Austin ISD outlines possible TEA §1882 turnaround application for Burnet, Dobie and Webb; board weighing a Jan. 29 vote
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Summary
Superintendent Segarra updated trustees on middle-of-year growth at three turnaround campuses and described the district's timeline and options for submitting a Texas Education Agency §1882 partnership application, noting benefits, TEA response timelines and trade-offs between earlier and later board action.
Superintendent Matias Segarra told trustees the district is evaluating potential external partners for turnaround work at Burnet, Dobie and Webb and is preparing timelines for a possible board vote on an application for Texas Education Agency §1882 benefits.
Segarra said the district began a procurement process in September, received applications from potential operators in November and December, and has been reviewing cohort- and campus-level MAP growth and other mid-year data. Citing independent analysis from a technical partner, staff reported double-digit gains in reading and math at some grades and campuses but emphasized limitations in projecting final accountability ratings before spring growth is known.
The superintendent outlined deadlines: a priority window around Jan. 30 and a final submission deadline of March 31, with agency responses allowed up to 60 days. "If an §1882 benefits application is ultimately not approved and the school receives its fifth unacceptable accountability rating, the commissioner shall order the closure of the school or install a board of managers," Segarra said. He added that if approved, §1882 benefits provide a two-year pause on accountability interventions.
Trustees asked how soon the administration would make a public recommendation and whether the board should schedule a preview meeting for community input before a Jan. 29 vote. Segarra said the administration would aim to notify the district and board in advance if it planned to target the Jan. 31/Jan. 30 window and said the administration would communicate with principals and staff prior to any district-wide announcement. He said earlier board action increases flexibility to resubmit if TEA asks for changes, while voting later reduces the ability to refile before the agency's final deadline.
Trustees also pressed whether partners must replace campus staff. Segarra said models vary: some operators replace staff; others work additively with existing staff. He said district rules and the RFP permitted a range of partnership models and that the administration is prioritizing partners that could be leveraged to sustain gains seen this fall.
No vote occurred at the information session. Trustees agreed to consider a short, public preview session if calendar posting timelines permit and to ask staff to prepare a recommendation and districtwide communications if a January submission remains viable.
