During its Nov. 20 meeting, the Board of Trustees agenda included:

The Board will meet next for a special meeting Thursday, Dec. 3.

Meeting Agenda
Meeting Recording

Spotlight on Learning: Deer Creek Elementary

Students from Deer Creek Elementary took the spotlight to showcase how they’re using the school’s Innovation Lab to greater ownership of their learning. They demonstrated projects like stop-motion animations, music coding and circuit-based weather models, describing how these creative tools let them show what they know in ways that feel meaningful to them.

The students emphasized how hands-on exploration helps them think critically, solve problems and stay curious, a reflection of Deer Creek’s commitment to empowering every student to learn in ways that spark curiosity.

Way to go, Colts!

Updates on Early Childhood, Transfers & Staffing Guidelines as Long-Range Planning Moves Forward

Planning Milestones

🎬 8.A.1. Overview of Long-Range Planning Milestones: PreK, Transfer Students, and Staffing Guidelines

District leaders continued work under the Board’s resolution on financial sustainability and long-range planning, presenting new data and planning parameters that will help guide future decisions. The update focused on three key areas — PreK and Early Childhood, transfer patterns, and proposed staffing guidelines — and how each ties into enrollment trends, program placement and campus capacity across the district. 

No decisions have been made at this time.

PreK & Early Childhood

Early Childhood Rates

The Board received an update on how PreK and early childhood programs fit into the bigger picture of enrollment and campus planning. These programs currently serve about 1,600 of our youngest learners, across PreK 3, PreK 4 and Early Education.

Highlights included:

  • Most PreK students stay in LISD beyond early childhood. About 4 out of 5 remain with the district the following year.
  • Maps shared with the Board show where PreK students live compared to where their programs are located. This helps the district make sure programs are placed where families need them most.
  • The new Early Childhood Center (ECC) opening in 2026–27 will bring many of these services together under one roof, and the district will continue planning for staffing, family communication and enrollment as that date gets closer.

Transfer Students

Transfer Breakdown

Trustees reviewed a timeline for transfer processes pertaining to both In-district and Out-of-district transfers.  Additionally, data was reviewed reflecting the current transfer patterns across the district to better understand enrollment balances.

What stood out:

  • Some elementary campuses rely on transfers to maintain healthy enrollment, while others have enough zoned students to remain full without transfers.
  • PreK transfers often occur when families seek specialized programs such as dual language or ECSE inclusion.
  • Looking at these patterns helps the district plan ahead for where programs should be housed and how to keep class sizes and staffing aligned with campus needs.

Proposed Staffing Guidelines

Proposed Staffing Guidelines

The district also provided an update of ongoing work on staffing guidelines that have emerged following a collective process with campus and department leaders, creating enrollment-based staffing tiers for elementary campuses. The result is a more differentiated model aligned to campus enrollment levels for more efficient use of resources.

The proposal restructures schools into five clear enrollment groups, creating more consistent expectations across campuses. These groupings are designed to better reflect the wide range of elementary campus sizes across LISD, looking at both the low and high ends of the enrollment spectrum.

  • 1–399 students
  • 400–499 students
  • 500–849 students
  • 850–999 students
  • 1,000+ students

What this means for families:

  • These guidelines give the district a clear, consistent way to match staffing levels to student needs. Some roles — like APs, counselors, librarians, fine arts and PE teachers — would increase or decrease based on campus enrollment.
  • They will help the district plan ahead more effectively as enrollment shifts.
  • These guidelines will also inform broader long-range planning conversations, including how to best use campus space.

These thresholds have not been set yet. They will be determined after the staffing guidelines are finalized. A full proposal will come back to the Board at a future meeting for more discussion.

Previous Updates

External Audit Affirms LISD’s Financial Accuracy

🎬 8.A.2. Consider Approval of the 2024-2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report

Trustees approved the 2024–2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, completing LISD’s annual external audit conducted by Whitley Penn. Auditors issued an unmodified â€” “clean” â€” opinion, meaning the district’s financial statements accurately reflect LISD’s financial position.

Audit highlights include:

  • Clean opinion on the district’s financial statements
  • No internal control findings related to financial reporting
  • No compliance issues identified in the financial audit
  • Federal Single Audit: unmodified opinions on major programs, with one noted material weakness tied to updated federal procurement guidance
  • General Fund snapshot: $442 million in revenue, $470 million in expenditures, and an ending fund balance of $158 million

The district will now submit the report to TEA and other required agencies.

New Trustee Takes Oath of Office

photo of swearing in of new board member with family beside her

🎬 3. OATH OF OFFICE

Leander ISD welcomes Laura Marques, Ph.D., to the Board of Trustees. Marques took the oath of office during a swearing-in ceremony at Thursday night’s meeting. She is replacing Francesca Romans who resigned from the Place 6 position in October.

During the Oct. 23 Board meeting, Trustees decided to fill the seat through an appointment. The outcome precludes the cost of a special election and allows a complete, seven-member board until an election in November 2026.

Travis County Judge Recognizes LISD’s July Flood Response

🎬 4.B. Recognition of Leander ISD, Leander ISD Emergency Management Team, PTA, and Danielson Middle School for Exceptional Service During the July 2025 Flood Response

Travis County Judge Andy Brown issued a formal proclamation honoring Leander ISD for its leadership and compassion during the July 5, 2025 Sandy Creek floods. The county praised LISD staff, teachers and campus teams and organizations for opening district facilities as emergency response sites, supporting displaced families, helping coordinate transportation, and providing care, resources and comfort when the community needed it most. 

The recognition highlighted the district’s “How can we help?” spirit and the collective effort that made a meaningful difference for families across Travis County.

Hiring Announcement: Chief Human Resources Officer

An announcement for Leander ISD's new Chief Human Resources Officer, Rachel Mackey

Leander ISD is pleased to announce that Rachel Mackey has been selected as the district’s new chief human resources officer. The Board of Trustees approved her hiring at Thursday night’s meeting after her successful tenure as interim CHRO.