AUSTIN, Texas — Monday is the last day families can request the school they want to transfer their child to after the Austin Independent School District decided to close down four of its elementary schools.
According to the district, parents have until 5 p.m. on Monday to make the request to transfer to a non-frozen school, a school where enrollment doesn't already exceed capacity for the 2020-2021 school year.
At the Austin ISD school board meeting Monday night, district leaders are expected to talk about school changes. Last November, district leaders decided to close four elementary schools: Pease, Brooke, Metz and Sims elementary.
Some parents who are impacted are already upset because they couldn't send their children to the school they wanted. The district recently reached out to parents at Pease and Brooke elementary schools to revoke transfer requests, after it had approved some requests to send children to frozen schools, schools that are over capacity.
RELATED:
The district's staff said the initial decision didn't follow policy. This came as a shock to parents who aren't happy about the reversal and said these changes are affecting their children.
"These kids love each other," said Rose Guajardo, a parent at Pease Elementary. "The parents love each other, the teachers, the principal – you don't find that everywhere. This is a special place, and it's sad that our children have become pawns in all of this."
Since then, the district has provided counseling for students and staff has held meetings with the families as recent as last Thursday and Friday. Parents have told us they want to find a solution that's best for the students.
The four elementary schools will be closing in May. Parents will find out which school their child will transfer to after the district hold's a transfer lottery next week.
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: