AUSTIN — Austin Independent School District officials presented a draft realignment that would move students zoned to the neighborhood Montessori program and offered three implementation paths: reassignment, restart or district verification. The plan aims to align feeder patterns across the district amid budget and staffing challenges, officials said.

"Mi nombre es Alegra Duci, yo soy la ejecutiva directora..." said Alegra Duci, the meeting facilitator from district administration, explaining the purpose of the session: to review proposed changes, answer frequently raised questions and gather input before staff present a revised plan to the board.

Superintendent Matías Segura described the options and a proposed rezoning: "los estudiantes que están zonificados para la escuela WIN van a estar resonificados a la escuela Handers y al Heart Elementry School," he told attendees, explaining that district staff have identified several implementation steps and two primary options for moving programs while preserving seats and program access.

The district framed the proposal as part of broader alignment and enrollment work driven by long‑term fiscal constraints and post‑pandemic staffing volatility. Officials said some Title I and other funding streams have been affected by state changes, leaving the district to weigh where programs can be sustained with available resources.

Parents and teachers at the meeting urged the district to protect Montessori’s staffing model, materials and classroom continuity if any move occurs. Multiple classroom staff warned that splitting a program across buildings or moving materials piecemeal could erode the Montessori model and reduce instructional quality.

District staff replied that transportation for families who currently rely on it would be preserved if a program’s configuration remained the same, and that a published list of projected pre‑K campuses (issued Oct. 31) will inform decisions on where full‑day pre‑K seats can be offered. Staff also said the district will conduct family surveys and gather enrollment data before recommending final assignments to the board.

The meeting ended with staff reiterating that the draft remains under development, additional community input will be collected, and revised recommendations will be forwarded to the school board for consideration later in the week.