The Austin Independent School District released its final version of a school consolidation plan Friday. Ten schools are still slated to close before next year, but the district did make changes to programming and student reassignments.
The campuses on the list include eight elementary schools — Barrington, Becker, Dawson, Oak Springs, Ridgetop, Sunset Valley, Widén and Winn Montessori — as well as Bedichek and Martin middle schools.
As previously announced, Maplewood, Bryker Woods and Palm elementary schools, which were slated to close under the original plan, will stay open.
Superintendent Matias Segura said this version of the plan reassigns 3,796 students and eliminates 6,319 empty seats from the district that has faced declining enrollment over the past decade. The plan is expected to generate more than $20 million in immediate gross savings.
The final version of the plan is available in a document shared by the district.
The board of trustees will vote on the plan, as well as turnaround plans for two dozen schools, on Nov. 20. The plan will go into effect before the 2026-27 school year.
Under the revised plan, all students at Widén Elementary School will relocate to Rodriguez Elementary. Superintendent Matias Segura said the change was made after board members raised concerns about students from failing schools transferring to another failing school. The original plan split Widén Elementary's student population between Rodriguez and Houston Elementary, which has received an ‘F’ accountability rating in the latest state report.
Parents in the district have raised concerns about the availability of dual language programs. The final plan will see Reilly Elementary’s school-wide dual language program close, though the school will remain open. Students previously enrolled in that program will be given priority transfers to other dual language campuses, district officials said.
Austin ISD did not make a decision on how to move forward with Oak Springs and Blackshear Elementary.
Under consideration is a plan that would allow construction to continue at Oak Springs. The school is scheduled to undergo a $47.6 million renovation with money from voter-approved 2022 bond.
District officials have proposed moving Oak Springs students to Blackshear Elementary before the 2026-27 school year. Once construction is complete, students from both schools would return to the renovated Oak Springs campus. Blackshear would then likely be closed.
This is a developing story.
