Austin ISD board votes to close Paredes Middle School
AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin ISD board of trustees voted to close Paredes Middle School weeks before the start of the upcoming school year.
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Austin ISD community express concerns about proposal to close Paredes Middle School
Just weeks before the start of the new school year, Austin ISD parents, students and staff are grappling with a proposal to shut down Paredes Middle School.
Proposal to close Paredes Middle School
The backstory:
Austin ISD Superintendent Matias Segura made the announcement proposing the immediate closure of Paredes Middle School right before the start of the year.
The decision was made after the preliminary accountability ratings were released indicating a fourth consecutive 'F' grade for Paredes.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Future uncertain for Paredes Middle School
Just weeks before the start of the new school year, Austin ISD parents, students and staff are grappling with a proposal to shut down Paredes Middle School.
Under Texas law, four straight failing years authorize the Texas Education Agency to mandate a campus shutdown or allow the state to take over the district.
"The campus currently has 3 failing grades, so we do want to highlight that a 4th is a possibility for Paredes, so I think I would be remiss if we didn't acknowledge that publicly," said Lakesha Drinks, AISD chief of staff.
Turnaround plan
Dig deeper:
On Tuesday, the district said Paredes students would move into Bailey or Mendez middle school based on their addresses.
The district shared a 13-page turnaround modification plan. It says the facility will not function as a school for the next year. The property will undergo an evaluation process to determine if it'll be landmarked or repurposed.
About 353 incoming 7th and 8th grade students would have attended Paredes. Roughly 55% would be moved to Bailey Middle School, while the other 45% would attend Mendez Middle School.
Bailey Middle School received a C rating and Mendez received a B last August.
"When we look at where we are specifically at Paredes Middle School, and we think about what is needed to ensure that our students are supported as we start the 2026–27 school year, I felt strongly that the turnaround plan needed to be amended from a restart to a reassignment to both Bailey and Mendez school," said Segura.
While Segura says the closing impacts many, he says the move will allow students to immediately connect through expanded academic programs, fine arts, athletics, and environments equipped to accelerate their growth.
As for the Paredes staff, AISD says every employee will be placed in a position within the district. There will be no layoffs as a result of the decision.
The Source: Information from Austin ISD and previous FOX 7 Austin coverage