SOUTHEAST AUSTIN — The Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees could vote as soon as June 18 on the future use of Widen Elementary, one of six campuses slated to close by the end of the school year. The closures are part of the district's plan to address a projected $181 million budget shortfall, and Widen is among 10 campuses the school board has voted to shut down.

At 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. 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.

"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, would be for it 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," he said.

Organizations including AVANCE-Austin have expressed interest in continuing services at the campus. Zobeida Guerrero, program director for AVANCE-Austin, said the organization 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. Last year, we served around 1,000 individuals and 48% comes from this area," she said.

Guerrero said she is waiting to learn the outcome of the board's deliberations. "I choose to trust the process," she said. The final decision on Widen Elementary's future will be made by the Austin ISD Board of Trustees, with a vote possible as soon as June 18.