continue outreach. Superintendent Matias Segura told trustees he would provide follow-up information requested by members, including clarification on placement and staffing processes. Segura said the district’s approach is to place employees where their certifications and experience best match openings and emphasized he wants Austin ISD employees to remain in the district where possible.

Why this matters: The public comments addressed items that are the subject of ongoing district planning and required TEA turnaround processes. Parents and educators said the lack of clear, timely communication and meaningful stakeholder participation threatens school stability and trust as the district works to meet TEA deadlines.

Looking ahead: Trustees and district leaders said the turnaround plans remain under revision, and the administration said it would post revised plans and continue engagement between June 12 and the board’s June 26 public hearing and vote on the plans.