Parents, students and staff packed a second Austin ISD community listening session Wednesday night ahead of a pivotal vote on Thursday.

AUSTIN, Texas — Parents and students packed Paredes Middle School Wednesday night, pressing Austin ISD leaders for answers as the district moves closer to a vote that could permanently close the campus.

The meeting marked the district’s second community listening session on the proposal, which would reassign Paredes students to Bailey Middle School and Mendez Middle School if approved by the Austin ISD Board of Trustees.



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Families said they came hoping to learn what the transition would look like with just a few weeks before students return to class. 

“It’s just heartbreaking,” Michaela, a Paredes eighth grader, said.


Transportation and staffing

District officials said they plan to retain current Paredes teachers and staff within Austin ISD, with the goal of placing many of them at either Bailey or Mendez middle schools.

Leaders also said transportation would be provided for eligible students, and transfer requests would be prioritized to help families navigate the change.


Parents demand answers

Throughout the meeting, parents lined up to challenge district leaders over the proposed closure, with some questioning why the district is moving forward so close to the start of the school year.

“When’s this administration going to take responsibility?” one parent said. 

Austin ISD Superintendent Matias Segura said district leaders exhausted efforts to improve the campus before proposing closure.

“It’s not something we want,” Segura said. “That is not what this is about. It’s about understanding that over the course of the year, we had a plan that we implemented, and we went with fidelity, provided the resources, the support and we still didn’t get there.” 

Michaela said potentially leaving Paredes would mean leaving behind years of special moments.

“The school has so many memories, and it’s been here for a very long time,” Michaela said. “I don’t know what to say. [I’m] just speechless.”


What’s next

Austin ISD has scheduled two additional community listening sessions Thursday: one at Bailey Middle School and another at Mendez Middle School from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

The Board of Trustees is then expected to vote Thursday night on whether to close Paredes Middle School.