A state takeover would hand Austin ISD to unelected officials, putting our children, teachers, and neighborhood schools at risk.
Three Austin ISD schools (Burnet, Dobie, and Webb) have received failing ratings for four consecutive years. The state rejected the district’s proposal to give the schools extra time to improve. If any one of these schools receives another failing grade, it could trigger a state takeover.
The state takeover could be announced as early as August 2026.
The takeover could start as early as September 2026.
Texas has underfunded its public schools for years, and Austin ISD's students are paying the price. A state takeover doesn't fix that, it just takes away our voice.
A state takeover replaces a district's locally elected school board with a state-appointed board of managers and installs a new superintendent. This strips the community of local control, allowing the state to make sweeping, controversial changes to curriculum, staffing, and daily operations.
Lessons from the Houston ISD state takeover
In Houston ISD, 130 out of 274 campuses were converted to New Education System (NES) schools. Here are some of the changes that were implemented in those schools.
Teachers must follow a script and use AI-generated, error-ridden district slideshows. Students take a timed 10 minute test every day in four classes at the end of each teacher presentation.
Source: Houston LandingStudents who require special education services are not receiving accommodations and support due to the new curriculum’s time constraints.
Source: Houston LandingTo boost STAAR scores, the district kept high-achieving 8th graders out of Algebra I and placed them into lower-level math instead.
Source: Texas Monthly130 schools had their librarians and libraries eliminated and turned into Zoom Discipline Centers.
Source: NBC News8,000 teachers have been forced out of HISD in the first two years alone and the number of uncertified teachers has gone up from 1% to nearly 20%.
Source: ABC13Some schools are no longer allowing classroom decorations, social emotional learning, coloring for young children, or even first day get-to-know-you activities.
Source: Houston LandingAnd it doesn't stop at the NES campuses. Even the schools that weren't converted to the New Education System are seeing many of the same practices and pressures spread across the district.
Source: Houston LandingA decision could come within months. If we can build a base of parents, teachers, and neighbors who are informed and connected, we can be ready to fight back against the possible changes coming.
Here are some examples of how organized Houston parents were able to fight back successfully.
When the district cut recess at NES schools, parents emailed and called the board of managers in force. The public pressure and press coverage led to schedule changes that restored recess for their children.
Source: NBC NewsWhen the district moved to fire nearly half its principals using flawed screenings, parents and educators fought back. They filled a board meeting, raised legal objections, and the district dropped the plan.
Source: Houston LandingWhen the district moved to clear out school libraries, parents organized, packed board meetings, and chanted "libraries in every school." After the public pressure and press coverage, the district agreed to keep books in those spaces.
Source: KHOUPublic education is not only a public good, it is a public responsibility. Protecting public education is directly linked to the health and wellbeing of our children and the future of our city.
Because we know what has happened in Houston, we have a major advantage. Instead of reacting, we can start building the relationships, resources, and organizing power before a takeover happens.