Austin Independent School District officials presented a draft consolidation and student‑reassignment plan at a community forum in East Austin that would move many students from Widen Elementary into José Rodríguez Elementary and Houston Elementary as part of transformation steps the district says are needed under state accountability rules.

District leaders framed the plan as a response to decades of unequal resource distribution, new state accountability ratings and budget pressures. “Nuestra meta como distrito escolar es asegurar que todo cada estudiante tenga lo que necesita para tener éxito,” the superintendent said, emphasizing the goal of aligning feeder patterns and concentrating supports where they can be most effective.

Why it matters: District staff said the plan aims to reduce fragmented feeder patterns so students generally move from a primary to one or two secondary campuses rather than multiple high schools, to relocate dual‑language and emergent bilingual programs nearer to the students they serve, and to concentrate scarce resources (additional counselors, instructional coaches, special‑education staff) on campuses under a TEA transformation plan.

Details presented: Cristina, the district’s director of operations, described proposed attendance‑zone adjustments that would split Widen’s zone so that a majority of students would be reassigned to José Rodríguez and a portion to Houston. The district will publish an online lookup tool so families can see the school assignment for a given address, staff said. Officials also said campuses placed in transformation will receive additional resources and will be responsible for implementing a two‑year (typical) transformation plan while the district continues to pursue other options such as restarts or partnerships where feasible.

State timeline and legal context: Staff cited requirements from the Texas Education Agency governing transformation plans when campuses receive multiple consecutive “unacceptable” accountability ratings (the community comment referenced “39.04” of the Texas education code). Officials warned that if the district does not submit acceptable plans within the TEA timelines, the state could take more direct action, including replacing local governance.

Community concerns: The forum was dominated by parents, classroom teachers and community members who urged the district to keep Widen open and raised several recurring issues:

- Special education continuity: multiple parents and a classroom teacher said reassigning students with IEPs raises risks of lost services, missed evaluations and difficult transitions. District special‑education leadership said teams meet daily to plan placements and that services will be assigned based on individual student needs, but parents sought concrete, case‑level assurances.

- Community anchors and wraparound services: speakers warned that Widen serves as a neighborhood hub—hosting a community library, a recreation center and early‑childhood services—and asked the district to preserve those functions in any consolidation.

- Staffing and familiarity: parents and teachers asked whether familiar staff could follow students to their new campuses so children retain known adults; district staff said they will try to allow staff to move where practical and will hold hiring fairs to place displaced educators across the district.

- Pace and transparency: many speakers faulted the district for the timing and speed of changes, saying community engagement should have begun earlier and asking for more concrete, local plans before a final vote.

Budget and property questions: Residents asked whether recent or planned property sales could instead fund continued operation of under‑enrolled schools. District leaders said one‑time property revenue provides short relief but cannot solve recurring operating shortfalls in a roughly $1 billion budget; they also said selling or repurposing property would not cover long‑term staffing and program needs.

Timeline and next steps: Staff said comments submitted via the QR code close tonight, that a revised draft of the proposal will be posted Friday, and that the board will consider the plan at meetings before a scheduled final vote on 2025‑11‑20.

What was not decided: The meeting was informational and did not include a board vote or final decisions. District staff described administrative authority to appoint principals and to implement consolidations consistent with the adopted policy and state requirements, but the board vote will determine final approval.

Community reaction: The meeting featured sustained, emotional public comment urging the district to preserve Widen. “Por favor, mantenga Widen abierta,” several parents and teachers pleaded. District leaders thanked commenters and said they will continue community engagement as they refine the draft before the board’s vote.