During its April 2 meeting, the Board of Trustees agenda included:

The Board will meet next for a regular meeting Thursday, April 23.

Meeting Agenda
Meeting Recording

Spotlight on Learning: Akin ES

Students and staff at Akin Elementary highlighted how the school’s’ QUEST program is creating deeper, hands-on learning experiences across grade levels.

Students shared how they are learning to think like mathematicians, coders and problem-solvers through real-world projects and robotics challenges. Teachers emphasized that the goal is to make challenge, curiosity and creativity part of the learning experience for all students, helping them apply classroom concepts in meaningful, real-world ways.

Way to go, Aviators!

Trustees Approve District of Innovation Plan Update to Support CTE Programs

LISD District of Innovation

🎬 7.B.1. Discussion and Consider Approval of Amendment to District of Innovation Plan

Trustees approved an amendment to Leander ISD’s existing District of Innovation (DOI) plan, expanding local flexibility to support staffing in Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses.

What this means:

  • More flexibility in hiring: The revision allows the district to establish local qualification standards for teachers hired specifically for CTE teaching assignments, while continuing to prioritize strong candidates and instructional quality.
  • Expanded access to industry experts: The change helps address hiring barriers in specialized pathways, such as health science, welding, cybersecurity and automotive, where professionals often bring deep workforce experience but may not hold a traditional teaching certificate.
  • Protects student opportunities and funding: The adjustment is expected to preserve approximately $250,000 in annual CTE weighted funding while helping sustain and grow high-demand career pathways for students.

Leander ISD has operated under a DOI plan for several years. To this point, the district’s sole use has been in how to set the academic calendar, specifically allowing for flexibility in the first day of school. Under Texas Education Code 25.0811, districts that are not operating under a DOI plan may not begin instruction before the fourth Monday in August.

Previous Updates

Instructional Materials Update: Phonics Recommendation Advances, Math Review Continues

Instructional Materials presentation

🎬 7.A.1. Discussion of Adoption of 2026-2027 Instructional Materials Update, K-3 Phonics & K-5 Math

Following the district’s update in January on the instructional materials adoption process, Trustees received a brief progress update on both K–3 phonics and K–5 math for the 2026–27 school year.

Based on educator and community feedback, district leaders shared that Reading Horizons Discovery is the recommended Tier 1 phonics resource for kindergarten through 3rd grade. The formal approval is expected to come before the Board at the next meeting, with administration also planning to share the professional learning and campus support rollout alongside that recommendation.

For K–5 math, the district has narrowed the review to two final vendors, with campus feedback and community viewing opportunities continuing over the coming weeks. A final recommendation is expected to return to the Board later this spring.

Previous Updates

Trustees Approve Updated Budget Target for 2026–27

🎬 7.C.3. Consider Approval of the 2026-2027 Amended Budget Assumptions

Following last week’s in-depth budget workshop, trustees approved an amendment to the district’s 2026–27 budget assumptions, increasing the deficit target from 1.5% to 3%.

As discussed during the workshop, this adjustment reflects stronger current-year financial results and a five-year history of conservative budgeting practices, which have typically resulted in year-end outcomes performing better than the adopted budget.

While the updated target allows for a larger planned deficit at the start of the year, district projections continue to indicate that the budget is expected to finish closer to balanced by year’s end, based on historical trends and current financial forecasts.

The approved 3% target allows for a planned deficit of approximately $13.7 million, compared with $6.8 million under the previous 1.5% target.

District administrators noted during the workshop that this updated planning target is intended to provide additional flexibility as the budget continues to be developed, while still maintaining the expectation of a balanced year-end result and preserving healthy fund balance levels over time.

Previous Updates

Trustees Approve Bond Savings Reallocation From 2017 Bond Program

Bond Oversight Committee presentation

🎬 7.C.1. Consider Approval of Bond Oversight Committee Recommendation to Reallocate 2017 Bond Funds into 2017 Bond Project Savings

Trustees approved a recommendation from the Bond Oversight Committee to consolidate remaining balances from completed and adjusted 2017 bond projects into a single project savings account.

The action moves approximately $16.6 million in remaining bond funds from several completed or updated project line items into the 2017 Bond Project Savings fund. This includes savings from completed construction projects, reconciled project costs and line items that no longer require the originally allocated amount.

District staff and the Bond Oversight Committee emphasized that this action is primarily an accounting and transparency measure. Rather than leaving smaller amounts spread across multiple completed project lines, the approved move consolidates those funds into one clearly identified savings bucket for future committee review and Board consideration.

Previous Updates

Board Officially Hires Chris Clark as Superintendent After Waiting Period

Announcing Superintendent of Schools

The Leander ISD Board of Trustees officially hired Chris Clark, Ed.D., as superintendent during its April 2 meeting, following the state-required 21-day waiting period after naming him lone finalist in March.

Clark has served as acting superintendent since December 2025, helping lead the district through a period of transition while continuing the work underway across Leander ISD’s 49 schools serving more than 42,000 students.

Prior to serving as acting superintendent, Clark was deputy superintendent of learning and innovation and previously assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction. He brings more than 30 years of experience in public education, including more than two decades in leadership roles at both the campus and district levels.

The Board’s action follows a superintendent search process that included opportunities for community input, including a districtwide survey that helped inform the leadership profile for the district’s next superintendent.

Additional background on the search process and Clark’s experience is available in the lone finalist announcement.

Clark assumes the role of superintendent effective immediately.

Hiring Announcement: Running Brushy MS

Announcing Running Brushy MS Principal

Leander ISD is pleased to welcome Dionne Dansby-Clark, Ed.D., as the new principal of Running Brushy Middle School. The Board of Trustees approved her hiring at Thursday’s meeting.