Austin Mayor Proposes Parent Petition to Block State
Mayor Kirk Watson releases a plan to close two failing middle schools via a parent petition, aiming to prevent the Texas Education Agency from taking over
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson has proposed a plan to close two chronically failing middle schools, aiming to prevent a full state takeover of the Austin Independent School District. The plan hinges on a little-known state rule that let parents to petition for school closures.
Mayor Watson, a former state legislator, detailed the strategy in his newsletter. He cites a caveat in the state education code. This rule mandates that Education Commissioner Mike Morath must follow the will of a parent petition if the parents of a majority of enrolled students at a failing school request its closure instead of a district-wide takeover. The proposal comes after the Texas Education Agency declined the district's earlier plan to avoid intervention by surrendering control of three failing schools to an external operator.
The Trigger for State Intervention
Webb and Burnet middle schools received preliminary fifth consecutive failing accountability ratings for the 2025-26 school year last month. These ratings trigger a state law mandating intervention. The district has until September 11 to appeal the preliminary ratings. If the ratings become final, Commissioner Morath must intervene. His options include closing the schools or replacing the elected school board with a state-appointed board of managers.
"Texas law gives the parents at Webb and Burnet a powerful voice," Watson's statement said. "That gives this community a path to act instead of simply waiting for something to happen to us."
The Petition Process and Deadlines
For the plan to work, a formal petition must be organized. It requires signatures from parents of a majority of enrolled students at each of the two failing schools. Superintendent Matias Segura must validate the petition and submit it to Commissioner Morath by specific deadlines.
| Step | Responsible Party | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Petition signing and submission to Superintendent | Parents of majority students at each school | October 15 |
| Validation and submission to Commissioner | Superintendent Matias Segura | December 1 |
If validated and submitted, Morath would be obligated by law to order the closure of the schools. However, if the Austin ISD board of trustees submits a written request opposing the parent petition, the commissioner could choose to side with the board instead.
Potential Outcomes and District Progress
Watson argues that a state takeover would likely lead to the closure of Burnet, Webb, and other unspecified district campuses anyway. Under his proposed closure plan, he expressed trust in Superintendent Segura and the board to create a new school in the $158 million building under construction at the Burnet Middle School site. This new school would serve the communities affected by the closures.
The mayor pointed to recent district progress as proof that a takeover is not the only path. He cited Austin ISD's rise to an overall B rating in this year's state accountability ratings, its highest in years. He also noted a 42% increase in campuses rated A or B since 2024.
It is not publicly known if Austin ISD leaders helped develop the mayor's proposal or if the Texas Education Agency is aware of it. Both the district and the state agency did not immediately respond to requests for comment. An Austin ISD spokesperson stated last week that district leaders maintain regular communication with city leadership to keep them informed.
