Education
LHISD officials discuss block scheduling costs Liberty Hill ISD may not be able to afford imple- menting a new high school bell schedule despite it receiving widespread support from teachers, district officials said at a Dec. 18 meeting. The district will need to hold a voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, in the near future as it is already facing mounting expenses, LHISD Chief Financial Officer Rosanna Guerrero said. Two-minute impact Guerrero said the district could not sustain an A/B block schedule due to a lack of funding. The district is on track to deplete its fund balance by the 2025-26 school year with a $15.4 million budget deficit expected that year, she said. Staffing costs are expected to increase with three new campuses opening in 2026, and adopt- ing the new bell schedule could divert funding away from compensation increases, she said.
Leander ISD rejects using chaplains for mental health care The Leander ISD board of trustees voted against employing or accepting chaplains as volunteers “to provide support, services and programs for students” at a Nov. 30 meeting, according to the approved resolution. The district will continue providing counseling services through certified school counselors and credentialed mental health specialists, the resolution states. The overview The decision comes in light of a new state law allowing chaplains to serve in roles sim- ilar to school counselors and provide mental health services. The law required school districts to vote whether to employ chaplains or allow them to volunteer by March.
Bell schedule options A/B block schedule • Four 100-minute classes daily • Cost an additional $1.3 million in 2024-25 • Require 21 more teachers Seven period schedule • Seven 56-minute classes daily • Cost an additional $200,000 in 2024-25 • Require 3 more teachers
Guerrero said it is “undeniable” the district will need to hold a VATRE even if it does not adopt A/B block scheduling. Although the district has been financially responsible, state funding has not been sufficient to cover the district’s growth, she said. A VATRE would allow the district to adopt a higher tax rate than otherwise authorized by the state. Looking ahead The board asked district officials to provide additional information on schedule options, class sizes and holding a VATRE.
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