During its March 13 meeting, the Leander ISD Board of Trustees agenda included: 

Meeting Agenda
Meeting Recording

Spotlight on Learning: Parkside Elementary

Parkside Elementary showcased their staff’s commitment to teacher growth and its positive impact on student learning. Highlights included mentorship opportunities and growth within a supportive campus environment. One teacher, Corinne Burkhart, shared her progression from substitute teacher to kindergarten teacher to now pursuing a master’s degree. And in a full-circle moment, another teacher, Riley Miller, described her path from Parkside student to now a member of the school’s faculty, with inspiration from her previous teachers along the way who nurtured her love of learning.

Board Recognitions

Special thanks to Danielson Middle School students Nicolas and Riddhi for helping celebrate stand-out individuals and accomplishments around #1LISD.

The Board recognized the following:

  • UIL Swimming State Medalists
  • UIL Wrestling State Medalists
  • Career and Technical Education (CTE) Achievement: Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE)
  • Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA) Star Awards – School & Community Relations (SCR)
  • Texas Educational Diagnosticians Week, March 3–7

Pair of Long-time LISD Educators Become Building Namesakes for 2023 Bond Projects

🎬 6.A.1. Discussion and Consider Approval of Naming of the 18+ Transition Services Center
🎬 6.A.2. Discussion and Consider Approval of Naming of the Science Materials Center

Introducing the Denise Geiger Compass Center and the Linda Lippe Instructional Materials Center.

The Board approved committee naming recommendations for two 2023 bond projects at Thursday’s meeting. Both facilities are projected to open Fall 2025.

The Denise Geiger Compass Center will be the home to the 18+ Transitions Services program. Under Geiger’s leadership, the program has grown from serving one student to 140 students yearly.

With a new building, the Science Materials Center will take on the new name of the Linda Lippe Instructional Materials Center, paying homage to the program’s founder and reflecting its evolving purpose of housing materials more than just science.

Read More about Geiger Compass Center & Lippe Instructional Materials Center

About the Programs

LISD’s current Science Materials Center creates ready-made science kits for all of the district’s elementary school classrooms to provide students with hands-on learning. As the district has grown in the number of elementary classrooms, the new space will be used to house other instructional materials beyond science and be able to accommodate the additional demand.

The 18+ Transition Services program provides young adults, 18 to 22 years old, with the skills and knowledge necessary for successful transition into community and adult living.

A perfect pairing, setting the new building for these programs next to each other on the same lot will further accommodate the work-based learning opportunities available to 18+ Transition Services students at the Science Materials Center. 

As a resource to the #1LISD community to learn more about these projects and track their progress, the district has created a Bond & Construction Projects page. Specific project pages include an overall scope of the project, the status of the project, a timeline, information about contractors and vendors, and more.

Previous Updates

Budget Discussion Leads to Modified Plan Forward Pending Parameter Adjustments by Board

Budget Assumptions

🎬 6.A.3. Discussion of the 2025-2026 Budget Development

Earlier in February, Superintendent Bruce Gearing shared important updates in the budget development process for the 2025–2026 school year. In the face of a projected $34.2 million deficit, the district announced reductions to each level – central office, high schools, middle school and elementary schools. Early this week, Gearing detailed the reductions in non-campus positions and operations to reach the $3 million of cuts pledged in February.

Through Thursday’s budget discussion at the Board meeting, Trustees and administration paved a way forward that included modifications to the update shared in February. 

Note: These revisions are contingent on the Board changing the budget deficit parameter from 3% to 4.5%, which would be formalized through a vote at a future meeting.

Budget Plan Revisions

  • Budget Deficit Parameter
    As referenced above, these changes hinge on a scenario where the board approves a revised budget deficit parameter of 4.5%, This allows administration to present a budget to the Board with a deficit of just less than $19.5 million.
  • Assistant Principals
    In the previous plan, campus adjustments included reductions to assistant principals at elementary, middle, and high schools.

    This change will allow us to restore staffing guidelines for assistant principals at middle and high school campuses.
  • TASB Pay Study
    At the Feb. 27 budget workshop, the results of the third-party review of LISD’s pay structures – done by TASB – were presented to the Board. Implementation of this review totaled a little more than $3.5 million.

    The revised plan now allocates money for the district to implement the recommended changes in 2025–26.
  • International Baccalaureate
    As part of previously announced budget cuts, the IB program was to be removed from the two elementary schools that are IB campuses and phased out from the two high schools that are IB campuses.

    Under the revised plan, the district will go back to the drawing board to evaluate how to effectively run IB with a reduced cost. This will result in changes to how IB is currently administered in the LISD.
  • Revenue Generation & Cost Avoidance
    A closer look at opportunities for additional revenue showed a safe projection of $1.3 million through a combination of factors:
    • Slightly increased attendance rate from 94% to 94.125%
    • Middle school CTE course adjustment to offer entrepreneurship in place of mixINC
    • Certain safety and security items funded through grant program
    • Increased facility rental opportunities
    • Reduced utility costs through LED light project

Funding Context

As LISD tackles this $34.2 deficit, this comes in a financial environment where the State of Texas has not increased public school funding since 2019 – despite rising operational costs. Like many school districts, not only Leander ISD, but our families, likewise, are experiencing a 22% rise in inflation. To put the 22% increase in LISD dollars, this would be the equivalent of an estimated additional $64 million in revenue.

The budget parameter adjustment is expected to come back before the Board for a vote at the March 27 meeting.

Previous Updates

New Human Sexuality Curriculum Approved

Human Sexuality Curriculum Development

🎬 5.A. CONSENT: Consider Adoption of Human Sexuality Curriculum Grades 7-9

During the consent agenda, the Board approved the Student Health Advisory Committee’s (SHAC) recommendation of the resource for human sexuality curriculum for 7th, 8th and 9th grades in Leander ISD. 

As shared during the Feb. 13 meeting, SHAC reviewed multiple curricula through this process. The district then contracted with an experienced public school health specialist to create the curriculum and lessons to meet the specific needs of LISD.

The lessons for each grade level cover all of the Health Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Human Sexuality and meet all of the legal requirements for teaching Human Sexuality as outlined in Texas Administrative Code.

For more information, including lesson previews, visit the Human Sexuality Curriculum page.

It’s important to note that in following Texas Education Code, parents and guardians must opt their student(s) into Human Sexuality Instruction.