TEA is reviewing the Webb petition complaint as Austin ISD weighs outside operators for three more schools

The fight over a possible state takeover of Austin ISD moved on several fronts this week.

The Texas Education Agency told Community Impact on Oct. 26 that it is reviewing a complaint from the Webb Middle School PTA about how signatures were gathered on parent petitions to close Burnet and Webb middle schools. TEA did not say whether the review could affect the district's Dec. 1 deadline to send the petitions to the state.

Separately, the district is exploring outside operators for three more struggling campuses: Dobie Middle School and Linder and Pecan Springs elementary schools, Community Impact reported.

Residents should care because the stakes reach well past two schools. State law gives the education commissioner two choices after a fifth straight failing rating: close the campus or replace the elected school board with a state-appointed one.

The petitions

• Burnet and Webb each received a fifth straight F on Aug. 14. The district has appealed both ratings.
• Mayor Kirk Watson proposed in September that parents use a little-used state process, the parent petition, to ask the commissioner to close the two schools instead of taking over the district. Our earlier story covers how that began.
• Superintendent Matias Segura wrote on Oct. 19 that initial counts at both schools exceeded the required majority of currently enrolled students. Neither the district nor the PTA council has released totals. The threshold is measured against Oct. 30 enrollment, so signatures tied to students who leave before then do not count, Community Impact reported.
• The Webb PTA's complaint alleges that outside individuals pressured some families to sign without understanding the petition, and asks TEA to examine how families' contact information was used. These are allegations; TEA has not announced findings. The district says it will review how signatures were collected during validation.
• Watson's Oct. 22 newsletter said the commissioner keeps other powers that "could be significant," including a monitor or conservator, according to Community Impact.

The dispute has also split parent groups. At a meeting this week, the Austin Council of PTAs voted to delete social media posts that included the Webb PTA's complaint, the Austin Current reported.

Three more schools

Under a state law known as SB 1882, a nonprofit, charter operator or university can run a struggling campus. The district gets extra state money and a two-year pause on state intervention. According to Community Impact:

• Dobie earned a D this year after four straight F's. Linder and Pecan Springs each received a fourth straight F.
• The district tried this approach for Burnet, Dobie and Webb in March, but TEA denied the benefits in May, saying the nonprofit partner lacked a track record. That partnership ended in July.
• Feedback meetings were held at Linder and Dobie this week, and a virtual session for all three communities is set for 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. Any partnership needs trustee approval and TEA sign-off.

What our records add

The council has no vote on closures or takeovers. Those are decided by the state and the district. A search of our council and committee transcripts found no discussion of the Webb and Burnet petitions at the dais.

The council has acted on closed schools. On March 26, the council approved a resolution directing the city manager to explore partnerships with school districts to reuse closed campuses and to develop a land policy to keep public sites in community use. Council Members Vanessa Fuentes, Natasha Harper-Madison, Ryan Alter and Mike Siegel sponsored it. The tally was 6-2: Council Member José Velásquez and Mayor Watson voted no, Council Members José "Chito" Vela and Krista Laine were recorded with neither a yes nor a no vote, and Harper-Madison was absent.

City-district agreements keep passing without dissent. In August the council approved an emergency public health services agreement with AISD and a student transportation amendment, both 11-0. On Nov. 5 it takes up item 21, a five-year Literacy First tutoring agreement.

What's next

• First week of November: A family engagement plan for Burnet and Webb begins, according to the district timeline reported by Community Impact.
• Dec. 1: AISD must validate the petitions and send them to TEA.
• Around Dec. 10: The district expects a response to its ratings appeals.
• Dec. 15: The school board can ask the commissioner for a different action.
• Feb. 15: The commissioner would issue an order if closure is requested.