Austin Independent School District officials held a community meeting to discuss options for Pearce Middle School students left wondering where they will attend classes in the fall.

Superintendent Meria Carstarphen said Pearce Middle School has made great strides and is not a failing school.

Despite her comments, the state ordered it closed due to poor performance.

Many community members and leaders said the closure is not reflective of the school's recent improvements.

“Over the last two years, they’ve come from the bottom to the top, and they just didn’t reach the very very peak of the mountain, but I think it’s good enough,” Allen Weeks, of the St. John Community/School Alliance, said.

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But, that idea does not appeal to many, including former Pearce Middle School teacher Seth Fowler.

"If the school closes, the community dies, and there's no guarantee if you send the students to other school that they'll continue on their success level," he said.

Students, like Amber Hopkins who is going to be an eighth grader this school year, said it's a disappointment to hear the news.

"We had everything planned for the eighth grade. We were going to have a dance group, and now we can't," she said.

Another option -- more appealing to most -- is to quickly find a restructuring plan that works to keep the school open.

Carstarphen is planning to work with the state school board, as well as the commissioner, to come up with this type of repurposing plan they can put in place for the next school year.

With less than a month before school starts, time is not on the school's side.

The AISD school board will have another public meeting to talk about the status Aug. 3.