Overview
- Austin ISD, following Tuesday's announcement to confront a $181 million shortfall, detailed staff cuts and classroom changes that would start in 2026–27 and phase in over two years.
- District leaders now expect to eliminate more than 200 campus educator positions, with many tied to vacancies, and will finalize who is affected after mid-May staffing allocations and meetings.
- The proposal identifies $73.8 million in central-office reductions, $33.9 million in campus cuts, and $45 million in anticipated real-estate revenue to narrow the deficit.
- Elementary class sizes would grow at many passing-grade campuses to 22 students in early grades, 24 in grades 2–4, and 27 in grade 5, and many teachers would have less planning time as secondary teaching loads increase under a banded, two-year rollout that shields high-need and state-turnaround schools.
- Librarian and counselor jobs are off the table for cuts, and bilingual and special education stipends would shift to $1,500, $5,000, or $7,000 tiers, a change officials say aims to prioritize classroom roles as state funding falls with enrollment declines.