- The Austin Independent School District board has voted to close Metz, Pease, Sims, and Brooke elementary schools at the end of the school year
- Trustees Arati Singh, Ann Teich and LaTisha Anderson voted against the closures but the board passed the closures with a 6-3 vote
- Here is where students from the schools will go in the next school year:
- Metz students will attend Sanchez Elementary
- Sims students will attend Norman Elementary
- Pease students will attend Zavala Elementary which will operate as a separate school within the building
- Depending on which side of Lady Bird Lake they live on, Brooke students will attend either Govalle or Linder elementary schools
- The AISD board referred to declining enrollment and poor facilities as reasons for the closures
- However, AISD’s Equity Officer, Dr. Stephanie Hawley, referred to the move as ’21st century racism‘ as three of the four schools are in east Austin
- AISD says the plan will allow it to save $3.78 million
- AISD released a plan in September that called for 12 schools to close but then decided to focus on these first four closures to not close all 12 at once
- Although these four schools are set to close, the remaining eight schools are still under consideration for closure
- Conversations from the community on closures are expected to resume in January
More information:
https://www.kxan.com/top-stories/austin-isd-board-votes-to-close-four-el…
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