Austin ISD is beginning the process of school consolidation — combining some campuses to ensure every student learns in a well-resourced, fully staffed school with strong programs and support.
For the past six years, school funding from the state has remained flat while costs have continued to rise. At the same time, enrollment has steadily declined — a trend seen across Texas and the nation. Today, we have about 25,000 empty seats across our schools. This puts a strain on resources, leading to under-resourced campuses and fewer opportunities for our students. The consolidation process will allow us to preserve the educational experience and avoid making deeper budget cuts that would impact our students and schools.
While planning begins now, no changes will be made until the 2026–27 school year. Right now, we’re laying the groundwork by:
- Developing priorities with the board of trustees
- Creating a transparent tool to evaluate school consolidations
- Evaluating our boundaries and transfer policies
- Gathering input from families, staff and community members to guide our next steps
This won’t be easy — but we’re committed to doing it with care, with transparency, and with our community.
This is about more than budgets or buildings. It’s about ensuring every student in Austin ISD has access to a high-quality education. And when we get it right, we’ll build a stronger Austin ISD, together. For more information about school consolidations, please visit our FAQs.