During its May 29 meeting, the Board of Trustees agenda included:

Meeting Agenda
Meeting Recording

Spotlight on Learning: Substitute Teacher Program

During the Spotlight on Learning, the annual “Shout Out for Subs” campaign from earlier in May took center stage. Students from across the district submitted artwork, poems and stories to recognize substitutes who made a meaningful impact.

Three student-sub pairs were honored, each illustrating the deep connections and encouragement substitutes provide. From heartfelt poems to drawings of classroom joy, the stories underscored how even one day with the right sub can leave a lasting impression.

  • Victoria Simmons
    Recognized by Kriti Venkatesan, kindergarten student at Laura W. Bush Elementary
  • Ada Price
    Recognized by Collin Keen, 3rd grade student at Parkside Elementary
  • Brunella Vigil
    Recognized by Kingston Sanders, 4th grade student at Naumann Elementary

Way to go, substitutes!

Board Recognitions

Special thanks to Rouse High School students Morgan and Marco for helping celebrate stand-out individuals and accomplishments around #1LISD.

The Board recognized the following:

  • UIL Theatrical Design State Medalists
  • UIL Track & Field State Medalists
  • Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) Coach of the Year – Drew Sanders, Vandegrift High School
  • Career and Technical Education (CTE) Achievement: Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA)
  • Texas Science & Engineering Fair
  • HEB Excellence Award Nominee Dr. Amy Sharp, River Place Elementary
  • Speech Language Pathologists Appreciation Week, May 19–23

Long-Range Plan: Exploring Campus Consolidations, Staffing Adjustments to Address Enrollment Shifts

LRP slide

🎬 9.B.1. Discussion of Long-Range Planning Framework- Facility Optimization

Leander ISD administration presented a detailed overview of potential facility optimization paths under consideration as part of the district’s Long-Range Planning Framework. 

With several elementary campuses operating significantly below capacity – under 60% – and enrollment trends continuing to shift, district leaders are evaluating how to responsibly use space, support students and maintain financial sustainability. 

The Board reviewed three distinct paths, each offering a different approach to ensuring students continue to benefit from high-quality learning environments. The options are built on top of the foundational work established through the Long-Range Planning Committee, and they use districtwide data on campus capacity, the projected enrollment and per-student expenditures. 

Important Note: No final decisions yet made. All plans involve potential impact starting in the 2026–27 school year.

Path 1: Campus Consolidation & Repurposing

This path involves consolidating under-enrolled campuses with nearby schools to improve efficiency and educational offerings. Repurposed campuses could be used for alternative programs like New Hope High School, tuition-based Pre-K, or professional development hubs for teachers and staff.

Impacted Elementary Schools

  • Consolidating Faubion to Westside
    Under this model, as a combined campus, Westside would be projected at 92% capacity in the 2026–27 school year with a slight downward trend in future years.

    The Faubion building would be repurposed to serve the enhancement of the New Hope High School program starting in the 2027–28 school year.
  • Consolidating Cypress to Naumann
    Under this model, as a combined campus, Naumann would be projected at 98% capacity in the 2026–27 school year with a downward trend in future years.

    The Cypress building would be repurposed to serve the creation of a professional development and administrative support center starting in the 2027–28 school year.
  • Consolidating Steiner Ranch to Laura W. Bush and River Ridge
    Under this model, with the adjusted enrollment, Laura W. Bush and River Ridge would be projected at 67% capacity and 63% capacity, respectively, in the 2026–27 school year with a downward trend in future years.

    The Steiner Ranch building would be repurposed to serve the introduction of a tuition-based Pre-K center or partnership starting in the 2027–28 school year.

Combined, these three moves would result in an estimated $4.15 million of savings.

Path 2: Adjust Staffing Guidelines for Low-Enrolled Elementary Schools

Instead of closing campuses, this scenario proposes updating staffing guidelines for low-enrolled schools to align more closely with actual student numbers. The revised model would maintain current buildings but reduce personnel costs while ensuring that educational services remain intact. The proximity of adjacent campuses can serve additional staffing efficiencies.

Our elementary schools have traditionally been built for roughly 800-850 students. The proposed revised staffing guidelines would create additional enrollment groupings of “Up to 349 students” and “350 to 500 students,” with non-teacher positions adjusted accordingly.

As an example, instead of one instructional coach per school under current guidelines, schools in the 350-500 range may share its instructional coach with another school in the same enrollment range or combine this role with another position. Schools with less than 350 students would not be allocated an assistant principal.

Other scaled positions include the counselor, instructional coach, administrative assistant, registrar, receptionist, P.E. teacher, arts and performing arts teacher, librarian, QUEST teacher, reading specialist, dyslexia specialist, ESL teacher and 504/ARD coordinator.

Note: There would not be an adjustment to general teacher positions as they are tied directly to grade-level enrollment rather than overall school enrollment.

The staffing guideline adjustment would result in an estimated $1.78 million of savings.

Path 3: Hybrid Approach Factoring Unique Circumstances

This approach takes a flexible, case-by-case approach, blending strategies from the first two options depending on the unique needs of our campus communities. This model considers enrollment projections, facility utilization, community context and programming needs to develop customized solutions.

In some cases, campuses could be partially consolidated or co-located with district services,  such as special programs or alternative learning centers. This approach preserves the identity of schools where feasible while optimizing space and staffing where needed. It also allows for the gradual introduction of new programmatic models as community needs evolve.

In the presented version of Path 3, it does incorporate the consolidation of Faubion and Steiner Ranch elementary schools seen in Path 1. Combined, these moves as presented would result in an estimated $3.55 million of savings.

Estimated Cost Savings Recap

  • Path 1: $4.15 million
  • Path 2: $1.78 million
  • Path 3: $3.55 million

Next Steps

In reviewing the presented scenarios and when asked to provide guidance on the strategic direction moving forward, Trustees expressed support for further exploring the hybrid model of Path 3, recognizing it as the most flexible and context-sensitive approach. Many acknowledged that some form of consolidation and updated staffing guidelines will be necessary to address persistent enrollment imbalances and financial pressures. 

Trustees also stressed the importance of transparent, inclusive community engagement, and we know the input of our community is critical as we move forward. A ThoughtExchange survey is now live and will remain open through Friday, June 13. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts on this hybrid approach to consolidate schools and repurpose facilities and adjust staffing guidelines for low-enrolled elementary schools. What are the benefits? What are some challenges you see?

ThoughtExchange Survey

Important Note: No final decisions yet made. All plans involve potential impact starting in the 2026–27 school year.

In August, once the school year resumes, the district will host community forums for communities affected by consolidation efforts to continue to receive feedback and ensure a shared understanding in moving forward. Additional details around the structure of those meetings and when and where they will take place are forthcoming.

Under the current timeline, the Board would vote on optimization actions in September 2025. Implementation and any potential campus transitions would take place for the 2026-27 school year.

Previous Updates

Legislative Session Nears End with Impacts to Public Education

Legislative Committee Update

🎬 9.A.1. Legislative Committee Update

With sine die – the last day of the legislative session – just days away, public education finds itself at a familiar crossroads, caught between incremental progress and continued challenges.

At Thursday’s Board Meeting, Trustees and district leaders welcomed the additional funding designated for teacher compensation. In House Bill 2, a “teacher of record” with 3 to 4 years of experience would receive a $2,500 increase and those with 5-plus years would receive an increase of $5,000. While teacher raises are well-deserved, the current plan only covers teaching positions – it doesn’t include non-teaching staff. The district would get $1.7 million to help with pay for non-teaching staff, an insufficient amount to give raises to everyone. 

Undercutting the positive effects of HB2 was the unexpected omission of a key “hold harmless” provision, intended to ensure districts would not lose funding under new state formulas. As currently interpreted, this leaves a district like Leander ISD with $10 million less than had originally been projected.

HB2 addresses two significant legislative priorities for LISD – special education and safety & security. However, the district will have to continue to fully fund these areas in order to meet the needs. Here’s how the incremental increases impact LISD:

  • Special education: $1.7 million
  • School safety: $1.1million
  • Inflation: $4.4 million

Within the bill is an increase to the basic allotment of $55. While this is a step forward, without a more meaningful investment, districts still face overall budget shortfalls that impact long-term sustainability.

Sine die is Monday, June 2. Any bill not passed by this deadline is effectively dead unless Gov. Greg Abbott calls a special session. Twenty days after sine die, Friday, June 22, is the last day the governor can sign or veto a law. Any bill not vetoed by this date becomes law.

Previous Updates