Austin ISD Faces Backlash Over School Closures and Rezonings

URGENT UPDATE: The Austin Independent School District (AISD) is facing intense backlash from parents as it moves forward with plans to close schools and redraw attendance zone lines. This controversial decision affects thousands of families, forcing their children into different schools, and has ignited a wave of anger in the community.

Parents are expressing their outrage online. “We were formerly Zilker and now proposed to be rezoned to Galindo Elementary,” one parent lamented on Reddit. “I can’t find anything about Galindo other than poor ratings.” Zilker Elementary boasts a remarkable 92% reading proficiency rate, while Galindo Elementary lags significantly at only 59%. Families who chose to buy homes based on school quality now feel betrayed.

The situation becomes even more troubling as Barrington Elementary prepares to close. Some students will be reassigned to high-performing Guerrero Thompson, where 76% of kids are reading proficiently. However, others living closer to Guerrero Thompson will instead be sent to Wooldridge Elementary, which has a dismal 42% proficiency rate. This stark contrast highlights the inequities in the current system and the emotional toll it takes on families.

This issue resonates beyond Austin, as it reflects a nationwide trend where school closures and rezoning expose the harsh realities of public education. Parents are now grappling with a system that seemingly sorts children into “winners and losers” based solely on their home address.

Many are calling for a change. Drawing inspiration from New Orleans’ post-Hurricane Katrina education reform, which abolished school assignments and attendance zones, advocates argue that Austin could implement a similar model. In New Orleans, families can apply to any school in the district, and performance metrics have improved significantly.

Tim DeRoche, founder of Available to All, a nonpartisan watchdog group, argues, “Austin ISD should consider abolishing student assignment maps in favor of a more equitable system.” Parents are demanding solutions that offer every child a fair chance of enrolling in nearby high-quality schools.

The situation highlights a troubling parallel to the era of redlining in the United States. Neighborhoods once designated as “hazardous” now dictate school attendance zones, perpetuating cycles of inequality. For instance, Maplewood Elementary, an A-rated school with 85% reading proficiency, serves students living north of Manor Road. Those south of this arbitrary boundary are assigned to Campbell Elementary, a D-rated school where 78% of students read proficiently.

As parents voice their concerns, the AISD board faces mounting pressure to reevaluate its approach. The community is calling for transparency and fairness in the rezoning process, urging the district to prioritize student success over outdated zoning laws.

Parents are reminded that school quality should not be determined by where they live. The urgent need for reform in the AISD is clear, and families are eager to see change that ensures equal access to quality education for all children. As discussions continue, the community remains on high alert, advocating for a more inclusive and equitable school system.

Stay tuned for updates as this urgent situation develops.