Over 2,000 Texans funneled through the state Capitol’s front gates Feb. 25 as the sound of the Vista Ridge High School drumline rang out through the air. Parents, students and teachers had travelled from across the state to advocate for the Texas PTA and its 2019 legislative agenda at the Texas PTA Rally Day. “There’s a lot of energy, and it’s exciting to see so many districts here to represent,”

When the morning bell rings at Zavala Elementary School in East Austin, 295 students file into a building made for 561.The school’s population has decreased by almost one-third in the past 10 years, a more extreme example of a trend that has been seen districtwide. With school consolidations on the way, East Austin residents are fearful of what this could mean for the area. Because of the downward trends in