Austin ISD superintendent details TAP proposals: closures, reassignments and restarts ahead of Nov. 20 board hearing
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Summary
Superintendent Matias Seguro outlined Austin ISD's turnaround plans for multiple campuses, proposing closures and reassignments at several small or low-performing schools and district-managed restarts at others. The board will consider the plans at a Nov. 20 hearing; plans will be submitted that night to the Texas Education Agency.
Matias Seguro, superintendent of Austin ISD, on Thursday outlined the district's turnaround (TAP) plans for dozens of campuses and detailed proposed closures, reassignments and restarts the district plans to submit to the Texas Education Agency. "I'm here to provide a, an update regarding our turnaround plans, that will be submitted for approval, and, ultimately approved on November 20," Seguro said.
Why it matters: The TAPs respond to campuses that have reached two or more unacceptable accountability counts under TEA rules. Seguro said cumulative UAs can trigger more drastic state intervention and warned that on a fifth UA the commissioner "shall" order a school closed or install a board of managers.
What the district proposes: Seguro grouped recommendations by strategy rather than by individual school votes. Major points he announced:
- Closure and reassignment: Barrington Elementary (about 300 students) is proposed for closure with roughly 75% of its students reassigned to Goro Thompson (B-rated) and about 25% to Wooldridge; Barrington's TAP would be assigned to Goro Thompson. Dawson Elementary (158 students) would be consolidated into Galindo Elementary. Oak Springs students would move entirely to Blackshear. Martin Middle students would be reassigned primarily to Keeling, with portions to Lively and Marshall. Woodhane's full student population is proposed to move to Rodriguez.
- Restarts and program-focused restarts: The district recommended district-managed restarts at several campuses, including Linder, Sanchez and Pecan Springs; Seguro said restarts will include additional staffing, stipends and targeted supports while prioritizing neighborhood students at some sites.
- Program relocations and priorities: The plan would relocate Wynn Montessori's Montessori strand to Riley Elementary and reassign roughly 80% of Wynn students to Andrews Elementary and 20% to Pecan Springs. Pickle will keep neighborhood students as first priority and expand program seats for surrounding neighborhoods; AISD budgeted approximately $385,000 for the Pickle program changes.
Resources and supports: Seguro said the district budgets about $1 million per restart TAP to cover staffing, stipends, instructional coaches, prevention specialists and counselors, and will fund family engagement, Communities In Schools partnerships, after-school programming and summer learning options.
District criteria and partnerships: In selecting strategies the district said it consulted Region 13 and the TEA and considered proximity, receiving-campus performance (A/B/C where possible), facility modernization from the 2022 bond program and staffing availability. He emphasized that restart staffing standards apply mainly to administrative and core instructional staff; roles such as custodial, food service, paraprofessionals and many fine-arts positions are not subject to those core-staffing restrictions.
Timeline and next steps: Seguro said the board will hold a public hearing and vote on the TAPs on Nov. 20 and that AISD will submit the turnaround plans to TEA that night. He said the district will continue to post updated versions of the plans online and work with principals on campus-level KPIs to track implementation.
Quote: "We are budgeting about a million dollars, for each of the restarts," Seguro said, describing allocations for coaching, counseling and other supports.
What the district did not decide: Seguro said some long-term questions (for example, the eventual long-term home for a campus or whether to permanently reduce seats) remain unresolved and will be subject to continued community engagement. He repeatedly framed several campus changes as intended to limit student disruption and to align students with higher-performing receiving schools where capacity allows.
Outlook: The board hearing and vote on Nov. 20 will determine the district's formal submissions to TEA. Seguro said the TAPs include elements beyond the TEA template and that AISD will continue refining plans with community and principal input.