The Texas Education Agency (TEA) announced on Oct. 26 that it is reviewing a formal complaint filed by the Webb Middle School PTA concerning the collection of signatures for petitions to close Burnet and Webb middle schools. The petitions, if validated, would force TEA Commissioner Mike Morath to order the campuses’ closures under state guidance, or consider alternative interventions such as a conservator or a board of managers.
Background on the petitions
Both Burnet and Webb received a fifth consecutive failing rating on Aug. 14, a status that obligates the commissioner to either close the schools or replace the elected district board, according to earlier reporting by Community Impact. Parents had until Oct. 15 to submit petitions, and initial counts indicated that signatures from more than half of the enrolled students at each school were collected, meeting the threshold set by TEA’s petition guidance, which uses Oct. 30 enrollment figures.
PTA’s concerns
The Webb Middle School PTA alleges that the petition effort was not initiated by Webb parents and that outside individuals pressured families to sign without fully understanding the implications. The complaint, signed by PTA President Vanessa Gámez and communications representative Valeria Gonzales, asks TEA to identify who organized the signature drive and to review the legitimacy of the signatures. The PTA also raised privacy concerns, claiming that families’ personal information may have been shared with parties outside Austin ISD.
TEA’s review process
TEA officials said the agency reviews each complaint “to determine what next steps, if any, are necessary,” but did not specify whether the review will affect the Dec. 1 deadline for AISD to validate and submit the petitions. If the petitions are deemed valid, Commissioner Morath must order the closures, though the agency retains authority to impose other measures such as appointing a conservator or a board of managers.
District response
Austin ISD Superintendent Matias Segura emphasized that the district’s leadership remains focused on maintaining instructional continuity at Burnet and Webb. The district will review the signature collection process as part of its validation effort. AISD’s communications director, Cristina Nguyen, explained that directory information is shared with parent‑teacher associations under a standing partnership and that families can opt‑in to share contact details during enrollment. The district maintains that volunteers and staff worked on petition outreach outside of contract hours and that no teachers were directed to distribute petitions.
Political context
Mayor Kirk Watson, who opposes a state takeover, wrote in a Sept. 9 newsletter that a majority of parent signatures would require Morath to close the campuses rather than replace the elected board. He later clarified that the commissioner retains authority to intervene in other ways, distinguishing between a monitor or conservator (which leave the elected board intact) and a board of managers (which replaces it). Watson stressed that “state oversight isn’t the same thing as state control.”
What’s next
The next regular AISD board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Oct. 29. A family‑engagement plan for Burnet and Webb will begin the first week of November. TEA is expected to issue a response to AISD’s rating appeals around Dec. 10, one day before final ratings are released. The district may request a different action from the commissioner by Dec. 15, and if closure is ordered, AISD must submit a transition plan by Jan. 30, with Morath issuing a final order by Feb. 15.
Original reporting: Community Impact — Austin — read the source article.
