Students interested in Middle School and High School admissions-based and magnet programs may now begin preparing their campus-specific application requirements (including essays, auditions, and teacher recommendations) for the 2026–27 school year. 

The details: The enrollment process will look different this year due to potential school consolidations changes. While Austin ISD’s enrollment system, Enroll Austin, won't open until January 2026, application-based schools and programs are accepting materials now.

Dear Austin ISD Community,

All Austin ISD families deserve to have excellent, well-resourced neighborhood schools. That has been a core belief as we developed and revised our program, consolidation and boundary change plan. We knew this process would require us to make difficult choices, and inaction or significant delay was simply not something we would be able to do with a clear understanding of the impact. 

However, today I am letting our Board of Trustees and greater Austin ISD community know that I am adjusting our timeline.

The Board of Trustees held a Board Workshop Oct. 29 to review the Draft School Consolidation and Boundary Change Plan and provide input as work continues on the plan. 

Why it matters: Based on community and trustee feedback, and more than 7,200 comment card submissions, staff are working to incorporate feasible ideas and suggestions into the revised plan. For some more in-depth requests, the administration would need additional time to explore and report the feasibility. 

We understand that some families may be having a hard time getting the food they need right now. Austin ISD is here to support students every school day with breakfast and lunch, plus afterschool meals at many campuses.