At a pivotal workshop Tuesday evening, the Leander ISD Board of Trustees engaged in a candid and forward-looking discussion on the district’s financial challenges, long-range planning, and the difficult trade-offs ahead.
A Shared Purpose: Student Experience at the Center
Superintendent Bruce Gearing, Ed.D., provided a framework for the evening focused on a shared commitment: “Our purpose is to maintain or improve the student experience over time. That has to remain our north star.”
Despite the weight of looming fiscal challenges, trustees and administrators reiterated that protecting quality instruction and student opportunities will remain central to every decision.
The Road to Now: Long-Range Planning in Motion
Chief Operations Officer Jeremy Trimble traced the district’s long journey since 2021 to develop a comprehensive long-range plan. Years of committee work, community conversations, and staff engagement have clarified both the urgency of action and the values the community holds dear. Declining enrollment at some campuses alongside rapid growth at others, chronic underfunding of public education from the state, and evolving program needs remain the primary drivers for change.
Community Feedback: Balancing Heart and Reality
Chief Communications Officer Crestina Hardie presented findings from extensive engagement efforts, including ThoughtExchange, Let’s Talk, Board meeting citizen comments, staff listening sessions, and community conversations. The ThoughtExchange revealed a dual tension:
- Protecting neighborhood schools as anchors of community identity and student belonging.
- Ensuring fiscal responsibility through potential consolidations, staffing adjustments, or hybrid approaches.
When considering the collective feedback across all the platforms for engagement opportunities, these top five themes emerged:
- Trust, Transparency, & Decision-Making: We heard questions about why the data seems to have changed and concerns that the timeline is “way too fast,” which could “obliterate the trust that was built leading up to Bond”. There is a desire for a more transparent and consistent process for future decisions.
- School Culture & Community Identity: Feedback highlights that this is “not about numbers on a chart, it’s about people, relationships, and legacies we should be preserving”. The idea of schools as the heart of the community was a strong theme.
- Job Security & Staffing: Staff members have asked, “What will happen to the staff if small schools are consolidated or guidelines are put in place?”.
- Capacity, Financial, & Fiscal Realities: A common sentiment was that “shutting down schools solves a very small portion of the problem”. There were questions about how savings will solve current financial issues and a desire for innovative and alternative solutions.
- Student Experience and Programs: There were questions about how we can ensure safety and innovation in our learning environments, which is a key focus area of the district’s strategic plan.
The Financial Picture: A Deficit That Demands Action
Chief Financial Officer Pete Pape, Ed.D., outlined the scope of the budget challenge: a projected $16 million shortfall for 2026–27, growing to more than $29 million by 2027–28 if left unaddressed. Years of underfunding by the state — compounded by a $10.5 million loss caused by an unintended consequence of House Bill 2 — have left Leander ISD disproportionately impacted, along with 10 other districts statewide.
“I think if you don’t live in that world, parents are like, ‘okay, they said something about HB2 and $10 million and unintended consequences; I don’t really know what that means’,” Trustee Gloria Gonzales-Dholakia, Ph.D., said. “I think we have a lot of parents who are super engaged right now. The state just passed a bill that had unintended consequences. We need them to be down there talking to our elected officials. We need them to be advocating.”
Pape emphasized the need to act locally.
“We can’t just wait and hope,” he said. “We have to plan as if the answer is zero and adjust if relief comes.”
Strategic Tools: Building a Financial “Tool Belt”
Gearing framed the district’s next steps as assembling a “tool belt” of strategies — some revenue-focused, others expenditure-focused:
Revenue Options
- Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE) – Utilizing three remaining “copper pennies” in the maintenance and operation (M&O) tax rate, potentially yielding $6.8 million annually, either through a VATRE in 2026 or accessing one-time “disaster pennies” for 2026–27.
What does that mean?
Texas law allows school districts in officially declared disaster areas to temporarily raise their tax rate without an election. Because Williamson and Travis Counties were declared disaster zones following July’s floods, Leander ISD can access up to three additional tax rate pennies for the 2026–27 school year only. - Average Daily Attendance – In Texas, public schools are funded based on how many students are in class each day, not just how many are enrolled. This measure is called Average Daily Attendance (ADA). Even small shifts in attendance — for example, if students are absent less often — can significantly affect district revenue. For Leander ISD, a 1% increase in ADA would result in an additional $3 million in revenue.
- Open Enrollment – Allowing students who live outside of LISD to enroll in district schools could generate additional revenue by boosting enrollment at underutilized campuses. This approach helps fill empty seats, brings in per-student state funding, and can delay or reduce the need for consolidations. Leaders noted, however, that policies would need to be carefully designed to manage capacity and maintain program quality.
- SPED Allotment Adjustment (2026–27) – House Bill 2 may provide LISD an estimated $1–2 million in additional special education funding. Since the district already spends far more on SPED than the state provides, any new dollars would free up general fund resources for other priorities.
- Land Sale or Lease – LISD is evaluating surplus land parcels that may no longer be needed for future facilities. Selling could provide a one-time revenue boost, while leasing — an approach other districts are exploring — could create a sustained revenue stream if structured thoughtfully to align with community values.
Cost Avoidance
- Staffing Reductions – Reducing 200–210 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions could save around $16 million, though Gearing warned this level of reduction would have a significant impact on student experience. Administrators are beginning with central office positions, building on the $3 million reduction made last year at that level, while seeking feedback from principals on what supports are most essential. At the campus level, further reductions could touch areas like block scheduling, fine arts, athletics, Quest, ESL, dual language, and PLC periods, each with potential ripple effects on student learning. Trustees raised concerns about ensuring cuts are distributed more evenly, after secondary campuses absorbed larger staff reductions in the last budget cycle.
- Path 1: School Consolidations – Consolidating low-enrolled campuses is a significant option in the district’s “tool belt.” When schools operate below 60% capacity, both student experience and financial efficiency are impacted. Consolidation reduces overhead and staffing duplication, freeing resources to reinvest in classrooms. However, trustees stressed the need for clear thresholds — defining when a school becomes “too small” — and transparency with the community about how these decisions would be made.
- Path 2: Staffing Guidelines – Adjusting how campuses are staffed when enrollment drops below efficient levels offers a cost-avoidance strategy without immediately consolidating schools. Instead of funding every campus on an “800-student model,” guidelines would align staffing more closely to actual enrollment. Leaders noted this approach requires time, innovation, and collaboration to design a sustainable system — but done well, it could preserve neighborhood schools while reducing long-term costs.
“The goal is not just to cut,” Gearing stressed, “but to rethink how we deliver excellence more efficiently, without losing sight of students.”
A Call for Measured Urgency
Several trustees voiced the need to balance urgency with prudence. Some called for a temporary pause before committing to irreversible steps like campus closures until clarity arrives on state funding. Others warned that time is short, and systemic changes require long runways to implement.
Board President Anna Smith acknowledged the tension but grounded the evening in perspective: “This is a monumental decision. We must weigh it carefully, with respect for each other, for our staff, and most importantly, for our students.”
Looking Ahead
The Board will reconvene Sep. 18 for further deliberation, with a final decision anticipated Oct. 9. Trustees emphasized that no single solution will solve the challenge; rather, it will take a blend of creativity, fiscal discipline, and community partnership.As one staff member put it during engagement sessions: “How do we continue to do the excellent things we do and take care of the students we care deeply about?” That question will define the district’s path forward.
