Petition to trigger AISD school closures appears to have enough signatures: Austin Mayor Kirk Watson

AUSTIN, Texas - Mayor Kirk Watson says it appears that enough signatures have been collected to trigger the closure of Webb and Burnet Middle Schools to prevent a state takeover of the district.

Petition to close 2 Austin ISD campuses

The backstory:

The two schools received five consecutive "F" ratings from the Texas Education Agency.

There are essentially three options from here. The state could replace the school board or close the campuses. A third option is for parents to petition the State Education Commissioner to close the schools.

If more than 50 percent of parents at each campus sign, the commissioner would accept it, and the district has to submit an improvement plan, which the commissioner still has the final say on. 

Advocates for the petition say it gives parents more of a voice in the future of their schools. However, a Burnet parent told FOX 7 recently she doesn't think people like the mayor should be pushing for parents to petition their schools to close.

Webb PTA posted on Facebook saying parents were being asked to sign the petition without fully understanding it, that petitions were being handed to kids, and that some parents want to redact their signatures. 

The petition deadline was Oct. 15. 

What they're saying:

Austin Mayork Kirk Watson

Mayor Kirk Watson released the following statement:

"Texas law gives the parents at Webb and Burnet Middle Schools a powerful voice in what happens to their children. Over the past few weeks, those parents used that power, acted, and made their voices heard through the statutory petition process. It’s clear that they want the best for their children. They want their concerns heard. And they want Austin ISD to understand the seriousness of this situation and have a real plan to create positive change.

The petition process will not be final until the "Fall Enrollment Snapshot", which is captured on October 30. However, it appears that enough signatures have been collected to trigger closure of Webb and Burnet and prevent the appointment of a board of managers, or what is sometimes called a "takeover" of the district. 

The Webb and Burnet parents have spoken. They’ve been put in a painful and difficult position. They see, feel, and live with past failures, including with accountability and trust. The results of this petition effort, by itself, will not fix that. But it gives parents and their children an opportunity to have a say in what kind of future they want and deserve. I have confidence in Superintendent Matias Segura to hear these parents and act positively.

I’m very thankful to all of the Webb and Burnet parents regardless of whether they signed the petitions. I’m also grateful for the people and community, including volunteers, who helped with the process and who supported the parents, including the ACPTA. I also appreciate Superintendent Segura’s leadership.

The Commissioner of Education still has authority to act related to Austin ISD, even with these petition results. But we are at a new, important, point in the ongoing improvement of Austin ISD. As I’ve said before, accountability isn't just about imposing consequences. It's about producing results. And when those results show improvement, accountability should recognize that, too.

Undeniable improvement is occurring in Austin ISD.

I look forward to working with AISD leadership and the Commissioner. 

We all have a single goal: to assure the best opportunities possible for Austin’s children."

Austin ISD responds

Austin ISD released the following statement:

"Austin ISD leaders have received petitions submitted by families at Burnet and Webb middle schools, in alignment with the Texas Education Agency parent petition process. While the petition deadline was Oct. 15, the petitions must be validated by the superintendent based on the campus enrollment on the state-wide enrollment snapshot date on Oct. 30. Austin ISD leaders will begin this validation process of the petitions once our enrollment snapshot is finalized and submit the results to TEA by Dec. 1. 
Every day with our students and families is an opportunity for growth and improving student outcomes. The petition process created an invaluable opportunity to continue conversations on the needs of our students, families and staff and we plan to maintain our engagement with the Burnet and Webb communities throughout the year."

TEA responds

The TEA released the following statement:

"2026 A-F Accountability ratings are not yet final, and Austin ISD has submitted an appeal for the ratings of Burnet and Webb Middle Schools. Any statutes that mandate state intervention to support student learning in Austin ISD have not yet been reached."