AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Independent School District families and students won’t be the only ones affected if the district moves forward with a proposed consolidation plan.
The plan calls for closing 13 schools, and teachers at many of those schools are wondering where they will end up.
Andrea Hayden, Bedchik Middle School band director, said she hates to see her school closed.
“It’s a great place to work,” Hayden said. “Kids are great. I love my kids. I love my job.”
Hayden has been teaching for 17 years, and for the past few years she has been at Bedishek where she said she has seen her children become more involved in band.
“I took over as head coach three years ago. We’ve built our program from 93 kids to over 200 kids,” Hayden said.
She’s worried that all the progress she’s making will disappear, though.
“I’m sad for my family, I’m sad for my students, I’m sad for the people I work with and the uncertainty that comes with that,” Hayden said.
KXAN asked AISD Superintendent Matias Segura what the proposed closures would mean for current AISD teachers and staff earlier this month.
“We have created a process that gives us a very high probability of keeping the vast majority of our employees with us,” Segura said.
Austin ISD said it will prioritize current teachers and work to get them into other schools, but there’s no guarantee.
“I wouldn’t say warranty just because warranty is very difficult, very high standard and there are a lot of moving pieces, but it’s not in vain. We don’t break contracts. We don’t even think about contracts. We want to support our employees who have supported AISD.”
Hayden said she didn’t know what was going to happen, but she worked hard to get where she is.
“They said to me, ‘Okay, we’re going to offer you a position that might not be band, it could be orchestra, it could be high school, it could be elementary school, there’s a lot of uncertainty,'” Hayden said.
Will teachers leave the district if they are not teaching the class or grade they prefer?
This question, like many now asked, is unknown. But we may find out soon after a vote on November 20 on the draft plan.
Hedden said she plans to continue making her voice heard and fighting for the families, students and teachers at her school.
“I think public education should be a priority,” Hayden said.
Bedichek is one of 12 Austin ISD campuses that, along with Dobie, Burnet and Webb Middle schools, will require a state-approved “turnaround” plan after receiving a third straight “F” rating from the state.
The draft merger plan proposes closing seven of those F-rated campuses. The plan also proposes closing 4 B-rated campuses and one A-rated campus.