To help address its $93 million deficit, Austin ISD has cut 20% of its central office staff, a move announced Wednesday by Superintendent Matias Segura that is expected to save $9.6 million.
More than 170 positions will be impacted with layoffs, salary reductions or other disruptions.
Dear Austin ISD family,
Today was a difficult day as I notified our Central Staff of our reorganization. This restructure was necessary to align our administrative functions and reduce administrative costs while acknowledging the size of our district and our current needs.
We educate 73,000 students and every single person in this organization plays a role in their educational experience. The impact of this restructure and every individual affected will be felt.
However, as we work to close our budget deficit, this was a critical step before moving forward with any campus consolidations. Overall, more than 170 employees were impacted by these reductions, including position elimination, reduction in salary and/or reorganization. In total, these changes reflect a more than 20% reduction to Central Office staffing — an approximate savings of $9.6 million.
I recognize this is a very challenging time for our community and I encourage every student, staff and family member within Austin ISD to navigate this with empathy. This restructuring is only one step in a series of difficult conversations and decisions that must be made to ensure our district remains stable and we can maintain our ability to offer the highest quality education.
We are a strong community with strong schools and I know we’ll get through this together. I am confident that we have the commitment and knowledge within our district to create a future for Austin ISD that preserves our values and ultimately supports our greatest asset – our students.
Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Matias Segura, PE, MBA
Superintendent
Austin ISD
Central Texas school districts are currently undergoing significant budget adjustments as they prepare for the 2025-26 school year, largely driven by growing deficits, rising operational costs, and the need to implement staff compensation increases mandated by recent state legislation (House Bill 2)
Austin ISD is planning to begin closing and consolidating campuses starting in the 2026-27 school year, due to declining enrollment and empty seats. The school board is expected to vote on campus closures in November.
“To be frank, no one wants us to close their schools. We don’t want to close anyone’s school. But we are in a position, as a district, where this is the best choice to make with where we are.” — Dr. Rachel French, AISD’s Director of Planning Services.
The district expects to present a list of possible campuses for consolidation this fall, ahead of a final board vote. If approved, closures would not go into effect until the 2026–27 school year.
Meanwhile, the Leander school board plans to vote in September on the fate of three under-enrolled elementary schools (Steiner Ranch, Faubion and Cypress), with choices ranging from full closure in 2026-27 to keeping them operational with fewer staff members. The district is also considering staffing cuts at other elementary schools as part of the restructuring options. (Austin American-Statesman)
In Del Valle, the school district is balancing its budget and paying its teachers and staff more after approving its budget for the next school year. (CBS Austin via MSN)
Superintendent Dr. Matthew Gutierrez says its budget for next school year focuses heavily on teachers.
After approving a budget plan for the 2025-26 school year on Tuesday, the Round Rock ISD board of trustees will reconvene again regarding the budget to consider an amended version. This comes as the Texas Education Agency has not yet shared guidelines for the implementation of House Bill 2 and Senate Bill 4, should the latter pass in the November election
In other education news, Bastrop school district Superintendent Barry Edwards announced Wednesday his plan to retire, concluding 17 years with the district, seven of which were as superintendent. His final work date was not immediately available. (Austin American-Statesman)
Juneteenth (June 19th) is a federal holiday, and in Austin, Texas, many city and federal services will be closed. However, several essential services and recreational facilities will remain open.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s generally open and closed in Austin on Juneteenth:
Closed:
- City of Austin Administrative Offices and Municipal Facilities: Most city offices will be closed.
- Federal Government Offices: This includes federal courts and the U.S. Post Office (mail and packages will not be delivered by USPS).
- Banks: Most major banks will be closed, though ATMs and online banking will be available.
- U.S. Stock Market: The New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ will be closed.
- Austin Public Library Locations: All public library branches will be closed. Remote library resources will still be accessible online.
- City Recreation Centers, Senior Centers, Museums, and Cultural Centers: These facilities, including the Austin Animal Center and the Recycle and Reuse Drop-off Center, will be closed.
- Austin Energy Utility Customer Service Centers and Utility Contact Center.
- Austin Public Health Services: This includes Environmental Health Services, Office of Vital Records, WIC clinics, Shots for Tots clinics, and Neighbor Centers.
- Downtown Austin Community Court: Violet KeepSafe Storage Program (VKS), Homeless Services, Court Services, and Community Services will be closed.
Open/Operating as Normal (or with modified hours):
- City of Austin Utilities Payments: Customers can make payments online at coautilities.com or by calling 1-833-375-4949. In-person payments are accepted at most H-E-B, Fiesta Mart, Randall’s, and Walmart stores.
- Austin Resource Recovery Curbside Collections: Trash, recycling, and composting collections will follow regular schedules.
- Austin Water’s Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant: Open regular hours (8 a.m. – 3 p.m.) for yard trimmings and large brush drop-off.
- City Parks, Golf Courses, Cemeteries, Year-Round and Seasonal Pools, and Splash Pads: These will be open, though hours may vary by location. It’s recommended to check the Parks and Recreation and Park Closures pages for up-to-date details.
- UPS and FedEx: Both services are expected to run for delivery and pickup.
- Most Businesses and Restaurants: Generally, most private businesses and restaurants will remain open, but it’s always a good idea to check with individual establishments for their specific hours. This includes most grocery and general stores (like Kroger, Walmart, Target) and pharmacies (like CVS and Walgreens).
- Emergency Services: For power outages, call 512-322-9100 or check the outage map. For non-emergency issues or service requests, call 311, use the Austin 311 mobile app, or submit a request online. For water or wastewater emergencies, call 512-972-1000.
Events and Celebrations:
There are various Juneteenth celebrations happening around Austin and Central Texas, including parades, festivals, and cultural events. Some notable ones include:
- Central Texas Juneteenth Parade & Festival: A parade followed by a festival at Rosewood Park.
- Juneteenth Remembrance Ceremony: At the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center.
- ACC Juneteenth Celebrate Freedom event: At Austin Community College Eastview Campus.
- Travis County Juneteenth Celebration. (Friday)
Austin’s Juneteenth parade will take place on today along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Chicon Street.
Austin drivers should expect road closures in the East Austin area and around Rosewood Neighborhood Park.
Former Austin EMS Association president Selena Xie on Wednesday announced she will run next year to represent District 8 on the Austin City Council. (Austin American-Statesman)
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is threatening legal action against the City of Austin for a contract they hold with a bank he refers to as “anti-gun”. He says the city is violating the law by engaging with a company that discriminates against the firearms industry. (Fox7 Austin)
Texas lawmakers, including members of the Austin delegation, have formally requested that Tesla delay its planned robotaxi launch in Austin until September 1. The initial tentative launch date by Tesla was set for this Sunday, June 22.
Meanwhile, Tesla will temporarily halt manufacturing on its Cybertrucks and Model Y vehicles on June 30.
An Austin-based group broke ground on a new affordable housing development Wednesday geared toward LGBTQ+ senior citizens.
Iris Gardens will deliver 150 units for people aged 55+, as well as access to supportive services that promote dignity, independence, and safety. It is also Austin’s first LGBTQIA2+ -affirming affordable housing community for older adults. (Family Elder Care)
Austin-area home sales decline in May as inventory rises. The most affordable inventory continues to be in Austin’s suburbs. (Austin Business Journal)
The Austin Police Department is looking for a suspect who they say hit a person riding a bicycle and drove away from the scene.
A Bexar County man is facing child solicitation charges.
Travis County will be expanding its Counsel at First Appearance (CAFA) program to help more people with legal representation before they’re released from jail.
In Pflugerville, authorities are searching for a missing 16-year-old.
Austin-Travis County EMS responded to a rollover crash last night.
A vehicle struck a utility pole near Montopolis Drive and Oltorf Street Wednesday morning, causing a power outage that affected 4,100 Austin Energy customers for about an hour.
On Wednesday, Austin’s airport celebrated a significant achievement with the opening of its first major expansion project in decades. A ribbon-cutting ceremony officially unveiled the International Arrivals Improvements Project. This expansion adds over 20,000 square feet of new space for international travelers, featuring enlarged passenger queuing areas, additional baggage claim carousels, and enhanced processing facilities for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
H-E-B has launched a pilot program using autonomous robots for grocery delivery in the Mueller neighborhood.
Austin got another taste of Hollywood yesterday when actor Brad Pitt surprised moviegoers at the Austin premiere of his new film F1.
Austin Energy completed summer preparations for their generation and transmission facilities, including setting up cooling systems, performing maintenance and calibration checks on power generation equipment, and obtaining weather preparedness certification from ERCOT, the overseer of Texas’ power grid.
WEATHER
Hurricane Erick, a Category 4 storm with 140-145 mph winds, is making landfall on Mexico’s southwestern coast, causing destructive winds and flooding rain.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s felony securities fraud case has been dropped after he completed the conditions of a pretrial diversion program, his attorney said.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick took to social media Wednesday to continue pushing for passage of Senate Bill 3.
An advocacy group focused on protecting access to legal hemp products says it has gathered nearly 150,000 signatures urging Gov. Greg Abbott to veto Senate Bill 3. (CBS Texas)
Fort Bend County Judge KP George has announced a shift to the Republican Party.
A Texas man has been charged with buying explosives that he allegedly planned to use to try and hurt or kill law enforcement during recent protests in Los Angeles. (Fox 7 Austin)
Five people from Texas were given lengthy federal prison sentences Monday for their roles in an elaborate, transnational fraud scheme that swindled approximately $17 million from victims worldwide, including vulnerable elderly individuals. (Fox 7 Austin)
SpaceX’s static fire test in South Texas lit the sky late Wednesday night in an explosion. Residents in the area reported rattling and shaking in their homes from what many described as a large boom. (My San Antonio)
The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled to restart plans to temporarily store nuclear waste at a site in West Texas. (Fox 7 Austin)
On Wednesday night, the San Antonio community gathered for a vigil to honor the 13 lives lost in last week’s devastating flash floods. The floods were triggered by a severe storm on June 12, which unleashed 6 to 7 inches of rain in just a few hours.
(Episode from June 18, 2025)
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision on Wednesday, upholding Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors, angered but didn’t surprise Texas families raising transgender children. This ruling further solidifies Texas’ own two-year-old ban on such care for minors.
A federal district judge in El Paso convicted an undocumented immigrant of entering a newly designated defense area in West Texas created by the federal government as part of its legal strategy to end illegal border crossings. (Texas Tribune)
Former President Joe Biden will attend the Juneteenth celebration in Galveston today.
SPORTS
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: The Southeastern Conference (SEC) has announced each school’s opponents and locations for every conference game ahead of the 2025-26 basketball season.
MLB: A win for the Astros…a loss for the Rangers
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Jose Altuve and Victor Caratini hit three-run home runs in a seven-run sixth inning and the Houston Astros had a season-high 20 hits in an 11-4 victory over the Athletics on Wednesday night. (Yahoo! Sports)
In Arlington, Maikel Garcia homered and drove in four runs, helping the Kansas City Royals beat the Texas Rangers 6-3 on Wednesday night. (Yahoo! Sports)
ON THE SCHEDULE:
The US men’s soccer team will face Saudi Arabia in a match at Q2 Stadium in Austin tonight at 8:30 p.m., marking the local fans’ first opportunity to see new head coach Mauricio Pochettino in action.
The Creation Evidence Museum in Glen Rose, Texas, claims to have human footprints alongside dinosaur tracks, directly challenging the established evolutionary timeline that places dinosaur extinction millions of years before human existence.
