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How Can We Stop This Plan?

The board votes in November. Here's how to make your voice heard and push for real change.

Most Effective Actions (Do These First)

1. Submit Official Feedback

AISD created specific channels for community input:

These submissions create an official record that the board must acknowledge.

2. Speak at District Meetings

Public testimony carries serious weight.

  • Be specific: Name your school, your kids, your concerns
  • Keep it under 3 minutes (they have time limits)
  • Focus on student impact, not property values

3. Email Every Board Member

Don't just email your trustee—email all 9 members at trustees@austinisd.org.

Effective email tips:

  • Subject line: "Vote NO on School Closures" or "Demand Better Alternatives"
  • Lead with your story (parent, teacher, alum, neighbor)
  • Include 2-3 specific data points (see below)
  • End with a clear ask: "Vote no" or "Demand alternatives"
  • Be civil and respectful, board members are unpaid community volunteers
  • Keep it under 250 words so they have time to read it

Community Meeting Schedule

Tuesday, October 14 6–7:30 p.m. | Virtual | English/Spanish | South
Thursday, October 16 6–7:30 p.m. | Virtual | English/Spanish | North
Monday, October 27 5:30–8:30 p.m. | Virtual | English/Spanish - South: 5:30 p.m. - North: 7 p.m.
Saturday, November 8 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. | Location TBD | English/Spanish - North: 10:30 a.m. - South: 12 p.m.

Build Momentum

4. Organize Your School Community

  • Start a group chat with other parents
  • Host a meeting at your school or in your neighborhood
  • Create a petition specific to your campus
  • Coordinate attendance at board meetings

5. Connect With Allied Groups

Other schools are fighting this too. Share resources, coordinate messaging, show up for each other's board testimony.

6. Engage Social Media

Share frequently and across social media.

Personal stories about disrupted kids > policy arguments.

Strongest Arguments to Use

When you write/speak, emphasize these data-backed points:

1. Minimal Savings, Maximum Disruption

  • Plan saves <1% of annual budget
  • Disrupts 98% of schools and 75% of students
  • One-time costs may exceed long-term savings

2. Proven Harm to Students

  • Research shows school closures and boundary changes lead to worse academic outcomes for ALL students (not just displaced ones)
  • Students moving from higher to lower-performing schools
  • Increased transportation burden on families and time to travel for students

3. Better Alternatives Exist

  • Boundary adjustments without closures
  • Magnet/specialty programs to attract enrollment
  • Community partnerships for facility sharing
  • Corporate partnerships for programming and fundraising
  • Address the actual budget crisis (state funding)

What NOT to Do

  • ❌Don't pit neighborhoods against each other
  • ❌Don't make demographic comparisons
  • ❌Don't just complain—propose alternatives

Remember: These are all our kids. Focus on what's best for students.