Austin ISD says Widen Elementary could remain a community resource after closure

Austin ISD is evaluating Widen Elementary for community use amid a budget shortfall, with the campus possibly remaining a local hub through nonprofit partnerships. AUSTIN, Texas — The future of Austin Independent School District’s Widen Elementary School is becoming clearer as district leaders continue discussions about what comes next for the southeast Austin campus. Widen Elementary is one of 10 campuses the school board voted to shut down. A total of six campuses are slated to close by the end of the school year as the district works to address a projected $181 million budget shortfall. During a recent community meeting, Austin ISD officials outlined possible options for the multiple properties, including leasing the land, selling it or repurposing it for community use through nonprofit partnerships. “I choose to trust the process,” said Zobeida Guerrero, program director for AVANCE-Austin. District leaders said they have been evaluating the six properties using a scoring system designed to determine the best future use for each location. According to district data, Widen Elementary scored highest as a site that could continue serving the community through nonprofit or educational partnerships without the need of immediate improvements. “So what we've tried to do is have as much information as possible for the board to make the most well-informed decisions,” said Jamie Miller, senior director of operations for Austin ISD. Miller said the strongest outcome for the campus, based on community feedback and engagement, is to remain a resource for families in southeast Austin. “We hope that Widen can continue to serve as a community hub with nonprofits serving the Southeast Crescent and some of the historically underserved communities,” Miller said. Organizations like AVANCE-Austin have already expressed interest in continuing services at the campus. Guerrero said the nonprofit provides early childhood education and parenting support programs to families throughout the area. “We serve the community and meet a need of early childhood education and parenting support,” Guerrero said. “Last year, we served around 1,000 individuals and 48% comes from this area.” As the process moves forward, community advocates say they remain hopeful the campus can continue serving local families even after classes end. The final decision on Widen Elementary’s future will ultimately be made by the Austin ISD Board of Trustees. District officials said a vote could happen as soon as June 18.