Austin ISD votes on school fixes as budget cuts loom

Austin ISD trustees approved improvement plans for struggling schools on Oct. 29. The board also reviewed early options to cut at least $60 million from the 2027-28 budget. These proposals include reductions to arts and physical education staffing.

The board approved six turnaround plans, four targeted improvement plans, and 16 local improvement plans. District staff said these documents are due to the Texas Education Agency by the end of November. Families can track progress on a public dashboard launched on Sept. 15. This tool monitors academic and staffing data at schools with low state ratings.

Trustees Arati Singh and Candace Hunter raised concerns about parent involvement. Singh noted that her review of several plans found parents mentioned only in meeting notices. District officials agreed to write parent engagement into the campus improvement plans before the vote. The TEA template currently lacks a specific section for this input. Hunter stated that parents are the district's best partner and must be invited in.

Chief Financial Officer Katrina Montgomery said payroll accounts for 89.9% of the district's budget. This figure is higher than the national average of 81% to 83%. Superintendent Matias Segura presented options that include cutting turnaround funding by up to $3 million. He also proposed revisiting stipends and expanding previous staffing cuts in music, art, and physical education.

The district projects a $39 million surplus for the current year. This amount is up from the $19 million originally budgeted. The increase is largely due to the $16 million sale of the former Brooke Elementary site. Reserves would end the year at 13.77%, which is below the 15% minimum required by board policy. Montgomery said reaching the 15% target would require about $10 million in additional cuts.

Trustees unanimously approved 2027-28 boundary changes for Marshall Middle School. The school will receive its first attendance zone, drawing students from Blanton, Harris, Jordan, and Overton elementary schools. Part of Linder Elementary's zone will move to Travis Heights Elementary. These changes mark the first phase of the district's boundary realignment.

Board President Lynn Boswell said trustees will continue the discussion on the $10 million gap at a Nov. 5 information session. The next voting meeting is scheduled for Nov. 12.