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Dozens of Austin ISD parents, students, and teachers gathered Tuesday at the Texas Education Agency headquarters, demanding more time and input on the state-mandated turnaround plans for Dobie, Webb, and Burnet Middle Schools .
The demonstration, organized by ATX United for Public Schools, included chants in both English and Spanish and concluded with a march into the building where protesters hand-delivered a letter addressed to Commissioner Mike Morath.“These plans must be shaped with — not for — our communities.” Under state law and consecutive “F” ratings, AISD must submit detailed turnaround plans by June 30 or risk TEA intervention, including possible staffing replacement or external management. Initially given a few weeks, the deadline was extended, but critics say the compressed timeframe has led to rushed conclusions. “The district says their hands are tied by TEA, but their actions don’t reflect that they value us,” said Cecilia Leonard, a Webb Middle School teacher.Daily blocks of math and reading interventionTeachers say many of these measures are things they’ve voiced for years, but they're concerned that rushed implementation might undercut the schools' existing staff and culture."We have all been asking for years, and we would love to get the training. We would love to get this support, we've been begging for those things, and now they're going to do it with transformative people, and it's probably not going to work," said Leonard. AISD released a statement to CBS Austin emphasizing it has held multiple public meetings to gather stakeholder feedback and is still incorporating input: "We’re aware of the letter delivered to the Texas Education Agency by Austin ISD parents. While this process has been quick, we have taken the time to hear from affected families and staff to ensure their voices are reflected in the turnaround plans within the TEA guidelines." "The plans are available for review on our School Improvement website, and our Board of Trustees will host a Public Hearing on June 26 before its vote on the plans to further hear community input. We understand these are difficult changes and are committed to supporting our students, families, and staff through this." “We want our staff and our students to know that we value them,” said Superintendent MatíasSegura. “We see them.” Dobie, Webb, and Burnet serve predominantly low-income, majority-Hispanic student populations. Community groups warn that feeling cut out of the process may erode trust, even if the academic goals are important. “We want public schools. It’s our right to quality education,” said student GaelQuezada, who joined the protest. The district delayed a scheduled June 12 board vote on the turnaround measures until June 26, placing it just days before the final June 30 TEA submission deadline. Once submitted, TEA will decide if the plans are acceptable or if further action is needed.
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