A huge thank you to our empowered staff for attending staff listening sessions this month. More than 300 staff members participated in a series of open conversations with Superintendent Bruce Gearing, Ed.D., and district leaders. This opportunity offered an honest space to share ideas, ask questions and discuss how the District moves forward together in the months ahead.

Over four sessions, teachers, instructional coaches, support staff and central office team members joined in to voice what matters most to them and to the students they serve. Topics ranged from staffing levels, class sizes and special programs to budget priorities, communication and the day-to-day realities of “helping students prepare themselves for anything.”

“We’re facing some significant challenges,” Gearing said, “but at the same time, we’re also doing some incredibly good work. These sessions are about making sure we hear from you directly as we move through those challenges together.”

What We Heard

Themes that emerged from the sessions included:

  • Protecting what directly serves students. Many staff emphasized the importance of maintaining positions like instructional coaches, behavior specialists and special education staff who provide daily, hands-on support.
  • Clarifying expectations. Employees asked for greater consistency around state law implementation—particularly related to new legislation on cell phones, parental consent, and library materials—to ensure alignment across campuses.
  • Transparency in financial planning. Questions reflected a desire to better understand how the district arrived at its current budget outlook, how attrition-based savings work, and how decisions are being prioritized.
  • Balancing workloads and wellness. Teachers and support staff shared candidly about burnout and the strain of doing more with less, while also offering ideas for creative staffing models and collaboration.
  • Valuing communication and trust. Participants asked for clearer, more unified communication from the district level to help everyone stay aligned and supported.

Listening session recordings:

What Comes Next

The District is continuing its effort to collect feedback. Every comment helps us understand what’s working, what needs clarity, and where we can better support our students and staff.

The 89th 

The 89th Legislative Session brought more than 80 new education-related bills—many with real classroom impact. From cell-phone policies to parental consent requirements, we want to hear how these changes are affecting you and your students. We appreciate the feedback and responses during listening sessions. If you missed out on that opportunity, here’s your chance to contribute. Share your perspective in our Post-Legislative ThoughtExchange to help us shape district priorities for future legislative work.

Post-Legislative Session ThoughtExchange

What Matters Most?

We’ve started these budget and planning talks earlier than ever—because we want to listen deeply before we make decisions. What should we protect? What can we rethink? Your perspective matters. Take a few minutes to join the Budget & Planning ThoughtExchange and help us build a sustainable, student-focused future together.

Budget & Planning ThoughtExchange

District leaders are reviewing all submitted questions and suggestions to identify common threads that can shape upcoming planning conversations. Some topics—such as staffing ratios, campus utilization, and program priorities—will feed directly into budget workshops and long-range planning discussions this winter.

“We’re not here to slash and burn,” he said. “We’re going to look carefully at everything, but we’ll do it as surgically as we can. Every program in Leander ISD exists for a reason, and we want to understand the full implications before making any decision.”

Coming Soon! School & Community Relations will create a webpage on the topic of Budget & Planning for 2026-27, which will house a FAQ section, timeline and other resources to keep you informed.

A Shared Purpose

We are grateful for the candor and honesty shared through these listening sessions and other methods. We know each and every staff member is vital to the fabric of who we are – to each other and to the community. 

“Listening is just the first step,” Gearing said. “We’ll keep coming back to you as this process continues. Your input shapes the path forward, and your support is what makes us who we are—#1LISD.”