Austin ISD trustees transfer management of three middle schools to outside partner to avoid state takeover

March 29, 2026

Austin ISD trustees voted unanimously Thursday to transfer control of three middle schools to the Texas Council for International Studies. The board approved moving management of Dobie, Webb and Burnet middle schools out of district hands and into the care of the external organization.

Dobie, Webb and Burnet serve students within the Austin Independent School District. Trustees singled out these campuses for the change, directing oversight and day-to-day management to the outside partner rather than keeping them under direct district administration.

The Texas Council for International Studies will take on operational responsibility for the three campuses. Board members described the group as an outside education partner, and the vote formalizes that shift in authority.

Trustees said the action aims to prevent the state from stepping in and taking control of the campuses. By placing the schools under the partner's management, the district seeks to address whatever conditions put the campuses at risk and retain local involvement in the response.

Shifting management means the partner will handle many aspects of running the schools, though the exact division of responsibilities will be detailed in agreements between the district and the organization. District officials will still oversee compliance with state rules and monitor the arrangement as it unfolds.

The board's unanimous vote completes the formal decision-making step; officials and the partner will move into implementation and transition planning next. Parents, staff and community members can expect the district to provide additional information on how the change will affect operations, staffing and student services as those plans are finalized.

The transfer closes one chapter in the district's effort to address concerns about the three middle schools, and it begins another that centers on partnership management. Questions remain about the timeline and specific operational changes, and the district will release further details as the transition proceeds.