During its Oct. 30 special-called meeting, the Board of Trustees agenda included:

The Board will meet next for a regular meeting Thursday, Nov. 6.

Meeting Agenda
Meeting Recording

Board Continues Long-Range Planning Work While Timeline for Potential School Consolidation Remains Under Consideration

🎬 4.B. Discussion of Long-Range Planning Timeline

Discussions around long-range planning and facility utilization continued at the Oct. 30 special-called meeting as district administrators presented a proposed multi-year draft timeline outlining major milestones over the next several months between Fall 2025 and the 2026–27 school year, while also framing longer-term strategic considerations extending several years into the future.

The framework ties into the Board’s September 30 resolution, outlining how demographic data, staffing guidelines, and enrollment thresholds could help guide planning considerations related to potential campus consolidation, program adjustments, and efficiency strategies.

Administrators emphasized that no decisions have been made and that the timeline was designed to provide structure for when the Board, staff, and community can expect to see updates tied to enrollment, capacity, and long-term facility actions.

Trustees discussed the importance of establishing clear decision points to help promote transparency and allow families adequate time to plan for any potential transitions, should they become necessary. Several Board members noted the need to balance timeliness with thoughtfulness, recognizing that any final determination regarding possible campus consolidation or closure for the 2026–27 school year has not yet been made. 

District leaders indicated that a discussion is planned on the effects of PreK and transfer student enrollment on overall campus enrollment and capacity planning is anticipated for Nov. 20, which may help further inform potential next steps later this semester. Trustees also considered the possibility of adding additional special-called meetings to allow continued discussion as information develops.

As discussions continue, Trustees reiterated the need to balance fiscal responsibility with student experience, ensuring that future decisions are grounded in data, transparency and community trust.

Previous Updates

Budget Development Update Factors Recent Demographic Update & Previews Detailed Cost Report

🎬 4.A. Discussion of 2026-2027 Budget Development Including Leander ISD Cost Analysis Data and Contracted Reviews of the District

District administrators presented a fresh outlook of the 2026–27 fiscal year, offering updates on key data shaping Leander ISD’s budget development process.

Following the framework of “Review, Revise, Recalibrate, Reinvent,” this year marks the “Recalibrate/Reinvent” phase focused on aligning staffing models, evaluating programs and implementing strategies to strengthen long-term sustainability — all while keeping student experience at the center.

Updated enrollment projections from the annual demographic report show a reduction of 437 students for 2026–27 compared to earlier estimates, resulting in an anticipated $4 million decrease in revenue.

The cost report referenced in the presentation included per-student expenditures across LISD schools. District leaders emphasized differences do not indicate one campus operating more or less efficiently than another. Rather, variation is largely driven by factors such as program offerings, school size and student needs, which naturally impact costs from school to school.

The update also referenced several studies and reviews from third-party entities, including:

  • Internal Cost Review: Identifying areas for efficiency and potential savings.
  • Stetson & Associates: Review of staffing practices for students with disabilities.
  • Moak Casey: Secondary master schedule and staffing study.
  • Gibson Consulting: Audit of academic program management.
  • Texas Association of School Boards: Central office staffing review.

Collectively, these studies provide data-informed insights to guide Board and administrative decisions in the months ahead. As Trustees emphasized, the goal remains to protect and enhance student opportunities while addressing fiscal realities and planning for long-term stability.

A more detailed discussion of the cost report information represented in the presentation is scheduled for the Nov. 20 board meeting.

Previous Updates

Board Appoints Laura Marques to Fill Vacant Trustee Seat

🎬 3.A. Consider Appointment to Fill Place 6 Board Vacancy

At the Oct. 30 meeting, the LISD Board of Trustees voted to appoint Laura Marques to fill the Place 6 seat. Her appointment runs through November 2026, the time of the next regularly scheduled Board election. Marques will be sworn in at a Board meeting in November.

A Louisiana native, Marques and her family moved to Leander in 2020. She has served in several voluntary roles with the District, including as a member of site-based committees, Special Programs Parent Advisory Council and the Bond Oversight Committee. She practices psychology in the Austin area while also working remotely as an adjunct assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences for Tulane University School of Medicine. Her children attend Tarvin Elementary. 

Trustees opted to fill the vacancy through appointment to ensure a full, seven-member Board and avoid the cost of holding a special election. Place 6 became open after Trustee Francesca Romans announced her decision to resign earlier this month. Trustees made the appointment following interviews with four applicants during a special meeting Oct. 28.