By January 2028, the joint schools are slated to receive new academic and administrative buildings, community and mental health centers as well as athletics renovations and expansions.
"These improvements are about creating opportunities for every student to thrive," Superintendent Matias Segura said at a groundbreaking ceremony May 14. "Every detail matters when it comes to building safe, supportive and inspiring places to learn."
The big picture
On May 14, district officials, staff and students gathered to celebrate the beginning of modernization work at Northeast Early College High School and International High School.
Northeast ECHS allows ninth and 10th grade students to earn an associate degree in partnership with Austin Community College. International High School provides education for bilingual or multilingual ninth and 10th students who are new to the country.
"This is just the beginning of a new modern campus that will ultimately reflect our global and vibrant community, celebrating students and their cultures from all over the world," said Leticia Vega, principal of International High School.
The schools, which share a campus off Berkman Drive, will receive the following renovations and additions as the first of multiple phases of modernizations, according to AISD information:
- Secure entry vestibule
- Community center
- Administrative building
- Academic building
- Counseling building with school mental health center
- Renovated gym
- New competition gym
- Athletic field work
- HVAC, electrical and plumbing improvements
- Roofing repairs or replacement
- Technology and security upgrades
A closer look
The current administrative building will be renovated into a new counseling building featuring a career center, wellness center with meditation spaces, health center and mental health center, according to AISD information.
The district will construct a new competition gym and add to the campus’ current gym with new locker rooms, fitness spaces and a weight room. The existing competition gym will serve as a multipurpose gym next to a new space for wrestling.
Why it matters
Northeast ECHS Principal Nathan Neal said the campus has not seen any modernization work since it was built in 1965. Due to outdated HVAC systems, the campus has had to navigate some classrooms not having air conditioning and needing to relocate students, he said.
Additional classrooms at the new academic building may allow the school to increase its capacity, Neal said.
“I think it'll give [students] a sense of pride,” Neal told Community Impact. “Hopefully there's a form of recruitment, because often we lose students to some newer schools.”
The background
Funding for the $117.86 modernization project was approved by voters in the district’s $2.44 bond election in 2022.
The school is one of dozens of AISD campuses that is undergoing modernization work following the passage of the district’s bond package. This month, the district started modernizing McCallum and Anderson high schools and is set to break ground on the modernization of Martin Middle School on May 27.
“It’s about time,” District 1 trustee Candace Hunter said when asked about the campus modernizations. “They're going to be 17 new builds, fully modernizations in East Austin. That's amazing. Campuses that have really been struggling—they're going to get to see those new spaces.”
