AUSTIN (LSI) — Austin Independent School District is ending its partnership with the Texas Council for International Studies, continuing its direct management of three middle school campuses that would have been run by the nonprofit.

As the new school year begins, AISD will continue its administration of Burnet, Dobie and Webb middle schools after Texas Education Agency declined to approve a partnership with TCIS — despite the district presenting evidence of improved student outcomes it argued the partnership would help support.

“Continued improvement in student outcomes is a priority for our district, and our actions through this school year will continue to reflect that commitment,” said Superintendent Matias Segura in response to the decision.

The three-year partnership between the school district and TCIS was approved by the AISD Board of Trustees in March, which would have allowed the nonprofit to manage the three middle schools as part of an initial turnaround strategy for struggling schools in Austin.

Had the partnership been approved by TEA, the three middle schools would have been granted a pause from state accountability ratings as the campuses worked to improve their scores.

“The increased funds provide the necessary resources to support accelerated learning for students and strategic staffing so that all students have access to high-quality educators,” AISD said when it first announced the partnership with TCIS in March.

This came as AISD has been navigating various difficulties across the district including underperforming campuses, potential campus closures, a budget deficit and more.

The district’s request for an accountability pause and additional state funding for the three struggling middle school campuses was then denied by TEA in May.

At the time, the state agency explained in a letter to the district that TCIS lacked the required track record of improving academic performance at low-performing middle schools and therefore did not qualify for the partnership or accountability pause.

In a news release, AISD pointed to visible improvement from the first year of the district-led turnaround plan, which showed a 100% passing rate for the Algebra I state assessment at Burnet and Dobie, and an 85% passing rate at Webb Middle School.

Because of achievements like these, the district argued for the partnership with TCIS to help support the rapid improvement at these campuses. 

In a statement in May, the superintendent said he believed “TCIS has the experience and capacity to meaningfully improve student outcomes at these three schools.” 

The district initially responded to TEA by submitting additional evidence of TCIS’s ability to lead the turnaround work. Eventually both parties decided to end the partnership altogether.

“By exiting this partnership, we’re ensuring all resources can go to students who are always at the center of our work,” said Margaret Davis, TCIS chief executive officer. “We believe wholeheartedly that Austin ISD will take this new year and continue growing these students academically and feel privileged to be a small part of that work.”