East Austin community seeks alternative to Austin ISD's school closures

AUSTIN, Texas - The future of several Austin ISD schools remains uncertain as the district is forced to make some difficult decisions.

Community members are now airing their frustrations.

East Austin community members rally

What they're saying:

A small East Austin community gathering was held to discuss next steps outside of Martin Middle School on Tuesday evening. 

Martin Middle School is one of the 13 schools that Austin ISD put on notice with its rough draft plan for closures. 

"This is the only Mexican-American school left in East Austin," said Marcos DeLeon. "We don't have a high school anymore. This is a middle school. It needs to be here for historical reasons." 

"We are asking that the district postpone that vote," said Bertha Rendon-Delgado. "We are not ready to have our school close." 

"I think that they have to be creative to raise money, find where they can raise money," said DeLeon. "Be creative and boost the academic standards here at this middle school as well. That can be done. Easy, can be done." 

Austin ISD faces a more than $19.7 million shortfall and the possibility of the TEA taking over if it does not get a grip on things. While nothing has been finalized yet, people are worried. 

The campus has received an "F" rating for the past three consecutive years from the TEA, meaning it has repeatedly failed to meet state standards. 

"Bring Martin back to its standards and that we, together as a community, as a district, as TEA, all try our best," said Rendon-Delgado. 

In October 2019, Martin MS was named among at least a dozen other campuses on the chopping block by Austin ISD. The school got a failing score that year, too. 

"My parents went here, our aunts and our uncles went here," said Rendon-Delgado. "I went here, our children went here, and our grandchildren are going here. We don't understand how the district would have made that decision."