Austin ISD Redraws East Austin Zones and Approves Plans for 26 Schools
New boundaries will split the Mueller neighborhood, while 26 low-rated campuses face mandatory improvements before a November deadline.
By Alexei Brooks ·
The Austin Independent School District board approved new attendance boundaries for two East Austin schools on Oct. 29, while also greenlighting improvement plans for 26 campuses that received low state ratings. The vote concludes a process that began last fall, when the district initially drafted citywide boundary changes but later discarded the new map. These specific changes will determine where students in Northeast Austin attend school for the 2027-2028 academic year.
The boundary changes affect Linder Elementary and General Marshall Middle School. Marshall, which opened in 2023, will now serve a large portion of East Austin stretching from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to U.S. Highway 290 and east to Colony Park. Students who previously attended Dobie, Webb, Kealing, and Lamar middle schools in that area will be assigned to Marshall, though current students may stay at their original schools for the remainder of their middle school years.
A smaller section of the Riverside neighborhood will shift from Linder Elementary to Travis Heights Elementary. Linder is currently overcrowded, while Travis Heights is an older campus built in 1939. Trustee Kevin Foster noted that Marshall was built to integrate the Mueller neighborhood with the Eastside. He stated that making this move now is right, adding that he is glad the board is proceeding with the change.
Community members have raised concerns that the new Marshall zone splits the Mueller neighborhood in half. The boundary runs along Berkman Road, assigning some west Mueller students to Kealing Middle School even though Marshall is located nearby. Foster acknowledged that some students live near Marshall but will be assigned elsewhere. He urged the district to allow these families to opt in to the closer school.
The board also approved turnaround plans for six schools and targeted improvement plans for four others after the Texas Education Agency identified them as needing support in late August. The six schools requiring intensive restructuring are Allison, Cook, Harris, Menchaca, and Walnut Creek elementaries, plus the Rosedale School for special education needs. Andrews, Odom, and Pillow elementaries, and Travis High School, will implement targeted plans. Eleven additional elementary schools, four middle schools, and Garza Independence High School must set new academic goals.
The district must submit these plans to the state agency by Nov. 21. District officials noted that last year, 18 of the 27 schools with turnaround plans earned higher accountability ratings in August 2026. During the Oct. 15 public presentation, several trustees expressed concern that parent feedback on this year’s plans has been limited. Trustee Candace Hunter said parent involvement has been lacking, with some principal coffees canceled and attendance at PTA meetings declining.
Hunter described the feedback from parents as shameful. She argued that the district should monitor parent engagement more closely to ensure they remain partners in the improvement process. The board also discussed a draft policy on artificial intelligence, which is scheduled for a vote on Nov. 12. Trustee Arati Singh referenced existing AI bans in New York and California, while Board President Lynn Boswell recalled first raising concerns about AI in 2023 when the technology was less prevalent.
Boswell stated that the initial worry about students using AI for papers now feels quaint. She expressed urgency to establish a clear policy that outlines the district’s values and expectations for the administration. The final decision on the AI policy will come at the board’s next meeting.
