The Texas Education Agency launched an investigation into the Austin Independent School District for celebrating its annual Pride Week.

A TEA spokesperson confirmed with KUT News the state has opened an investigation, but declined to comment since “the matter remains ongoing.”

The investigation comes after conservative State Board of Education member Brandon Hall, from the Fort Worth area, raised concerns in March about AISD breaking the law and working to “indoctrinate” students by celebrating Pride Week.

“It’s time to defund AISD and criminally investigate Superintendent Matias Segura,” Hall said in a social media post.

During an interview with the conservative nonprofit Texas Values, Hall said taxpayers in his district were concerned about state funding going into a district where “instead of focusing on education they are focusing on gender identity and celebrating pride and things like that.”

“[If] we don’t stop it in Austin ISD, we are going to see more of this across the state,” Hall said. “We need to make a statement and set an example. We will not put up with you breaking the law.”

Hall stated that AISD was not complying with Senate Bill 12. The law passed in 2025 and prohibits “diversity, equity and inclusion duties,” including activities that reference gender or sexual orientation, at K-12 public schools. The law also bans the creation of clubs based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

AISD held Pride Week from March 23 to 27 with the theme “beYOUtiful.” Students’ participation was voluntary, and activities took place outside instructional time, including before or after school or during lunch.

Activities included displaying photos of students’ families, wearing wacky socks and sitting with different people during lunch. On the last day each grade level wore a different color to school.

In their guidelines, district officials said AISD celebrated Pride Week during March to “show support” for the diverse students, staff and families. Officials also acknowledged that in past years the district had provided a suggested curriculum and had distributed swag to schools, but that this year it would look different due to “an ever changing environment.”

It is unclear what penalties the district could face. SB 12 states that any employee who engages in or assigns to another person diversity, equity and inclusion duties must be terminated.

This is not the first time AISD has come under scrutiny in recent months. In March, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton notified the district about a complaint regarding a violation of Senate Bill 8, also known as the “bathroom bill.”

In February, Paxton launched an investigation into AISD after students participated in a national walkout. The results of that investigation remain unknown.

KUT News has reached out to AISD for comment but has not heard back.

Austin, Texas | April 18 

1500m swim, 29k mountain bike, 10k run 

Complete Results 

Overall Male Andy Lee, 2:25:17 

Overall Female Jennifer Schmidt, 3:08:37 

M17-19 Michael Balbin, 3:07:57 

M20-24 Ryan Chaudoin 2:39:03 

M25-29 Adam Holomoucky, 2:46:30 

M30-34 Chase Krivo, 2:41:52 

M35-39 Andrzej Stadnik, 2:26:34 

F35-39 Kate Hector, 3:44:19 

M40-44 Kyle Grieser, 2:30:58 

F40-44 Jessica Thiel, 3:31:57 

M45-49 Trent Niemeyer, 2:36:28 

F45-49 Jennifer Schmidt, 3:08:37 

M50-54 Andy Lee, 2:25:17 

F50-54 Erin Trail, 4:03:32 

M55-59 Stephen Judice, 2:39:58 

F55-59 Jeanne Hoffman, 3:25:37 

M60-64 Mike Carter, 2:58:35 

F60-64 Janet Soule, 3:13:05 

M65-69 Cliff Millemann, 3:04:24 

F65-69 Maureen Sanderson, 5:01:15 

M70-74 Ken Gibson, 3:13:21 

M75-79 Alan Moore, 3:50:08 

5k run, 29k mountain bike, 10k run 

Complete Results 

Overall Male Jacob Hull, 2:19:49 

Overall Female Tiffany Schwartz, 2:55:45 

M30-34 Kyle Dow, 2:27:13 

M35-39 Jacob Hull, 2:19:49 

F35-39 Tiffany Schwartz, 2:55:45 

M40-44 Derek Armer-Derner, 2:51:48 

M50-54 Jay Moncel, 3:27:42 

F50-54 Heather Anderson, 4:38:10 

M55-59 CJ Stafford, 4:57:04 

F55-59 Yun Saksena, 4:09:05 

M60-64 Robb Reece, 3:24:41 

M65-69 Brent Peacock, 2:50:00 

M70-74 Mark Lindsey, 4:18:47 

750m swim, 12k mountain bike, 5k run 

Complete Results 

Overall Male Tavish Quinn, 1:16:29 

Overall Female Michelle Lingenfelser, 1:52:31 

M14- C. Lockett, 1:35:47 

M15-19 Tavish Quinn, 1:16:29 

M35-39 Michael Schleckser, 1:50:47 

M40-44 Justin Young, 1:45:18 

F40-44 Laura Marinaro, 1:59:40 

M45-49 Daniel Rossi, 1:24:42 

F45-49 Nicole Morgan, 1:54:49 

M50-54 Angel Martinez Ineriano, 1:31:35 

F50-54 Michelle Lingenfelser, 1:52:31 

M55-59 Stephen Schwarze, 1:25:14 

M60-64 Curtis Miller, 1:40:54 

F60-64 Nancy Hopf, 2:07:36 

M65-69 Mark Drangsholt, 1:46:218 

F65-69 Gunilla Gard, 2:10:15 

M70-74 Steve Cole, 1:36:54 

F70-74 Susan Griffin-Kaklikian, 1:57:23 

2.5k run, 12k mountain bike, 5k run 

Complete Results 

Overall Male Saxby Stradinger 1:09:25 

Overall Female Monica Doval, 1:38:49 

Overall Clydesdale Trevor Horton, 2:23:56 

Clydesdale 0-39 Trevor Horton, 2:23:56 

Clydesdale 40-59 Bramer Owens, 1:47:40 

M15-19 Callen Quinn, 1:34:58 

M30-34 Brian Scheel, 1:43:43 

M35-39 Saxby Stradinger 1:09:25 

M40-44 Bryce Fluker, 1:11:52 

F40-44 Morgan Aldridge, 1:39:23 

M45-49 Michael Szermer, 1:34:03 

F45-49 Monica Doval, 1:38:49 

F50-54 Anonymous, 2:04:11 

M55-59 Travis Wales, 1:19:48 

F55-59 Lupe Nelson, 2:08:03 

M60-64 Steve Smith, 1:14:18 

F60-64 Kim Wagner, 2:23:41 

M65-69 Joseph Swartz, 1:46:33 

F65-69 Christine Knight, 1:57:14 

M80-84 Bill Arnerich, 3:30:30 

AUSTIN, Texas – This week’s rainfall across Central Texas could help to bring a much-needed boost to the region’s aquifers, which have been operating at dangerously low levels.

The backstory:

On Tuesday, the Austin area saw over an inch of rain while Georgetown received close to six inches, as the San Gabriel River rose over six feet throughout the day.

But the heavy downpour was a welcome sight for Shay Hlavaty, the communications and outreach manager at the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District. 

Created by the state of Texas in 1987, the District oversees segments of the Edwards and Trinity Aquifers, stretching from South Austin to southern San Marcos. 

In total, the portions of the aquifers they oversee provide water to around 100,000 people.

“Groundwater is a significant water source, you know. It’s kind of the unsung hero of Texas,” says Hlavaty.

But over the last few years, the region’s groundwater levels have been in decline.

“Since January 2022, we are missing over a year’s worth of rainfall. So, in the Austin area, we get about 32 to 34 inches a year. And so over that time, we have, you know, a 30-plus inch deficit,” says Hlavaty.

Since October, the District has been under a stage three exceptional drought. Those conditions are determined by two indicators: spring flow at Barton Springs and groundwater levels at the Lovelady Monitor Well. 

If either of these locations drops below a drought threshold, the District could declare a more intense drought stage.

By the numbers:

Some of the latest data shows that Barton Springs isn’t performing as it needs to support the ongoing growth of the region.

“To put it into reference, the average since about 1978 at Barton springs is 60 CFS. That’s cubic feet per second. And one cubic foot is about the size of a beach ball, an average beach ball. So, 60 beach balls of water coming out every second from Barton Springs. Before this rainfall, we were closer to 12 CFS, so only 12 beach balls coming out every second, so that’s less than a quarter of average,” says Hlavaty.

That same data also shows that the Lovelady Well is 453.8 feet above mean sea level. That’s only 5 inches above the Stage 4 Emergency Response Threshold.

“This isn’t something that’s going to go away. Even if we busted this drought and get out of it, the next drought is going to be around the corner,” says Hlavaty.

Dig deeper:

But this week’s rain did provide a small boost, helping to prevent the district from potentially falling into a deeper stage of drought.

“So, we’re still in that stage three exceptional level, and this rainfall will help us stay out of that stage four emergency,” Hlavaty told FOX 7. “It’ll help stabilize, if not increase groundwater levels and spring flow.”

The total rainfall for the Austin area in April so far is 4.14 inches, well above the typical total average for the month, which is 2.42 inches. But that sort of above precipitation must continue if there is to be any chance of drought levels decreasing.

“We really need to have above average rainfall for months, if not years, to bust this drought,” says Hlavaty.

What you can do:

As May approaches, which typically brings the most rainfall throughout the year, Hlavaty urges people to cut back on water use when they can, especially watering their lawns, which can consume large amounts of drinking water. 

And as Central Texas continues to see a boom in population, combined with hotter than average temperatures for February and March, conservation is as important as ever.

“It’s important to remember that a little bit of rain here, a little bit of rain there, isn’t going to best the drought. So, we all have to do our role to help conserve resources in the meantime,” says Hlavaty.