Austin ISD board to vote on potential closure of Dobie Middle School

Over the past two years, the TEA was barred from releasing new ratings in response to lawsuits from more than 100 school districts over changes to the accountability rating system.

On April 3, a state judge ruled that the TEA could release ratings for the 2022-23 school year. These ratings became accessible to school systems April 17 and will be released to the public April 24, according to the Texas Education Agency.

AISD has projected that Dobie Middle School would have received “F” ratings in 2023 and 2024, and will not receive a rating above “D” in the 2024-25 school year. This would leave Dobie with four failed A-F ratings.

The update

At the April 10 meeting, AISD Superintendent Matias Segura said the district has less time to improve outcomes at Dobie than it originally anticipated.

In March, the district received notification from the TEA that it needed to implement a turnaround plan for the campus to meet federal accountability standards by August, Segura said. Additionally, the district failed to receive a state grant it applied for, he said.

Segura said there were not many charter school options for Dobie to partner with as they must meet certain criteria.

If AISD were to temporarily close Dobie, the district could open a new school at the campus that would serve a different student group and offer different programs, he said. Segura said the district could open a magnet school or a K-8 campus.

“It really could be an exciting restart and it would also not remove AISD’s presence in a very important part of town,” Segura said.

Upon permanently closing Dobie, students from the campus would have to be reassigned to a school with an “A” or “B” rating, Segura said. Lamar Middle School was the best option for relocating Dobie students due to its location and “B” accountability rating, Segura said in a letter to Dobie families.

“We're not quite at a point where we have a recommendation, because we still need to listen and engage with the community...” Segura said at the April 10 meeting.

What they’re saying

Dobie Middle School opened in the Rundberg area in 1973. Of the campus' nearly 550 students, 81.3% were Hispanic and 86.6% were economically disadvantaged in the 2023-24 school year, according to AISD data.

“Should you choose to permanently close our doors, you are not just closing Dobie. You are closing Rundberg,” said Laney Gilbert, a theater teacher at Dobie Middle School.

Several staff members and students said the campus had made strides in recent years, highlighting the achievements of fine arts and athletic programs.

“Austin Independent School Board, you have the power to include the community in this decision,” said Alana Urbano, a band and mariachi director at Dobie Middle School. “Fight for a solution that will honor the culture, care, and commitment that we built at Dobie.”

AISD has discussed consolidating schools districtwide to cut costs amid a projected $110 million budget shortfall. The district does not have a list of specific campuses facing closure but anticipates having a detailed plan by mid fall, according to district information.

“If it is Dobie today, who will it be tomorrow?” said Laura Cheeks, the special education department chair at Dobie. “Saving Dobie isn’t just about one school. It’s about protecting our future.”

What’s next

AISD is required to submit a turnaround plan to the TEA by April 30. The board is expected to vote on its next steps for Dobie at an April 28 meeting.