Leander - Liberty Hill Edition | June 2023

EDUCATION BRIEFS

News from Leander ISD, Liberty Hill ISD, Georgetown ISD & Texas

HIGHLIGHTS LEANDER ISD Austin Public Health allocated $16,000 to the district to open a pre-K classroom for 3-year- olds. The funding was approved by Austin ocials May 18 and sends a total of $2 million toward workforce development, child care and early childhood education in Central Texas. GEORGETOWN ISD District ocials broke ground May 3 on Elementary School No. 11 in Liberty Hill’s Santa Rita Ranch development. Ocially named San Gabriel Elementary School, the funding for the $49.3 million school comes from a 2021 bond election. TEXAS In April, students across the state began standardized testing through a completely online format for the ”rst time after legislators called for a revamped test in 2019. The redesigned test features more question varieties and changes to written essay prompts. A TEA spokesperson said the changes aligned the assessment closer to the classroom experience. Leander ISD board of trustees will meet June 8 and 15 at 6:15 p.m. at 300 S. West Drive, Leander. 512-570-0000. www.leanderisd.org Liberty Hill ISD board of trustees will meet June 19 at 6 p.m. at 301 Forrest St., Liberty Hill. 512-260-5580. www.libertyhill.txed.net Austin Community College board of trustees will meet July 10 at 3 p.m. at 6101 Highland Campus Drive, Austin. 512-223-7000. www.austincc.edu MEETINGS WE COVER NUMBER TO KNOW The number of vehicles county ocials expect to travel through Liberty Hill on April 8, 2024, because of the solar eclipse 400K

District looks to defer construction, change zoning LEANDER ISD Administration rec- ommended new attendance zones for some middle school and high school BY GRANT CRAWFORD neighborhoods would fall under Running Brushy Middle School. What’s next: The board of trustees will decide whether to approve this rezoning recommendation at its June 8 meeting, after press time.

• Six neighborhoods would transfer from Four Points Middle School to Henry Middle School. • Six neighborhoods from Henry Middle School would move to Cedar Park Middle School. • Students from 13 neighborhoods within the Glenn High School jurisdiction would move to Leander High School. • Students in 13 neighborhoods from Leander High School and six neighborhoods from Vandegrift High School would move to Cedar Park High School. What else?: Middle school students going into eighth grade for the 2024-25 school year as well as juniors and seniors in high school—and these stu- dents’ siblings—would have the option to remain at their current campus.

Liberty Hill ISD gives students day o for 2024 solar eclipse • Ten neighborhoods zoned for Dan- ielson Middle School would move to Leander Middle School. • Seven neighborhoods would move from Danielson Middle School to Wiley Middle School. • Two Leander Middle School students May 11 as several schools are projected to run out of room in the coming years if attendance zones remain the same. The big picture: LISD passed a school bond May 6 to fund expansions to its facilities. However, rezoning 1,414 middle school students and 1,482 high school students for the 2024-25 school year will maximize the space at its campuses and defer construction of some new schools.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING “The goal of this rezoning is to push [construction of] High School [No.] 8 off the table entirely, which is [an estimated] $500 million. Then, to push out High School [No.] 7 as long as possible, hopefully until 2029. In order to do that, there are some

growing pains that we’re going to have

to go through. “ BRUCE GEARING, LEANDER ISD SUPERINTENDENT

LISD property value projected to increase

CALENDAR CHANGES Todd Washburn, LHISD’s assistant superintendent of schools, presented three updates about the 2023-24 academic calendar. 1 Professional development day moved from April 1, 2024, to April 8, 2024 2 Two professional development days moved from Oct. 16-17 to Oct. 9-10 3 Due to The University of Texas adjusting its spring break, now LHISD, Austin Community College and UT all observe the break March 11-15, 2024

BY GRANT CRAWFORD

LEANDER ISD Based on esti- mates by local appraisal districts, Leander ISD’s overall property value is projected to increase by 9.83%. The gist: The increase means the district will collect more tax revenue in 2023-24. However, it is expected to be oset by LISD’s recapture payment to the state increasing an additional $9.3 million for a total of $58.3 million.

BY CLAIRE SHOOP

LIBERTY HILL ISD Students will be o on April 8, 2024, the date NASA indicated a total solar eclipse will move across North America. Designating this day a profes- sional development day was one of two changes to the already-ap- proved 2023-24 academic calendar trustees made at its May 15 meeting.

SOURCE: LIBERTY HILL ISD¡ COMMUNITY IMPACT

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LEANDER LIBERTY HILL EDITION • JUNE 2023

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