Austin ISD is subject to potential state intervention after Burnet and Webb middle schools each received a fifth consecutive failing accountability rating, according to Texas Education Agency data released Aug. 14.

What's happening: State law requires the commissioner to either close a campus with five consecutive failing ratings or replace the district's elected board with a board of managers. Any closure or takeover would not happen immediately, and a decision could come as early as January.

What's next: If a board of managers is appointed, it would replace the district's nine elected trustees and the commissioner would appoint a superintendent. The district's ratings are not yet official, and the agency will finalize ratings by Dec. 11 after reviewing any appeals.

Incumbent state representative Democrat Donna Howard will face Republican challenger Anthony Gupta in the District 48 race for the Texas House of Representatives.

The district covers parts of South Austin, North Austin, West Lake Hills and Rollingwood.

Community Impact reached out to the candidates running in the State Representative District 48 race. Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents.

What else: Voter registration ends Oct. 5.

Early voting in several local and state races runs from Oct. 19-30, and Election Day is Nov. 3.

Check out the latest Austin metro transportation project updates.

Completed projects
I-35 Capital Express Central: MLK Jr. Boulevard Bridge Segment
Project: The project included reconstruction and widening of the MLK Jr. Boulevard bridge over I-35 in Austin, adding sidewalks, shade structures, a safety barrier, and rebuilt I-35 entrance and exit ramps in both directions.

Update: The bridge is now fully operational, as two lanes reopened in each direction in early August. Crews are finishing shared-use paths and wider sidewalks.

• Timeline: 2024-26

• Cost: $34.4 million

• Funding source: TxDOT and CAMPO

Ongoing projects

Spicewood Springs Road Regional Mobility Project

Project: The project includes widening the two-lane road in Austin into a four-lane road with left-turn bays, pedestrian and bicycle shared-use paths, and improving the storm drain system.

Update: An August update stated that weather-related delays pushed the project's substantial completion from late 2026 to summer 2027. Starting in September, work will be underway on shared-use pathways on both sides of Spicewood Springs Road.

• Timeline: 2023-27

• Cost: $31 million

• Funding source: city of Austin 2016 Mobility Bond

Some Texas Republican leaders have vowed to get rid of the property taxes that homeowners pay to their local public school districts, and lawmakers are analyzing how much it would cost to do so.

The big picture: Texas school districts collect about $29 billion per year in maintenance and operations taxes, which cover schools' daily expenses.

Of that $29 billion in school tax revenue, the state comptroller's office estimates that about $8.6 billion is paid by homeowners, and the rest comes from commercial and industrial property taxes.

This means the state would need to spend at least $8.6 billion annually to zero out homeowners' school property tax bills, officials said.

Quote of note: "Broadly speaking, you have a question about how much you want to fund schools, and then separately, where does that money come from?" Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said during a Sept. 15 legislative hearing. "If you have a target of how much you want to spend, you need to make sure you have enough variable revenue sources to reach that."