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Austin ISD board approves reassignment of Paredes students to Mendez and Bailey
Summary
The Austin ISD board voted 7–2 on July 30 to modify the Paredes Middle School turnaround plan and reassign Paredes students to Bailey and Mendez, after trustees and community members raised concerns about staffing, capacity and the timing of the decision.
The Austin Independent School District board voted 7–2 on July 30 to approve a superintendent-recommended modification to the Paredes Middle School turnaround plan that will reassign Paredes students to Bailey and Mendez beginning with the 2026–27 school year.
Superintendent Matias Segura told trustees he recommended the reassignment after reviewing student-level MAP and STAR data, staffing levels and the district’s ability to implement the existing turnaround plan with fidelity. "I am recommending that, Paredes Middle School, the students there, be reassigned to both Mendez and Bailey," Segura said during his presentation. He said Paredes had more campus vacancies than any other school in Austin ISD this summer and that moving staff and students into already established systems would better position students for accelerated growth.
Segura presented staffing transition numbers for the campus: 63 total staff positions were considered, with 28 staff (about 44%) slated to transition to Bailey, 24 (about 38%) to Mendez, and roughly 11 (about 18%) to other campuses; he said stipends for teachers who move will be protected. He described transportation as consistent with district policy — bus service for students who live more than two miles from their assigned middle school or across designated hazardous intersections — and said hub locations and registration dates would be released August 3.
Trustees who opposed the change criticized the timing and urged more transparency. Trustee comments during the discussion ranged from support for acting early to prevent a state takeover to calls for a public dashboard tracking at-risk campuses and monthly vacancy data. Chair announced the motion to approve the plan and noted the motion passed with seven trustees in favor and two opposed, naming Trustees DeRuyolce and Quintana as the dissenters.
The board asked the administration for frequent updates during implementation. The superintendent said notification letters to affected families would go out immediately if the board’s vote was supported and that the district would continue central support for scheduling, special-education services and counseling as students transition.
