AUSTIN, Texas — A South Austin parent remains dissatisfied with Austin ISD’s updated school consolidation plan, which includes changes to boundary lines affecting schools set to receive students from closing campuses, such as Bedichek Middle School.
Senovio Santander, a parent of a seventh grader at Bedichek, expressed frustration, saying, “It’s just fascinating that they’re just not listening to us or the community.”
Under the district’s original plan, Bedichek students could be reassigned to Covington, Paredes, Mendez, or Lively Middle School. However, a proposed boundary shift between Covington and Mendez has eliminated Lively as an option, reducing the number of students reassigned from Bedichek.
Despite these changes, Santander said, “Those boundaries are just; it still makes our life harder.”
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The district reported that nearly 46 percent of community feedback on the first draft of the plan focused on boundaries.
Superintendent Matias Segura praised the district’s efforts, stating, “The team has done a really good job, Dr. French and Christine, going through area by area and really understanding, you know, what are the impacts of the original draft.”
The boundary changes will also affect elementary schools that were set to feed into Bedichek. Williams Elementary now feeds into only Covington and Paredes, and Pleasant Hill Elementary feeds solely into Covington. Mendez Middle School was removed as an option for both.
Santander plans to attend a districtwide meeting on Nov. 8, and says his message to the district is to “take a step back and analyze this again and listen to the community, listen to your parents because this has impacted all of us.”
Before this meeting, Austin ISD will hold a session with Superintendent Segura at Bedichek Middle School on Nov. 3 at 8:30 a.m.