AUSTIN, Texas — As the Austin ISD consolidation plan is expected to undergo changes this week, a neighborhood came together Thursday morning to convince district leaders to keep their classrooms open.

Parents, business owners, and students gathered outside of Bryker Woods Elementary School ahead of a planned visit from Superintendent Matias Segura.

Community members filled up the entire front lawn of the school, singing, “Bryker Woods Forever,” and calling on district leaders to take the school off its list of closures in 2026.

The consolidation plan draft, which Austin ISD released at the beginning of October, could result in 13 schools across the city closing and boundary changes for 98% of schools.

Segura has been adamant that consolidation is necessary to respond to the district’s budget shortfall, falling enrollment, and threat of state intervention.

Since the plan’s release, families have fought back, asking for the district to slow down the process and be more forthcoming about how individual school closures were decided.

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Segura, however, was welcomed with applause by Bryker Woods families as he entered the school on Thursday morning.

“We wanted to warmly welcome him because we wanted to show that our community is very active, that we care deeply about this school and about welcoming others,” said Teal Pennebaker, a member of the school’s PTA.

Just three weeks remain until the AISD Board of Trustees is set to vote on the consolidation plan. An update to the current draft is expected to be released on Friday.

“The district and the board of trustees asked us to vote for bonds, and we voted for bonds. They asked us to vote for a tax increase, and we voted for a tax increase to close the deficit that the district had. And just the year afterward, we’re here,” said Max Ekesi, a Bryker Woods neighbor who had students attend the school.

Segura has said consolidating the district has to be done for the financial and academic future of AISD.

“Our hope is that we keep Bryker Woods open. Our hope is that we keep it open and welcome even more students to this wonderful campus,” Pennebaker said.

Thursday’s rally was just one of many that have popped up across the city as confusion and frustration take parents from their blocks to the school board.

The board of trustees is set to meet Thursday night at the district headquarters.

A vote on the consolidation plan is expected on Nov. 20.