Austin ISD seeks outside operators for Dobie and two elementary schools
The district is exploring SB 1882 partnerships to avoid closure mandates, following the collapse of a previous agreement in the summer.
By Alessia Desai ·
Austin Independent School District is moving to find external partners for three campuses with failing grades, a step that follows the recent dissolution of a similar contract. According to a district calendar notice, the board is considering Senate Bill 1882 arrangements for Dobie Middle School and Linder and Pecan Springs elementary schools.
The district held community feedback sessions on Oct. 27 at Linder and Oct. 28 at Dobie. A virtual information session for the families of all three schools is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Oct. 31. No terms for the new agreements have been released yet. Any final deal requires trustee approval and sign-off from the Texas Education Agency regarding the specific benefits.
SB 1882 allows a nonprofit, charter school, or university to run a campus. In return, the district receives additional state funding and a two-year pause on state intervention. Superintendent Matias Segura explained at an Aug. 13 board information session that a D rating pauses the campus accountability clock without resetting it.
This marks the district's second attempt to use this mechanism in 2026. In March and July, trustees approved a partnership with the Texas Council for International Studies to manage Burnet, Dobie, and Webb middle schools. Staff who chose to stay would have kept their district employment and benefits. The TEA denied the partnership's benefits in May, citing the nonprofit's lack of a track record in turning around low-performing schools. The agreement ended in July.
Recent state data shows Dobie earned a D after four consecutive F ratings. Linder and Pecan Springs each received a fourth consecutive F. Burnet and Webb each received a fifth consecutive F. Under state law, a fifth failing rating forces the education commissioner to close the campus or replace the elected school board.
The district must validate parent petitions to close Burnet and Webb by Dec. 1. These petitions must then be submitted to the TEA. An earlier turnaround plan for Linder in November 2025 included an SB 1882 option for the 2027-28 school year if progress stalled.
Source: Community Impact Austin
