""We've already lived through the painful impact of past closures, consolidations and modernizations, disruptions that left deep scars on our families, students and staff," she said. "Please, do not reassign our students again. Do not implement these boundary changes.""
""I've heard over and over again that this is a plan that is going to fire staff; that is not the case," he said."
Parents, staff and community members voiced strong concerns about Austin Independent School District's consolidation plan at a public school board meeting. The plan proposes closing 13 campuses, redrawing attendance boundaries, and changing which schools offer dual-language programs. District officials say the plan aims to save $25 million amid a $19.7 million budget deficit and to prevent state intervention after repeated low Texas Education Agency ratings. Parents raised worries about academic and social continuity, layoffs, and impacts on low-income and emerging bilingual students. Some families presented alternative budgets, enrollment data and neighborhood-centered proposals. District leaders stated the plan does not include layoffs, but many community members said the plan damaged trust.
Read at Austin Monitor
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