Decibel

What does a flipped Texas mean for Rundberg?

Clip | 6m 45sVideo has Closed Captions

What does Texas flipping blue mean for Rundberg?

11/6/2026

Decibel

What does a flipped Texas mean for Rundberg?

Clip | 6m 45sVideo has Closed Captions

What does Texas flipping blue mean for Rundberg?

On Tuesday night, the state of Texas did something historic – it flipped blue. A slate of Democrats won statewide offices for the first time in decades. These wins signal a new wave of leadership on the horizon – but what does a flipped Texas mean for Rundberg?

11/6/2026

Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback

Decibel is a local public television program presented by Austin PBS

Funding for Decibel is provided in part by Texas Mutual and Roxanne Elder & Scott Borders

Open in new tab

- [Reporter] By now, you've probably seen the headlines.

Texas made history on Tuesday night by electing a slate of Democrat candidates into statewide offices for the first time in decades.

But how do these results impact Rundberg?

Let's talk about it.

(students chattering) - [Teacher] Two more minutes, girls!

Two more minutes to be in class!

- [Reporter] One of the biggest impacts of this election will be how it changes schools in and around Rundberg.

For months, we've talked about the uncertain fate of the Austin Independent School District.

Three schools, including Dobie Middle School, have been under turnaround plans due to low state accountability scores.

When Webb and Burnet got their fifth consecutive F rating, they triggered a state law that requires the education commissioner to either close the schools or replace the entire district's elected board.

- And the motion passes by- - And that's happened a lot in other districts around the state.

Since Mike Morath has been the education commissioner, 11 school districts have been taken over by the state, including Houston's.

(students chattering) So it seemed highly likely that Austin schools would soon be under state control.

- [Student] Also veto it.

- But Morath wasn't on the ballot.

His job is appointed by the governor.

So how did Tuesday's results change what's gonna happen with Austin schools?

- I've really tried to stress the make or break nature of this.

This really was - - [Reporter] Dr.

Allen Weeks is the executive director of Austin Voices for Education and Youth.

For years, they have provided resources for Rundberg families and pushed for investment in public education.

- [Protesters] Dobie, Dobie, Dobie, Dobie, Dobie, Dobie!

- [Reporter] He says the election results may mean AISD does not get taken over by the state.

- The session starts January 12th.

We know we're gonna have a new commissioner.

- [Reporter] In fact, she reiterated that during her acceptance speech on Tuesday.

(crowd member cheering) - And in case you have not heard on day one, I will fire Mike Morath.

(crowd cheering) - She has said she's gonna put a pause on the A to F system and the sanctions that are part of that.

- What kind of strategy do you think we should use here?

- The session starts January 12th.

We've got six, seven weeks.

My hope is that the current commissioner, they'll just put a pause on things.

- We're just keeping an eye on what happens next in these next few months of transition.

- [Reporter] This is Acacia Coronado, education reporter for the "Austin Current."

And she says there is still a small window where Morath could enact changes.

- There is a chance that he could enforce the law, in any specific way that he chooses, until he is no longer in that position.

A lot of policy experts have said that they don't believe that that would happen just because of the change and the instability that that would lead the schools to have if there is something done with those communities or with the entire district.

And then, a new commissioner seeks to do things differently.

It could just cause a lot of instability for the school district, but it could happen.

- Legal experts have told Coronado that a new commissioner will still have to take some action with AISD.

It's required by state law.

But there's a lot of room in how to carry out that mandate.

So short term, state intervention at school districts could look very different than it potentially was going to look even just a week ago.

Long term, Weeks is hoping that Hinojosa and the new state leadership coming into office will take a different approach to education, in particular a term that's upended Dobie Middle School.

- Reconstitution.

They don't use the word anymore, but we still have this reconstitution practice going on.

Say we're gonna remove half the teachers.

We're gonna remove the principal.

And then, you've got one year, you've got two years.

Stability in your faculty is vital and the current approaches that the TEA and Texas has used constantly destabilize schools.

And then, they're in this panic mode where everything's just testing, testing, testing-focused.

- [Reporter] Dobie, Webb, and Burnet all saw massive amounts of staff turnover when they entered into turnaround plans, which require teachers to meet certain criteria to work at those schools.

- We are taking our children's education back from a government that has failed them.

(crowd cheering) - [Reporter] Hinojosa and the new Lieutenant Governor, Vikki Goodwin, ran on a platform centered on education reform.

- The Governor-elect was very clear in her campaign that education is a huge focus for her.

She actually started her political career in Austin as a trustee for Austin ISD.

And so, I think this is going to have some pretty big ramifications for what public education looks like in the state.

- But that's not the only change coming to Rundberg.

- Back leg, stretch.

- [Reporter] Voters approved two propositions that will add parks and libraries to Austin.

Prop A includes 65 million for improving rec centers, including the Gus Garcia.

And staff say they need these improvements.

- We see such, like, a large influx of numbers here, just because of the location that we're at.

- [Reporter] Ally Medina oversees the senior program at the Gus Garcia Rec Center.

When we spoke with her this summer, she talked about how in demand their senior programs are and how more space means they can welcome even more people in this rapidly-aging city.

- So being able to be a congregate site, knowing that they're gonna have a guaranteed meal, things like that, that draws a lot of people in that other sites don't see for that reason.

That way, we can have a designated area to welcome more seniors even and grab that attention of them to say, "This is a site literally meant for you and your needs."

- Prop A also includes funds to improve pools, like the Walnut Creek Municipal Pool.

And prop B also passed, and that will fund park improvements across the city.

These are just a few examples of how Tuesday's results could impact the Rundberg community.

New leadership at the state, local, and national level could mean changes to everything from immigration enforcement to cost of living.

Some changes, like a new education commissioner, will happen pretty fast.

Others, like improving rec centers, will take more time.

But all these changes started with voters across the country and in Rundberg, making their voices heard.