AISD says Mendez Middle School will return to district control; pilot will add extra instructional days at select campuses

Austin ISD trustees heard details Feb. 26 about the planned return of Mendez Middle School from a charter partner and a district pilot to add instructional days at selected campuses.

Superintendent Segura said Mendez has been operated by a charter partner since roughly 2022 and that Austin ISD is preparing an intentional, community‑engaged transition. He said transition teams and committees have been formed, principals and families have participated in a principal‑profile conversation and the district will prioritize hiring a campus leader soon to guide the transition. “We want to make sure we maintain academic momentum,” Segura said.

Segura also described the ADDS pilot — an Additional Days School Year program that would add full‑day learning camps, Saturday learning opportunities and six extra instructional days at pilot schools rather than districtwide. He said professional‑development questions and staff‑hour considerations remain under work and that schools for the pilot have not yet been finalized.

Trustees were told the district has made outreach and enrollment efforts and plans grade‑by‑grade refinement to ensure student continuity; Segura encouraged family participation in campus CAC and community engagement sessions tied to the transition.

The superintendent framed the work as preserving academic rigor and ensuring a stable, inclusive learning environment for returning students and staff. Staff committed to continue community engagement and to bring a named campus leader into the timeline before summer to lead scheduling and staffing.