During its Oct. 5 meeting, the Leander ISD Board of Trustees agenda included:
- Spotlight on Learning: Early College HS
- Attendance Zoning Process Set to Begin for Elementary School #30
- Community-Based Accountability System 2022–23 Report
- Board Approves Updated Legislative Priorities for October Special Session
- Resolution Approved Supporting & Promoting Culture of Voting in LISD
- Vendor Selection Process for Bond 2023’s Artificial Turf Projects Moves Forward
Spotlight on Learning: Early College HS
Leander ISD’s Early College HS took center stage for Spotlight on Learning. One of the district’s “schools of choice,” this school community was designed to move mountains – built brick-by-brick by #1LISD’s Guiding Documents – to create a college-going culture where students live out what they learn.
Attendance Zoning Process Set to Begin for Elementary School #30
🎬 7.C.1. Discussion of Elementary #30 Attendance Zoning Charter and Process Timeline
As part of the 10-year Long-Range Plan for Leander ISD, Elementary School #30 is scheduled to open in August 2024 to address the growth in the northern part of the district. At Thursday’s meeting, the Board received a presentation outlining the proposed attendance zoning charter and zoning process timeline for Elementary #30.
Timeline
- Oct. 27: Release zoning scenario and begin community input process
- Early November: Community Forums at Plain Elementary
- Additional zoning scenarios and community input if needed
- Projected to come before the Board for approval in December
Community-Based Accountability System 2022–23 Report
🎬 7.A.1. 2022-2023 Community Based Accountability Report
The Board received the 2022–2023 Community-Based Accountability System report, now in its second year. Rooted in #1LISD’s vision, mission and core beliefs, this comprehensive report features alignment to the district’s Strategic Plan. The report showcases LISD’s commitment to a shared educational vision created by families, staff and students.
This meeting focused on two of the five goals, specifically Goal 1: Empowered Student Learning and Goal 4: Equitable Access. The remaining goals will be shared during the Oct. 26 Board meeting.
Goal 1
While there were many celebrations shared, one area highlighted focused on schools offering opportunities for students to explore their “interests, talents and passions.” Both secondary students and parent responses to this survey question showed a marked increase in this measure of meaningful learning.
To speak more about student learning, what better than to hear from students themselves. Sharing their experience Thursday were Samantha Chee and Fayte Lee – from Vandegrift and Vista Ridge high schools, respectively.
Goal 4
In seeking to remove barriers to access programs within the district, LISD’s enrollment records show 92% of 7th-12th grade students participating in either a Career & Technical Education (CTE) course, an athletics class, or a fine arts (Level 2 or above) class. And the participation levels for this area remains steady regardless of race/ethnicity, economic status or native language.
Board Approves Updated Legislative Priorities for October Special Session
The LISD Legislative Priorities document outlines the key legislative agenda for the district for the special session starting Monday, Oct. 9. In conjunction with these special session priorities, the Board also approved a resolution regarding adequate funding for public schools advocates for fully funding public schools.
“These priorities do a great job of laying out what’s happening in our schools,” Board Vice President Anna Smith said. “What frustrates me as a Board member and as a parent with two kids in special education is that districts are put in the middle. Districts are having to figure out how to provide services with funds that don’t exist.
“I’m happy that our district values these educational opportunities and goes above and beyond to provide these for our students, but this is also about other districts in Texas who can’t make that happen,” she added. “It’s the students who miss out when we don’t adequately fund the programs they need to be successful.”
Priorities
- Leander ISD is opposed to any type of voucher, including Education Savings Accounts (ESA).
- Only public schools provide the choice, transparency, and accountability that Texas families deserve. There is no school finance package the legislature can offer that would change our mind.
- Only public schools provide the choice, transparency, and accountability that Texas families deserve. There is no school finance package the legislature can offer that would change our mind.
- Leander ISD supports an update to the school finance system in an effort to address the following:
- Texas ranks in the bottom 10 nationally for per-pupil spending – $4,000 per student below the national average.
- Texas faces a historic teaching shortage, with an attrition rate that is 25% higher than the national average, according to an August 2023 Texas House report.
- The Teacher Vacancy Task Force presented a list of recommendations prior to the 88th Regular Session. Only a few of these recommendations were implemented – educator’s voice is important.
- The legislature has already appropriated $4 billion for education but needs additional legislation to direct spending.
- Leander ISD spent $33 million more on special education in 2022-2023 than was allocated due to the outdated special education allotment. This took away $33 million from other student services.
Based on these facts, Leander ISD calls for:- enrollment-based funding,
- an increase to the basic allotment with a permanent inflationary measure via constitutional amendment and statute,
- consideration of other costs outside of district control,
- consideration of regional cost differences,
- updated funding weights,
- an increase to special education funding to account for actual spending by school districts and lessen the delta between what the state distributes and what the districts must spend to adequately provide for special education students and programs.
- Leander ISD supports local control.
- Texas public schools are impacted by an erosion of local control when more legislative details are delegated to agency decisions.
- The Texas Education Code Ch. 11 promotes and establishes local governance led by locally elected trustees and guided by input from the community of students, teachers/staff, and parents.
Previous Updates
- Sept. 21, 2023: Legislative Update
- May 25, 2023: Legislative Update
- April 27, 2023: Legislative Update
- Feb. 23, 2023: Legislative Update
Resolution Approved Supporting & Promoting Culture of Voting in LISD
🎬 7.B.1. Consider Approval of a Resolution to Support and Promote a Culture of Voting
Every election matters. Every vote counts. During Thursday’s meeting, the Board passed a resolution supporting and promoting a culture of voting.
Leander ISD encourages all citizens to participate in the electoral process and seeks to promote and support a culture of voting that encourages maximum voting participation by district employees, eligible students and all eligible members of the community.
“One of the vital parts of community engagement is to be empowered and equipped to vote in the election,” Trustee Trish Bode said. “A culture of voting is about getting out there and voting in elections. Whether there’s an LISD ballot item or not, I would argue that every item impacts our community and our citizens. It makes a difference.”
The registration deadline to vote in the upcoming election is Tuesday, Oct. 10. Visit the district’s Vote webpage for additional information regarding the Nov. 7 election, including key dates and relevant ballot measures.
Vendor Selection Process for Bond 2023’s Artificial Turf Projects Moves Forward
The 2023 Bond included artificial turf for baseball and softball fields at Leander HS, Cedar Park HS, Vista Ridge HS, Rouse HS and Vandegrift HS. Glenn HS already has artificial turf fields on their baseball and softball fields.
Leander ISD received proposals from potential vendors Sept. 15 and after evaluating the proposals, the Board approved the recommended turf vendor – Hellas Construction – as LISD continues final negotiations. If unsuccessful with the primary vendor, the Board also approved LISD to proceed to FieldTurf with negotiations.
