Austin ISD board approves process to close some schools by August 2020

The Austin Independent School District’s board of trustees voted unanimously Monday to move forward with a plan for closing and consolidating schools.

The decision to close schools comes as the district continues to face declining enrollment. Demographic reports show enrollment will continue to drop, so the district says it is financially irresponsible to keep all its schools open.

The board’s vote allows the administration to start creating a list of possible consolidations and closures. The district will use multiple criteria, such as a school’s enrollment, its age and what programs it offers, to make its determination.

The district says by closing schools it will be able to invest money in renovating buildings, adding new programs and improving technology.

AISD did not cite the specific number of schools it will close. Now that the board has approved the process, district officials will create different scenarios for consolidations and closures for the board to vote on.

The district wants the board to announce the names of possible school closures this August and wants all closings, consolidations and renovations to be completed by August 2020.

This story was produced as part of the Austin Monitor’s reporting partnership with KUT. Photo by Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon/KUT.

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