During its Sept. 19 meeting, the Leander ISD Board of Trustees agenda included: 

Meeting Agenda
Meeting Recording

Spotlight on Learning: New Hope HS

During the Spotlight on Learning, Trustees heard from graduates of #1LISD’s original school of choice, New Hope High School. They spoke of how a supportive learning environment, one where they could accelerate and go at their own pace, helped them find their footing while finishing their high school experience.

Long-Range Planning Committee Update

Long-Range Planning Committee – 2023-24

🎬 7.C.2. Discussion of Long-Range Planning Committee

LISD administration provided an update on the work of the Long-Range Planning Committee. Originally created during the 2021–2022 school year to make recommendations on how to manage growth while also optimizing current district buildings, the LRPC expanded in Spring 2023 to include a wider range of community representation.

Lingering Issues

Through the committee’s work on facility optimization, schools of choice and community conversations, there are a set of interdependent issues left for more discussion and feedback in order provide an updated Long-Range Plan: 

  • In looking for new spaces for LEO Center and New Hope HS in the central portion of the district, could these be combined into the same facility or not? 
  • Whether or not the district should pursue open enrollment, allowing for families outside of Leander ISD’s boundary to complete an application process to enroll in LISD schools?
  • Should the district pursue comprehensive secondary schools or innovative academies?
  • What is the timing of future elementary school builds – #31, #32 and #33?
  • How to best optimize campus facilities?

Feedback and discussion among the Trustees at Thursday’s meeting helped provide direction on these issues. This will help inform district administration of what needs to be addressed with the LRPC at their next meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 24, and how to proceed with the work.

Previous Updates

Annual Instructional Materials Review & Approval Process Navigating New Legislation

HB 1605 – Next Steps

🎬 7.A.1. Discussion of Instructional Materials Review & Approval Process

The passage of House Bill (HB) 1605 in the latest legislative session has given the State Board of Education (SBOE) more authority over the review and adoption of instructional materials, resulting in changes to how school districts select and adopt these materials.

The changes in the new Instructional Materials Review & Approval (IMRA) process have caused uncertainty on the best path forward for selecting and recommending adoption of instructional resources.

Among other factors in moving forward, there are a limited number of publishers being considered by SBOE. In addition, the timing of the SBOE-approved resource list will be available much later into the adoption process for the following school year.

Guiding the selection of materials will be alignment to Curriculum one-page documents for the core areas of Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies. These documents outline what LISD believes describes the type of instruction that facilitates student ownership of learning.

A comprehensive list of primary resources in use in the district will be added to the LISD’s Curriculum page.

Legislative Update

Legislative Committee Update

🎬 7.B.1. Legislative Committee Update

The 89th Texas Legislature will begin in January 2025, and discussion has already begun around education-related topics likely to see bills put forward. As the Board continues to shape its legislative priorities ahead of the upcoming session, legislative consultant Colby Nichols with Ancira Strategic Partners touched on a few topics receiving attention down at the capitol.

According to the Texas Education Agency, statewide teacher pay has reached an average of nearly $62,500. This number is not an average of starting pay across the state but that of all teachers in the profession. This reflects a 15-percent increase over the past five years. However, over that same time period, inflation increased by 24 percent.

Other topics likely to see legislation, among others:

  • Student cellphone usage during the school day.
  • State accountability
  • State assessments

Previous Updates

Bond 2023: Project Funds Released For Plant Services Mechanic Shop; Update on Baseball and Softball Artificial Turf Project

🎬 5.D. Consider Approval of Guaranteed Maximum Price for the Plant Services Mechanic Shop
🎬 6. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT

Plant Services

2023 Bond: Plant Services Mechanic Shop

The May 2023 bond included funds for updates to the Plant Services Mechanic Shop with PBK Architects approved to design these updates and Bartlett Cocke General Contractors for construction.

As part of the consent agenda item, Trustees approved the first Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) contract for this project, allowing for the release of Bond funds already allocated as part of the May 2023 bond.

This GMP will go toward the construction portion of the project. Construction is projected to start in the fall.

GMP #1: $8,360,415

As a resource to the #1LISD community to learn more about these projects and track their progress, the district has created a Bond & Construction Projects page. Specific project pages include an overall scope of the project, the status of the project, a timeline, information about contractors and vendors, and more.

Bond & Construction Projects

Construction for Artificial Turf Project Underway

Baseball and Softball Artificial Turf

In the Superintendent Update, Bruce Gearing provided an update on the bond project to remove natural grass and replace it with artificial turf on baseball and softball fields at all high schools except Glenn HS, which already has artificial turf. 

City permitting has led to each high school being at different stages of the construction timeline. For Leander and Rouse high schools, construction is underway. Cedar Park and Vista Ridge high schools are the next on deck with construction projected to start later this fall. At Vandegrift High School, construction is projected to begin June 2025 as a result of an extended permitting process with the City of Austin.

Previous Updates

Educator Shortage Leads to Certification Waivers For A Second Year

Teacher Certification Waiver

🎬 7.C.1. Consider Approval of Texas Education Agency (TEA) Certification Waiver for Teachers

A lack of certified teachers as well as a steady reduction of professionals entering the field of education has led to a critical shortage of qualified teachers. Despite increased recruitment efforts, Leander ISD faces the difficulty of filling many teaching positions, particularly in the areas of mathematics, science, and elementary education.

To address this challenge, LISD Board of Trustees approved the use of a teacher certification waiver at Thursday’s meeting. The waiver allows the district’s Human Resources department to employ candidates who may not yet meet the full certification requirements for a given teaching position, but are considered qualified based on their education and/or relevant experience. These teachers can then serve in the role for a term of one to three years while working toward completing their certification.

Trustees first approved teacher certification waivers last year in which the district used waiver for 32 positions – 24 elementary and 8 secondary teaching positions. Over the school year, the district learned the certification process is taking longer due to increasingly stringent program certification requirements and teachers experiencing the inherent challenge of working on their certification while teaching full-time. The district is committed to providing critical support, encouragement, & accountability.

With 14 teachers on waivers carrying over from last school year, LISD expects to use 39 certification waivers for a total of 53. In line with the previous year, waivers cannot be used for special education or bilingual teaching positions. 

Previous Updates

Aug. 24, 2023: Waiver Approved to Allow HR to Employ Teachers Working Toward Certification Requirements