Austin Mayor Kirk Watson released a proposal Wednesday urging parents to use a little‑known provision in the Texas Education Code to prevent a state takeover of the Austin Independent School District (AISD). The plan centers on closing two chronically‑failing middle schools—Webb and Burnet—through a parent‑petition rather than surrendering the entire district to the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
How the petition would work
Under the state rule cited by Watson, if a majority of parents at a failing school sign a petition requesting closure, the Education Commissioner must act on that request instead of imposing a district‑wide takeover. To qualify, the petition must be signed by parents of more than half of the enrolled students at each school and submitted to AISD Superintendent Matias Segura for validation by October 15. Segura would then forward the validated petition to Education Commissioner Mike Morath by December 1, at which point Morath would be obligated by law to order the schools’ closure.
If the AISD board of trustees submits a written objection to the commissioner, Morath could choose to side with the board, but the mayor’s plan assumes the petition route would be the most direct path to keeping local control.
Background on the failing schools
Both Webb and Burnet middle schools received preliminary “fifth‑level” failing accountability ratings from the TEA for the 2025‑26 school year, triggering possible state intervention. AISD has until September 11 to appeal the preliminary ratings. If the ratings become final, state law mandates intervention, which could range from closing the schools to appointing a board of managers to replace the elected school board.
Earlier this year, the TEA rejected AISD’s own plan to avoid a takeover by handing control of three failing schools to an external operator. Watson told the Austin Current he remains optimistic that a takeover is not the only option and is in frequent talks with district leaders about alternatives.
Mayor’s vision for the closed schools
Watson said that if the state does take over, the closure could extend beyond Webb and Burnet to other district campuses. He expressed confidence that Superintendent Segura and the board could repurpose the $158 million building currently under construction at the Burnet site to serve the communities of the closed schools.
Progress and community response
In his statement, Watson highlighted AISD’s recent rise to a “B” overall rating—the highest in years—and a 42 % increase in A and B‑rated campuses since 2024, framing these improvements as evidence of the district’s upward trajectory.
Watson urged parents to act, saying, “Texas law gives the parents at Webb and Burnet a powerful voice. That gives this community a path to act instead of simply waiting for something to happen to us.”
Next steps
The petition deadline is October 15, with the final submission to the commissioner due by December 1. AISD and the TEA have not commented on the mayor’s proposal at the time of publication. Austin ISD spokesperson Cristina Nguyen confirmed that district leaders maintain regular communication with city officials to stay informed about developments.
Original reporting: Texas Tribune (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
