During its Oct. 23 meeting, the Board of Trustees agenda included:

The Board will meet twice next week in special-called meetings: Tuesday, Oct. 28, for a grievance hearing and Thursday, Oct. 30. for a workshop meeting Thursday, Oct. 30, to continue long-range plan and budget development discussions.

Meeting Agenda
Meeting Recording

Spotlight on Learning: Vista Ridge HS

Students and staff from Vista Ridge High School highlighted the impact of their AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program, a college-readiness system that builds academic skills, organization and confidence for life after high school.

Vista Ridge has been recognized as an AVID National Demonstration School since 2013, reflecting schoolwide integration of AVID’s instructional strategies.

Students described AVID as both a support system and a community that helps them take ownership of their learning. They’re enrolling in Advanced Placement courses at higher rates and passing at the same rate as peers, showing that preparation and support lead to achievement.

The program’s seniors – representing 10% of Vista Ridge’s graduating class – earned 18% of the school’s total scholarship offers, totaling more than $2.6 million. 

Through AVID, Vista Ridge is helping students prepare not just for college, but to make an impact beyond it.

Way to go, Rangers!

Annual Demographic Report Shows LISD in Stabilization Period

🎬 7.C.1. Discussion of the Annual Demographic Report: Population and Survey Analyst (PASA)

Representatives from Population and Survey Analysts (PASA) presented Leander ISD’s annual demographic update, a key planning tool that informs the district’s long-range facilities and enrollment projections.

As of Fall 2025, Leander ISD serves 41,862 students, a decline of about 750 from last year, signaling that the overall district has moved from its high-growth phase into a period of stabilization.

Growth remains uneven across the 200-square-mile district: new neighborhoods in the northern and western areas continue to expand, while more established neighborhoods in the south and central regions are either declining or leveling off.

PASA analysts noted several factors shaping enrollment patterns:

  • Fewer students per household
    The district’s student-to-home ratio has dropped from 0.65 to 0.48 over the past 12 years, reflecting changing family demographics and housing trends.
  • Rise of charter and alternative options
    About 3,000 students who live in LISD now attend charter schools, double the figure from 2019, while nearly 9 out 10 of students residing in the LISD boundary remain enrolled in LISD schools.
  • Declining kindergarten classes
    Despite slightly higher birth rates, fewer children are entering LISD kindergarten, mirroring statewide trends as more families explore homeschooling, charters or virtual programs.
  • Slower but steady housing growth
    Over the next decade, roughly 27,000 new housing units are projected, 60 percent of them single-family homes concentrated north and west of U.S. 183.

While PASA’s moderate-growth scenario projects enrollment to hover near 42,000 students for the next several years, analysts emphasized that Leander ISD is not shrinking but stabilizing, a normal phase in the district’s demographic life cycle.

The information shared tonight will support upcoming Board conversations and workshops as we move forward on the Sept. 30 resolution to develop a framework that balances financial stability and the student experience.

Previous Updates

Charter Approved & Naming Nomination Window Open for New Early Childhood Center Building

🎬 5.A. Consider Approval of Early Childhood Center Naming Charter

During consent agenda, Trustees approved the charter for naming the district’s first early childhood center building, scheduled to welcome students in Fall 2026. As part of the naming process, the Leander ISD community is invited to submit naming nominations. The form is open now and will close Friday, Nov. 7.

The ECC building is currently under construction near the intersection of Halsey Drive and San Gabriel Parkway in northern Leander. 

Funded by the 2023 Bond, the school is scheduled to welcome its first class of PreK and Early Childhood Special Education students in the 2026–27 school year. When it opens, it will relieve capacity at northern elementary schools, currently projected to include: Bagdad, Hisle, Larkspur, North, Plain and Tarvin.

A committee will be formed for the naming of the building, with its membership aligned to the criteria set in the facility’s Board-approved charter. The committee will review each nomination for the building and will then make a naming recommendation to the Board in January.

Naming Form

Previous Updates

Language Learning Strengthens Student Opportunity & Belonging

Global Languages & Cultures slide

🎬 7.A.1. Discussion of Global Languages & Cultures Annual Update

Leander ISD’s Global Languages & Cultures team shared its annual update on services for emergent bilingual students, highlighting continued growth, program expansion and the academic and cultural impact of multilingual learning across the district.

This year, 18% of LISD students – nearly 7,500 learners from early childhood through Grade 12 – are identified as emergent bilinguals, almost double the amount from five years ago. More than 75 languages are represented, with Spanish, Telugu, Korean, and Russian among the most common

The district continues to offer English as a Second Language services at all campuses, along with dual language programs at Bagdad, Knowles, Reed and Whitestone elementary schools, and at Danielson, Henry and Leander middle schools. To meet state certification requirements, LISD will again submit bilingual and ESL teacher waiver requests for several languages, reflecting high demand and limited availability of certified educators.

Professional learning remains a focus, with staff engaging in districtwide professional learning communities (PLCs) and specialized training through partnerships with Region 13, the Dual Language Training Institute, and other national organizations. Summer programming also continues to grow, serving more than 500 early learners –  from 325 last year – with language- and STEM-based instruction.

The presentation closed with a video spotlight featuring students and graduates who shared how multilingualism has shaped their academic paths and personal growth, underscoring the theme of many languages, many stories, one student at a time.

Hiring Announcements: Cypress & River Place

Leander ISD; Cypress Elementary; Announcing Principal Justin Gomez
Leander ISD; River Place Elementary; Announcing Principal Stacy Steele, Ed.D.

Leander ISD is pleased to welcome two new principals – Justin Gomez at Cypress Elementary and Stacy Steele, Ed.D., at River Place Elementary after the Board approved the recommendations at Thursday’s Board meeting.

Cypress Elementary
River Place Elementary

Board Update on Filling Vacant Trustee Seat

After closed session, members of the Board determined next steps for filling the vacant Place 6 seat. Trustee Francesca Romans announced her decision to resign earlier this week. The Board plans to interview prospects during closed session of the Oct. 28 special-called meeting. Upon choosing a suitable candidate, they will vote on the appointment at the Board workshop scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 30. The appointee would be sworn in at the regular-scheduled meeting Thursday, Nov. 6. The Board considered the option of a special-called election; however, to ensure cost-savings and leadership continuity, members concluded an appointment is in the District’s best interest.