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Neighbors urge Austin ISD to remove Becker Elementary from surplus list, cite donation and historic value
Summary
Dozens of callers and in-person speakers asked the Austin ISD board to remove Becker Elementary from a proposed surplus-property list, saying the 1930s-donated school and its green space are neighborhood anchors and should be repurposed with community input rather than sold.
Dozens of neighborhood residents and former students urged the Austin Independent School District board on March 12 to withdraw Becker Elementary from the district's surplus-property list and to work with local associations on future plans.
"I am asking that you please take Becker off of the surplus list and work together with us, the Golden Creek Neighborhood Association," said Katie McKay, a Golden Creek resident and former Becker teacher. "We have amazing resources in our community that help to keep the school open and full for many years." (Katie McKay, public commenter.)
Callers repeatedly cited the school's donation history and neighborhood role: speakers said Herman Becker or his heirs donated the land in the 1930s with the intent it be used for education, described heritage live oaks and a green classroom on the site, and warned that a surplus designation could allow sale to a developer whose plans would not fit the block.
"This property was donated with the sole intent of long-term public education," said one Bridal Creek neighbor. "Declaring this property surplus and selling it to the highest bidder would close the door on all of that." (Par Johnson, recorded caller.)
Speakers asked the board to collaborate with the Bolden/Bridal Creek and Golden Creek neighborhood associations and to consider alternatives such as repurposing the site for community uses or preserving its historic features rather than immediate sale. Several callers noted the school's role as neighborhood green space and expressed concern that the potential revenue from a sale would be a short-term solution to budget pressures that could erode neighborhood assets.
Board staff told the trustees during the preview that the district will hold a Becker community meeting on March 30 and that the administrative repurposing process includes community engagement before any final decisions. Trustees were also reminded that identifying a site as surplus starts an administrative process that can include options other than sale, such as leasing or community-use agreements.
Next steps: community meetings are scheduled and the district said it will publish repurposing information online for public review before any formal board action is taken.
