CivicIn7 Austin | Monday, November 25, 2025
TL;DR (Quick Scan)
AISD closures approved: Trustees voted to close 10 campuses and adopt 24 turnaround plans, affecting 3,796 students and eliminating 6,319 inefficient empty seats — about 20% of districtwide capacity.
City budget reset: Council removed >$95M from the August Prop-Q-assumption budget, trimming expansions while avoiding additional tax increases.
MD Anderson site reconsidered: UT Regents are re-evaluating whether the Austin cancer center belongs downtown or at an alternate site.
Supreme Court map ruling: Texas’ new congressional map is temporarily restored while the Court reviews racial-gerrymandering claims.
Pertussis alert: Austin Public Health confirms local cases amid a statewide spike.
Thanksgiving logistics: City facilities close Nov. 27–28; most curbside services shift one day later.
LEAD STORY
AISD Approves 10 School Closures and 24 Turnaround Plans
What happened
On Nov. 21, the Austin ISD Board approved:
10 school closures or consolidations beginning in 2026–27, and
24 TEA-mandated turnaround plans for campuses with repeated unacceptable ratings.
AISD documentation shows the consolidation plan affects 3,796 students and removes 6,319 inefficient empty seats — roughly 20% of districtwide capacity — from active operation.
Many of the schools selected for closure were operating far below sustainable enrollment. Even half-full campuses still require nearly the same fixed-cost footprint as full ones: minimum staffing, utilities, transportation routes, cafeteria operations, custodial service, and full building maintenance. These “inefficient empty seats” represent millions of dollars in recurring operating costs that aren’t tied to student benefit.
By consolidating students into fewer campuses, AISD can reduce fixed costs, redirect staffing to higher-need campuses, and stabilize long-term operational spending.
Why it matters
1. Under-capacity schools create a structural budget drain.
AISD must maintain staffing, utilities, and building operations whether a school serves 200 students or 600. Operating dozens of under-filled schools has produced escalating annual costs that the district can no longer absorb. Removing 6,319 inefficient seats is one of the only levers AISD controls to meaningfully reduce long-term fixed costs.
2. AISD faces a real deficit problem.
The district is carrying an ≈$19.7M operating deficit, driven by rising labor costs, facility expenses, statewide recapture obligations, and declining enrollment (which reduces state funding). Consolidation allows AISD to close older, high-cost facilities and reinvest funding into academics and student support.
3. Boundary changes are still ahead.
The Board intentionally split the closure/consolidation decision from a future districtwide boundary redraw. Even families whose schools are not closing may see new zones or feeder patterns in the next phase.
How to engage
Campus meetings: AISD will host follow-up sessions at each affected campus in early December.
Email trustees: Share feedback on transition needs, transportation, program continuity, and school choice options.
Monitor the boundary phase: The districtwide boundary process will have its own hearings and public-comment periods later this winter.
Check your campus: AISD’s consolidation hub includes maps, FAQs, and campus-level details.
THE RUNDOWN
1) City Council Cuts $95M and Resets the FY25 Budget After Prop Q
After voters rejected Prop Q, the City removed just over $95M in planned spending from the August budget — primarily expansions tied to the assumed revenue increase. The adopted FY25 budget remains roughly $6.3B, but rolls back or slows growth across several departments.
Resident impact
Parks & recreation: Slower maintenance cycles, fewer upgrades.
Homelessness services: Some expansions delayed.
Transportation & Public Works: Reduced resurfacing and maintenance frequency.
Taxes: No new increase beyond the rate voters declined.
Engage
Email Council: [email protected]
Review records via the City Clerk meeting archive
Submit feedback through SpeakUp Austin
2) UT Regents Reevaluate MD Anderson Cancer Center Site
The UT System is reconsidering whether the MD Anderson campus should be built on the former Frank Erwin Center site or at an alternative location.
Resident impact
Downtown siting would strengthen the medical district and improve transit access.
A non-downtown site may create more space for expansion but increase travel burdens for patients.
Engage
Follow UT System Board agendas and livestreams.
Stakeholders can submit written comments to Regents.
3) Supreme Court Temporarily Restores Texas Congressional Map
The Supreme Court issued an administrative order reinstating Texas’ new congressional map while racial-gerrymandering litigation continues.
Resident impact
The map may be used for 2026 elections unless the Court intervenes again.
Austin-area district boundaries are likely to differ from those used in 2021.
Engage
Follow updates from the Texas Secretary of State.
Use county election lookups to verify your congressional district once maps finalize.
BRIEF MENTIONS
Pertussis spike (Austin Public Health)
APH continues to confirm pertussis cases amid a statewide rise. Vaccination and early follow-up after exposure remain key.
Thanksgiving closures & service shifts
City offices close Nov. 27–28. Most Thursday/Friday curbside routes shift one day later. Use Austin Resource Recovery’s address lookup for precise pickup times.
BY THE NUMBERS (With Context)
10 schools — Campuses approved for closure/consolidation beginning in 2026–27.
24 campuses — TEA turnaround plans approved.
3,796 students — Directly affected by closures.
6,319 inefficient empty seats — ~20% of AISD’s capacity removed from active operation.
≈$19.7M — AISD’s operating deficit shaping consolidation decisions.
>$95M — Spending trimmed from the Prop-Q-assumption budget (~1.5% of the city’s $6.3B budget).
CIVIC CALENDAR
(Last updated Nov. 25, 2025 — 7:45 a.m.)
Austin City Council
Meeting archive: City Clerk Records
Upcoming agendas: Legistar Calendar
AISD Board of Trustees
Board Calendar & Agendas
Consolidation Hub & Maps
Public Health & Utilities
APH Advisories
Austin Resource Recovery (Holiday Schedules)
