Future of East Austin elementary school has community on high alert

Members of the East Austin community are protesting in an effort to keep Zavala Elementary School untouched.

The Austin Independent School District is spending $25 million to modernize Sanchez Elementary and it is giving Zavala and Metz schools more than $500,000 in upgrades.

But some in the community feel Zavala was purposely passed over for millions of dollars and they think the school is threatened to close down. Parents, former students and members of the Zavala community gathered outside the school Monday to express their concerns.

“Even if they haven't made that final decision, that's not a chance we want to take." said former student Kobie Hernandez. "We want to make sure that they hear our voices and say we don't want to be closed. So even if you haven't decided, don't even think about us. Just leave us alone and leave our school open."

This plan is all part of the 2017 bond which called for modernization and investment into Austin area schools. Austin ISD says nothing is set in stone and the decision on closure would not happen until 2020.