State Takeover Looms Over AISD as School Year Kicks Off

It’s Austin ISD’s first week of school. But what the new school year could bring is still uncertain in the wake of the 2026 accountability scores released last week, district leaders say.

On Friday, Aug. 14, the Texas Education Agency publicly released A-F accountability ratings for all Texas public school districts and campuses, but AISD released the district’s overall rating and some campus scores early on Thursday. The district received a B rating for the first time since 2022 after three consecutive years of C’s. 

At the same time, two AISD middle schools in North Austin, Webb and Burnet, earned their fifth consecutive F scores since 2019 – an academic benchmark that triggers what’s called the “Count to Five” law in Texas. If even a single school receives five F’s, TEA Commissioner of Education Mike Morath can close the school or assume management of the entire district, often replacing the superintendent and school board trustees with his own appointments.

In 2024, AISD was a district that had more D- and F-rated schools (48) than A- or B-rated schools (43). In just two years, the district managed to flip those numbers, about to start the 2026-27 school year with just 25 D- and F-rated and 57 A- and B-rated schools. 

But despite such progress, AISD still received more failing ratings than any other school district in Texas this year, with 20 F’s across 122 campuses.

“There’s a lot of work to be done. There’s no doubt. I own that work, specifically around Webb and Burnet,” AISD Superintendent Matias Segura told trustees Thursday night. “And I’m going to do everything I can to ensure that those students get what they need to be successful.”

AISD knows state intervention is likely, but doesn’t know what that would look like yet. “What can we expect next from TEA?” Austin ISD Trustee Arati Singh asked Segura on Thursday.

“I can’t speculate on what the agency will or won’t do,” Segura replied.

Segura explained that after the TEA processes districts’ appeals to re-review accountability ratings – which AISD must submit by Sept. 11 – the district will likely receive word from the agency about “next steps” in regard to state intervention by Dec. 10. TEA must finalize accountability ratings for appealing districts prior to Dec. 11.

AISD Superintendent Matias Segura Credit: John Anderson

“Until then, we’ll look at the appeal process. We will wrap our arms around those students and ensure they have what they need to be successful academically, and be relentless in that pursuit,” Segura said. “It’s going to have to play out.”

At a press conference on Friday near Dallas, Morath echoed that current accountability ratings are preliminary, pending the appeal process. Regarding his future decision in AISD, Morath told the room that “It’s way [too] preliminary to discuss what actually might happen in Austin” as a result of the two campuses’ fifth F’s.

This week, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson publicly voiced his support for Segura and his “systems-oriented” approach to improving schools. At an Aug. 17 press conference, Watson pointed to AISD’s academic progress since Segura became superintendent in January 2024. “I have confidence that the commissioner recognizes the value of a superintendent that is achieving the goals,” Watson said. 

Watson confirmed that he is currently in communication with the superintendent and district administration, adding that he is “sure there will be” conversations ahead with state officials and the governor’s office about the future of the district.

Last week, Segura also confirmed that the district’s State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exam rescore requests did actually increase some campus ratings. The Chronicle previously reported that 1,719 out of 7,585 STAAR tests submitted were rescored higher by human graders, whereas TEA uses what experts call AI to grade most of the tests.

At a $50 charge per test that fails to rescore higher, AISD will have to pay up to $300,000 to the state agency for the rescoring, Segura estimated.

Trustee Fernando de Urioste urged Segura to develop an argument as to why the AISD administration deserves to retain local control and management of the school district.

“Presumably, there’s going to be some sort of conversation around the two five-F’s,” de Urioste said. “I think it would behoove us to demonstrate what it is specifically we’re doing that’s working [to improve campuses], so that we can show how we’re applying that to the other campuses.”

Trustee Andrew Gonzales also pointed out that Mendez Middle School is returning to AISD management this school year from charter management with a D score in 2026. As required by the TEA, Mendez has been run by Third Future Schools – a charter network founded by TEA-appointed Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles – since 2022 to improve chronic low ratings.

Trustees also discussed the closure of Paredes Middle School in light of the recent TEA rule change that could transfer its string of four F accountability ratings to Bailey Middle School, where most Paredes students will attend this year.

Segura seemed unconcerned about Bailey inheriting that accountability chain – which would also trigger the takeover law, if given a fifth unacceptable rating in 2027. “Bailey got a B [in 2026]. They have a B. They will have a B,” Segura reassured trustees.

In the wake of the accountability ratings release, AISD’s union Education Austin is spreading the word about what takeover would mean for district employees, students, and families. On Thursday, a union leader stated the group is strongly opposed to state takeover of the district and will continue to advocate for educators through intervention.

“A TEA takeover would have significant consequences for local control, staffing, curriculum, working conditions, and who gets to make decisions about our schools,” the union wrote in an Aug. 13 statement. “We cannot wait until a state takeover is already happening to start organizing.”

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