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Georgetown Edition VOLUME 18, ISSUE 12 AUG. 26 SEPT. 24, 2025
2025 Education Edition
New campuses coming Georgetown ISD prepares for fast enrollment growth By Chloe Young
INSIDE
24
Georgetown ISD is set to break ground on its fourth high school in October as the district experiences fast enrollment growth. (Rendering courtesy Georgetown ISD)
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Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched Community Impact in 2005, and the company is still locally owned today with editions across Texas. Our mission is to provide trusted news and local information that everyone gets. Our vision is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team. Our purpose is to be a light for our readers, customers, partners and each other by living out our core values of Faith, Passion, Quality, Innovation and Integrity.
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GEORGETOWN EDITION
SUN CITY BLVD.
Impacts
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• Opened July 25 • 1019 W. University Ave., Ste. 310, Georgetown • www.fracturedpigment.com 4 myDental at Georgetown The clinic at The Commons at Rivery treats people of all ages, from patients with baby teeth to those with dentures. • Opened Aug. 15 • 1301 Williams Drive, Ste. 306, Georgetown • www.mydental.com Little Sprouts Enriched Learning The home-based inclusive private school provides education and care for infants to 12-year-olds. • Opened Aug. 7 • www.littlesproutsenrichedlearning.com
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5 1872 Golf Club Golf pros and beginners are invited to the indoor golf lounge and social club, owner Jeff McElhaney said. The facility will have simulator and training technology with a full service bar and lounge.
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• Opening in mid-to-late September • 5373 Williams Drive, Georgetown • www.1872gc.com
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110 private school serves children from 18 months to 9 years old with support for neurodiverse learners, Spanish bilingualism, technology integration, fine arts and more, campus director Ellie Bermudez said. • Opening in September • 3310 Williams Drive, Georgetown • www.forbes.academy 6 Forbes Academy The independently operated, woman-owned Montessori 7 The PREP School of MorningStar Kylee Racca is the franchise owner of the private preschool near the border of Georgetown and Leander. • Opening in January • 2063 Kauffman Loop, Georgetown • www.theprepschools.com
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2 Azola Avery Centre The 359-unit apartment complex offers studios, and one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. • Opened in June • 3801 N. A.W. Grimes Blvd., Georgetown • www.azolaaverycentreroundrock.com 3 Fractured Pigment The studio offers tattoo and permanent makeup removal, pigmented skin lesion treatments, and carbon facial peels, owner Amber Torres said.
Now open
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Dr. Craig P. Torres D.D.S., Endodontist Board Certified (COL US Army Dental Corps RET) • Non-surgical root canal therapy • Root canal retreatments • Root canal surgery Dr. Gloria T. Torres D.D.S., Prosthodontist (LTC US Army Dental Corps RET) 68 Years Combined Experience (Retired Army Dentists)
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• 10104 FM 2338, Ste. 170, Georgetown • www.greatclips.com
What’s next
What's next
8 Pegatron Corporation The Taiwan-based electronics manufacturing company will begin a $20 million renovation to a 168,000-square- foot industrial building in September, according to a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation project registration. • 610 Blue Springs Blvd., Bldg. 3, Georgetown • www.pegatroncorp.com 9 Mountain Mike’s Pizza The regional pizza franchise from California is coming to the Bluebonnet Plaza shopping center. According to a project registration with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, construction will be complete in December. • 1314 W. University Ave., Ste. 101, Georgetown • www.mountainmikespizza.com 10 Great Clips Construction on a location for the hair salon franchise is expected to wrap up in August, according to a project registration with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The business will be located in the H-E-B- anchored Parmer Ranch Marketplace.
In the news
11 Rentsch Brewery Owners Andrew and David Rentschler are celebrating the business’s 10-year anniversary with a weekend-long party Aug. 30-31. • 2500 NE Inner Loop, Ste. 3105, Georgetown • www.rentschbrewery.com 12 Jellystone Park North Austin RV park Jetstream at Stone Oak Ranch franchised with the Jellystone brand in June. Activities include a pool, lazy river, water slide, jump pad, wagon rides, pedal carts, gem mining, sports courts and games. • 25101 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Georgetown • www.campjellystone.com 13 Southwestern University Following the estate of Roger Davidson gifting $1 million to the university, the stage at the Alma Thomas Theater will now be known as the Davidson Stage. • 1001 E. University Ave., Georgetown • www.southwestern.edu
14 Black Rock Coffee Bar The chain offers hot, iced and blended coffee beverages as well as an assortment of drinks without coffee and locally made breakfast items. Buildout of the upcoming location is expected to be complete in February, according to a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation project registration. • 100 Woodlake Drive, Ste. 400, Georgetown • www.br.coffee
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GEORGETOWN EDITION
Impacts Downtown
Now open
Relocations
1 Juniper Cocktails & Kitchen Owner Andrew Newport said menu highlights include a prime tenderloin with Robuchon potatoes and the Juniper old fashioned cocktail. • Opened July 29 • 200 W. Sixth St., Ste. 100, Georgetown • www.junipergtx.com 2 Axon Capital Management The financial advisory firm specializes in retirement planning, investment management and more. • Opened in April • 501 S. Austin Ave., Ste. 1220-220, Georgetown • www.axonwm.com
4 Bohemian Cowgirl The western-wear boutique owned by Denise Thorton opened in April 2024 at 820 S. Austin Ave., Georgetown. The store, which sells women’s apparel and accessories, is moving to a new location downtown. • Relocating Oct. 1 5 UBuildIt Williamson The construction consulting business that helps clients build their dream custom homes purchased a building downtown and relocated to it. Its former address was at 212 W. 10th St., Georgetown. • Relocated in early July • 404 W. Ninth St., Ste. 108, Georgetown • https://williamson.ubuildit.com • 707 S. Main St., Georgetown • www.bohemiancowgirl.com
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3 Sorn Thai Kitchen by Seeda The restaurant describes itself as a Thai eatery and bar with vibrant flavors. Menu item previews include NY steak served with basil fried rice, and squid-ink pad thai. • Opening TBA • 708 S. Austin Ave., Georgetown • www.facebook.com/sornthaikitchen
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In the news
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8THST.
6 Georgetown Palace Theatre The live theater venue announced the lineup for its 2026 season, which includes performances of “Oklahoma!” and “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
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• 810 S. Austin Ave., Georgetown • www.georgetownpalace.com
Now open
In the news
7 All Things Kids The toy store is looking for new ownership as owner Karen Soeffker put the business up for sale earlier this year. The store has been in Georgetown for 14 years. • 703 S. Main St., Georgetown • www.allthingskids.us
Closings
8 The Palomino Owner Amber Kurkowski said the restaurant closed after two years in business. • Closed July 27 • 305 E. Morrow St., Georgetown 9 The Knitting Cup The yarn-based crafting store is closing as the business’s landlord sells the building, owner Shawnee Kunz said. • Closing Sept. 30 • 102 E. University Ave., Georgetown • www.theknittingcup.com
10 The Thirsty Longhorn The sports tavern will serve stadium-style food and have a full bar, owner Chris De Hoyos said. The new business will take over a space previously occupied
11 Juliet Italian Kitchen The restaurant is undergoing brand changes that include new leadership, chefs and menus as it celebrates 10 years in business. The business is now led by new CEO Timothy Rucker, who joined the team in May, as well as two new executive chefs. • 701 S. Main St., Georgetown • www.juliet-austin.com
by The Palomino. • Opened Aug. 22 • 305 E. Morrow St., Georgetown • www.thirstylonghorn.com
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GEORGETOWN EDITION
Government
BY ANNA MANESS
Georgetown officials propose $1.3B budget for FY 2025-26 During an Aug. 12 budget presentation, Morgan said the $1.3 billion budget includes $703.1 million for capital improvements, with $512.88 million of that set aside for water and wastewater projects. Diving in deeper At the Aug. 12 meeting, City Council members adopted a maximum property tax rate of $0.353152 per $100 valuation for FY 2025-26. General fund expenses Proposed budget: $1.3B
Georgetown City Manager David Morgan pre- sented a $1.3 billion fiscal year 2025-26 draft budget during a July 8 City Council workshop. City staff aim to maintain essential services while scaling back on offerings with limited impact or use, according to Morgan’s presentation. The big picture Six key themes officials identified for the FY 2025- 26 budget include: • Investing in public safety • Maintaining a thriving downtown as Williamson County relocates • Providing reliable water and electric services, along with askGTX and rideGTX • Maintaining strong fiscal stewardship • Investing in city staff • Investing in infrastructure like water, roads and parks
Police/fire: 54% Administrative services: 14% Parks and recreation: 11% Economic development: 6% Development and inspections: 6% Other: 9%
“This is not necessarily setting the tax rate for next year,” Georgetown Budget Manager Mayra Cantu said at the meeting. “This is setting the upper limit threshold of what we can adopt.” This approved maximum tax rate is equal to the city’s voter-approval rate, or the highest rate council can adopt without voter approval. However, the budget Morgan presented proposes setting a slightly lower tax rate of $0.353 per $100 valuation. Since the average homestead values in George- town are increasing, he expects homeowners to pay about $14 more on their tax bill annually.
SOURCE: CITY OF GEORGETOWN/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Looking ahead A public hearing for the property tax rate and the first reading of the FY 2025-26 budget will be held Aug. 26. The second reading of the budget and tax rate is scheduled for Sept. 9.
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Government
BY ANNA MANESS
WilCo approves ChatGPT agreement Williamson County commissioners approved a $70,560 12-month agreement for 150 ChatGPT enterprise licenses July 15—an effort aimed at supporting county operations. The why By purchasing enterprise licenses, the data county employees enter into ChatGPT will remain property of Williamson County, said Richard Semple, Williamson County chief information officer. Additionally, county employees will receive training on how to safely use the large language model.
County weighs $7M site for future jail complex On July 15, Williamson County Commissioners were split on moving forward with a contract to explore purchasing 481 acres of land in Florence for $7 million, which could be used for the county’s Jail and Justice Center relocation. The overview Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey said approving the contract would allow county officials to take a “detailed dive” into the prop- erty’s viability as a future Jail and Justice Center site, and determine if the county should move forward with purchasing the land. Approving the contract failed in a 2-2 vote. The discussion County Judge Steven Snell said officials with law enforcement, the Sheriff’s Office and the jail have concerns with the site. “I don’t understand why we would move forward on a contract for a piece of land if we’re not 100% certain this is where we want the jail to go,” Snell said before voting against the motion. Covey argued officials won’t know the site’s viability until due diligence is done, which in this Officials explore new spaceport partner Williamson County is no longer partnering with Burnet County to create a Central Texas Spaceport Development Corporation and is instead exploring a partnership with the city of Cedar Park, an official said. Cedar Park is home to Firefly Aerospace, the first commercial company to success- fully land on the moon. How we got here Officials originally presented the Cen- tral Texas SDC in March as a partnership between Williamson and Burnet counties. In a July 23 email to Community Impact, Burnet County Judge Bryan Wilson said commis- sioners passed on the agenda item and it has not been brought back up. If created, the Central Texas SDC would be the sixth SDC in Texas.
Prospective site
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case would involve the county determining if the property meets its needs. The backstory On Dec. 17, county commissioners agreed to begin surveying possible sites to relocate the cur- rent Jail and Justice Center from its location in downtown Georgetown due to space constraints. Covey previously said she believes the county can build a new Jail and Justice Center by 2030. A new complex could range between $600 mil- lion-$800 million, Community Impact previously reported. “Finding a location for a jail is quite compli- cated,” Covey said July 15. “I’m really disap- pointed that this didn’t happen.” New companies to bring tax revenue to county Over the next decade, local taxing units and school districts in Williamson County are expected to receive $144.1 million and $78.1 million, respectively, in additional tax rev- enue as a result of new development, said Dave Porter, Williamson County Economic Develop- ment Partnership executive director. This comes as WilCo EDP’s partners have announced 25 projects since 2023, which will total about $10 billion in new capital investments, Porter said. Zooming out Since 2023, the Williamson County Economic Development Partnership team has attracted 12 companies to the county, representing a $920 million capital investment, Porter said. These dozen companies will result in $24.2 million in new tax revenue for the county
“People are using [AI] a lot of times without even knowing it, and so we want to give county folks a safe path who need these tools to be productive.” RICHARD SEMPLE, WILLIAMSON COUNTY CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER
Coming to the county
Together they will generate 34,700 jobs $4.9B in annual gross product 4 projects coming to Hwy. 79 Samsung in Taylor Soulbrain in Taylor Skybox Datacenter in Hutto The Titan Hutto Megasite
SOURCE: THE PERRYMAN GROUP/COMMUNITY IMPACT
over the next 10 years. What they’re saying
“The whole [Hwy.] 79 corridor going toward Texas A&M is going to be a talent pipeline and advanced manufacturing pipeline going forward for decades to come,” Porter said.
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GEORGETOWN EDITION
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Education Education Edition
BY CHLOE YOUNG
2025
Welcome to Community Impact’s 2025 Education Edition. With students back in the classroom for the 2025-26 school year, our team of education reporters explore new programs in Georgetown ISD, including the district’s academic goals and a reading intervention initiative. We also cover the state’s recent school funding legislation, and new bills a ecting students and teachers. I hope everyone has a great school year!
Premium sponsor:
Claire Shoop Editor cshoop@ communityimpact.com
Georgetown ISD www.georgetownisd.org VISION: Home of the most inspired students, served by the most empowered leaders. MISSION: Inspiring and empowering every learner to lead, grow, and serve. Georgetown ISD serves more than 14,000 students.
What's inside
See GISD's performance in recently released A F ratings (Page 14)
District expands literacy intervention program (Page 16)
Teachers, sta to receive raises for 2025 26 school year (Page 17)
For relevant news and daily updates, subscribe to our free email newsletter!
New goals to guide district
Georgetown ISD goals
Diving in deeper
Exceeding the state on accountability measures and improving the quartile ranking of schools relative to comparable schools Increasing the percentage of walkthrough observations demonstrating rigorous, appropriately challenging learning tasks aligned to grade-level standards Increasing the percentage of students on grade level in literacy on the mCLASS assessment from 64% to 80% by June 2028 Increasing the percentage of students on grade level in math on the MAP test from 59% to 80% by June 2028 Increasing the percentage of graduates meeting the criteria of college, career, and military readiness from 79% to 90% by June 2026
GISD aims to have zero schools with a D or F accountability rating from the state by the end of the 2025-26 school year. Seven GISD campuses received a D or F rating in 2022-23. Four campuses received a D or F rating in 2024-25, TEA data shows. See updated ratings for all district schools on Page 14. Additionally, GISD surpassed one of its initial goals with 64% of students reading on or above grade level, Padavail said. Read more about a literacy intervention program the district launched at Cooper and Frost elementaries last year, and is looking to expand to additional campuses on Page 16.
Georgetown ISD o cials are working to adopt new goals to lead the district’s e orts over the coming years. At an Aug. 18 meeting, after press time, the GISD board was set to vote on goals to improve student performance in literacy; math; and college, career and military readiness. Additional priorities proposed included improving teacher compensation and A-F accountability ratings. Superintendent Devin Padavil and GISD administrators conducted a data analysis of student test scores, state accountability ratings and nancial reports. District o cials found GISD had a gap in closing literacy rates and a lack of forward progress in elementary math, according to the presentation.
Adopting a balanced budget in June 2026
Ensuring teacher compensation is in the top third of the region
SOURCE: GEORGETOWN ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT
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GEORGETOWN EDITION
Education
BY CHLOE YOUNG
For the 2024-25 school year, six Georgetown ISD campuses received higher ratings than the year prior while nine campuses maintained their ratings and Williams Elementary and Richarte High received lower ratings. nearly half and significantly increased the number of students reading on or above grade level,” Superintendent Devin Padavil said in a letter. “Yet, it is clear there is more work to be done.” GISD maintains C rating, six campuses see improvements in 2025 The TEA released public school accountability ratings for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years Aug. 15, wrapping up a two-year legal battle. “Over the past two years, Georgetown ISD reduced the number of underperforming schools by
Two-year score breakdown District score 2023-24
2024-25 performance
This shows the percentage of students that met grade level or above. Closing the gaps
2024-25
Reading Math
Georgetown ISD continued to have a C overall rating in 2024-25, with its score increasing from 73 to 76 out of 100 year over year.
C
C
41% 26% American Indian 47% 25% Pacific Islander
39% 24% African American
68% 51% White 74% 65% Asian
76/100
73/100
38% 25% Hispanic
School scores
School
2023-24
2024-25
Benold Middle
B C F C C B D B C F F A — C B
B C C C C A D B C D D B B C B C F B
51% 37% All Students
57% 42% Two or more races
31% 22% High Focus*
Carver Elementary Cooper Elementary East View High Forbes Middle Ford Elementary Frost Elementary Georgetown High McCoy Elementary Mitchell Elementary
*HIGH FOCUS INCLUDES ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, HIGHLY MOBILE STUDENTS AND THOSE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSES
Percentage of students approaching grade level or above on STAAR tests
Four-year graduation rate
State
District
State
District
Purl Elementary Richarte High
San Gabriel Elementary
Tippit Middle
Village Elementary
Wagner Middle
F
Reading
Math
Science
Social Studies
SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Williams Elementary Wolf Ranch Elementary
D C
Neighboring districts
Percent of campuses by achievement level
2023-24 2024-25
6% 6%
Georgetown ISD: C
35
A
Leander ISD: B
24%
B
29
33%
Liberty Hill ISD: B
130 TOLL
35%
C
183
39%
Round Rock ISD: B
79
12%
D
17%
45 TOLL
24%
F
6%
N
NOTE: PERCENTAGES MAY NOT EQUAL 100 DUE TO ROUNDING.
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Education
BY CHLOE YOUNG
2 district schools see improvement
Going forward
To improve academic performance, Cooper Elementary has proposed doing the following, Principal Angela Harris said: • Allowing students chances to fix their behavior • Communicating progress • Providing coherent, tiered instruction Wagner Middle School plans to build on the following measures, Principal Danielle Holloway said: • Changing how instruction is delivered • Monitoring student progress through assessments • Providing intervention and enrichment through small groups • Offering daily professional learning communities for teachers Additionally, both plans detail hiring “high- quality, turnaround-minded teachers and leaders” for the 2025-26 school year.
In the 2024-25 school year, both campuses received a C rating. Despite the improvement, GISD will continue to implement its turnaround plans, Superintendent Devin Padavil said. “These two schools saw incredible growth,” Padavil said. “Because of that growth, we’re going to basically not need a turnaround plan anymore, but we’re still going to keep the work going.”
Georgetown ISD saw improved performance at Cooper Elementary School and Wagner Middle School in Texas Education Agency ratings released Aug. 15. In June, the district adopted state-mandated turnaround plans detailing how to improve performance at each campus after they received consecutive Fs, dating back to before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Georgetown ISD A-F accountability ratings School 2017-18 2019-20 2018-19 2020-21
SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
Cooper Elementary School
Not Rated
Not Rated
Not Rated
C
F
F
F
C
Wagner Middle School
Not Rated
Not Rated
Not Rated
F
F
D
F
C
NOTE: CAMPUSES WERE NOT RATED IN 2019-20 AND 2020-21 DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. CAMPUSES THAT RECEIVED A C OR LOWER IN 2021-22 WERE NOT RATED AS THEY RECOVERED FROM PANDEMIC-RELATED LEARNING LOSS.
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GEORGETOWN EDITION
Education
BY CHLOE YOUNG
GISD expands reading intervention
The impact
More than 2,200 students participated in the Literacy First program in the 2024-25 school year, 84% of which exceeded the expected growth rate for their grade level, data shows. Last school year, Literacy First screened nearly 11,400 students, with 60% of students qualifying for intervention.
More Georgetown ISD students may receive additional support in reading next school year as the district works to continue raising literacy rates. In January, Georgetown ISD piloted the Literacy First early reading intervention program at Cooper and Frost elementaries. After seeing improvements in elementary students’ reading performance, GISD will expand the program to Williams, Purl and Mitchell elementaries this school year, GISD of icials said. Literacy First is an initiative through the Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin. The educational center creates curriculum and professional learning to remove barriers and improve access to education,
“We have to, by third grade, help every student read and write on grade level, because if kids feel con dent as readers and writers, their chances of success in middle school and high school go up exponentially.” DEVIN PADAVIL,
More than half of students screened at Frost and Cooper elementaries have quali ed for Literacy First intervention, according to the organization.
GEORGETOWN ISD SUPERINTENDENT
Thirty students have participated in the Literacy First program in GISD: 20 at Cooper
teachers, Literacy First Director Claire Hagen Alvarado said. It focuses on serving students in kindergarten through second grade at primarily low-income schools, Hagen Alvarado said.
Elementary 10 at Frost Elementary
according to the center’s website. The Literacy First program trains
paraprofessionals to serve as reading tutors and provides professional development for
As of late April, nine students had graduated from the program by reading at grade level.
SOURCES: GEORGETOWN ISD, LITERACY FIRST COMMUNITY IMPACT
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Education
BY CHLOE YOUNG
Georgetown ISD teachers with three or more years of experience and other staff members will receive pay raises next school year through new state funding. Additionally, GISD will provide raises for new and beginner teachers, and reinstate several positions that were previously eliminated from the district’s fiscal year 2025-26 budget. This comes as the GISD board of trustees approved a $6.4 million increase to the district’s FY 2025-26 compensation plan at an Aug. 4 workshop. Costs associated with these raises will be offset by $4.4 million in new state funding from House Bill 2—an $8.4 billion school funding package that passed during the 2025 legislative session. The legislation also created a new $500 million allotment to provide raises for school support staff, according to previous Community Impact reporting. GISD approves staff pay raises
Zooming in
arms around these young teachers and encourag- ing them and telling them, ‘We value you, we see you,’” trustee Anthony Blankenship said. Additionally, the board approved 2% pay raises at midpoint for instructional aides as well as auxiliary, administrative, professional, technical and office staff. GISD instructional coaches will receive $1,200- $1,400 raises, while librarians will receive around $2,000-$2,400 raises, Johnson said.
The district will also raise its starting teacher salary by $500 to $57,000. All teachers will continue to receive a step increase to their salary each school year based on their years of service, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Amanda Johnson said. Superintendent Devin Padavil said the district would not have been able to increase compensa- tion for new and beginner teachers without first balancing its FY 2025-26 budget. “This is Georgetown proactively putting our
What else?
Heading into the 2025-26 school year, officials said GISD will now reinstate the following positions: Adding back positions
This summer, the GISD board approved making $3.73 million in cuts to its FY 2025- 26 budget to avoid adopting a shortfall. According to previous Community Impact reporting, of the reductions: • 48% were focused on the campus level • 32% were districtwide • 6% were to special education programming • 3% were concentrated in athletics The district is projected to have a $176,782 budget surplus for FY 2025-26 after accounting for new HB 2 funding and compensation increases, Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Hanna said.
Interventionist at Williams Elementary
GISD teacher pay raises
Two special education paraprofessionals
While the state funded raises for teachers with three or more years of experience, the district is paying for raises for those with less.
Instructional coach at Forbes Middle
Years of experience
Salary increase $1,000
Receptionist at McCoy Elementary
1-2 3-4
Assistant principal at Mitchell Elementary
$2,500
Principals for Middle School No. 5 and Elementary School No. 12 opening in 2026
5+
$5,000
SOURCE: GEORGETOWN ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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Education
BY HANNAH NORTON
Texas schools to see $8.4B funding boost
Zooming in
said in May, noting that lawmakers previously gave educators one-time “bonuses.” HB 2 also includes a $55 increase to the base amount of per-student funding schools receive from the state. Districts can use these funds, known as the basic allotment, for a variety of needs, including purchasing classroom materials, renovating facilities and paying teachers or staff. Some school leaders requested a roughly $1,300 basic allotment increase to help schools keep up with inflationary costs. “When we’ve raised the basic allotment only, … we haven’t seen those dollars always driven to the classroom,” Creighton said July 21. “We made sure with our new allotments that we achieve targeted strategies towards what will increase student out- comes and academics, and what will also reward and protect our teachers.”
Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, who spon- sored HB 2 in the Senate, told Community Impact July 21 that lawmakers changed “the budget architecture for how public schools are funded going forward.” HB 2 provides permanent raises for teachers with at least three years of classroom experience, with larger raises for teachers in small districts. In districts with 5,000 students or less, teachers with three to four years of experience will receive a $4,000 raise , while those with at least five years of experience will receive an $8,000 boost . In districts with over 5,000 students, educators with three to four years of experience will get a $2,500 raise , and more experienced teachers will earn a $5,000 raise . “For the first time in Texas history, that pay raise will continue beyond this biennium,” Creighton
Over the next two years, Texas’ nearly 9,000 public schools will receive about $8.4 billion in new funding after Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 2 in June. Nearly half of that funding will be spent on raises for educators and support staff, such as bus drivers, janitors and librarians. State lawmakers estimated in May that schools will receive “north of $17,700” per student under the school funding package—up from about $15,502 in the 2022-23 school year, according to Texas Education Agency data. The funding increase comes as some school districts across Community Impact’s coverage areas grapple with growing budget shortfalls, leading some ISDs to consider closing campuses, cutting staff and slashing elective courses. Over a dozen school associations and advocacy groups praised lawmakers’ work on HB 2 after it was sent to the governor in late May, noting that the legislation would provide a “lifeline” to cash-strapped schools.
The breakdown
HB 2 gives schools approximately:
$3.7B for teacher pay raises
$430M for school safety
$1.3B for fixed costs, such as transportation and insurance $850M for special education resources and evaluations
$243M for state-owned instructional materials $200M for teacher preparation and certification
“Texas is No. 1 in so many categories. Texas should be No. 1 in educating our children.” GOV. GREG ABBOTT
$500M for raises for support staff, including bus drivers and librarians
$153M for career and technical education
The bill also includes a $55 increase to the base per-student funding schools receive, known as the basic allotment.
$433M for early literacy and numeracy
SOURCES: RAISE YOUR HAND TEXAS, TEXAS LEGISLATURE ONLINE/COMMUNITY IMPACT
One more thing
Texas’ school funding system
create these guardrails around this money,” Rombado told Community Impact on July 18. He said a larger basic allotment increase would have given Texas public schools “the most flexible funding” because that money can be used for a variety of purposes. “Having the autonomy to pivot and invest money that [districts] have been given allows them to adapt to changing times a little more efficiently,” Rombado said.
Max Rombado, the legislative director for the public school advocacy organization Raise Your Hand Texas, said creating targeted funding allotments can be complicated in a state as large and diverse as Texas. “While the impact may generally be positive, there are a variety of complexities and differences between school districts that might create challenges when you
Federal funding: $2,688
The average school district received about $15,502 per student in the 2022-23 school year.
State funding: $5,021 Local property tax revenue: $7,793
SOURCES: RAISE YOUR HAND TEXAS, TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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Education
BY HANNAH NORTON
Teachers now have more disciplinary authority House Bill 6 gives public school teachers more discretion to remove students from the classroom if they are repeatedly disruptive or threaten the safety of others. The change comes after nearly half of Texas public school teachers cited disci- pline issues as a top workplace challenge in 2022, according to the Texas Education Agency. What you need to know The law, which took e ect immediately when Gov. Greg Abbott signed it on June 20, allows schools to suspend students of any age who engage in “repeated or signi cant” disruptions, reversing a 2017 state law that generally prohib- ited schools from suspending students in pre-K through second grade. If students in kindergarten through third grade are sent home for behavioral
Districts to level-set high school GPAs Texas school districts will soon be required to use a standard system to calculate high school students’ grade point averages. At a glance Senate Bill 1191, which became law June 20, directs the Texas Education Agency to create a new GPA standard “as soon as practicable.” The system must give equal weight to advanced placement, international baccalaureate and dual enrollment courses. “It most likely won’t impact kids that are currently enrolled in high school, … because it’s going to take a while to make sure every- one is on the same page,” said Bob Popinski, who leads the policy team for public school advocacy group Raise Your Hand Texas.
“A lot of the problems we see with our kids in high school is because they did not have consequences, none whatsoever, when they were younger.” HOUSE BILL 6 AUTHOR REP. JEFF LEACH, R PLANO
issues, schools must provide documentation explaining their decision. HB 6 gives schools the option to place students in an in-school suspension for as long as they see t. State law previously mandated that students could not be suspended for more than three school days, whether they were inside a school building or at home. The three-day time limit on out-of- school suspensions remains unchanged.
New law bans cellphone usage in all K 12 schools As Texas public school students return to campus this fall, they are prohibited from using cellphones, smart watches and other personal communication devices throughout the school day. The details
School districts could:
“We want our kids to focus on academics, such as math, science and reading, and the reality is, these phones are a distraction. ... Schools cite growing incidents of cyberbullying due to these phones,” bill
• Purchase pouches to store devices during the school day • Ask students to keep devices in their lockers or backpacks
author Rep. Caroline Fairly, R Amarillo, said in March.
Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 1481 into law on June 20, giving school districts 90 days to adopt new electronic device policies, including disciplinary measures for students who violate the cellphone ban.
HB 1481 includes exceptions for students with medical needs or special education accommoda- tions, and does not apply to devices supplied by school districts for academic purposes.
Texas’ 2026-27 budget includes $20M in grants to help districts implement the law.
SOURCES: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, TEXAS LEGISLATURE ONLINE COMMUNITY IMPACT
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Education
BY CHLOE YOUNG
NEST Empowerment Center provides safe space for youth
For nearly 15 years, the NEST Empowerment Center has served as a safe haven for Georgetown youth who have faced di cult times. The center, operated by The Georgetown Project nonpro t, provides resources, supportive services and a sense of community to help Georgetown ISD students graduate and nd success during and after high school. “Its purpose is to help kids stay in school and be successful in school, but then to really feel and have as normal of an experience as possible—a typical high school experience,” The Georgetown Project CEO Rob Dyer said. The overview The Georgetown Project started the Nurtur- ing, Empowering, Supporting for Tomorrow, or NEST, Center in 2011 to provide GISD high school students with a safe place to go after school. Many students visiting the center qualify for free and reduced lunch or are experiencing homelessness. The center is located at the former Richarte High School campus in a house o Old Airport Road. Georgetown High School students can walk over to the center after dismissal, while the district buses students to the center from East View and Richarte high schools. Each evening, students receive a warm meal as well as access to a food pantry, and clothes and hygiene closets. The center also o ers emergency shelter for students and their families. “When they get out of school, they come here and this doesn’t feel like a school. It feels like home,” Dyer said. The NEST Center provides programming on a variety of topics, including nancial literacy tips from local banks and mental health support from Bluebonnet Trails Community Services. Students may do arts and crafts, learn about podcasting or participate in equine therapy from the Ride On Center for Kids, NEST Coordinator CB Feller said. The impact Many students who visit the NEST Center go on to nd success after high school, Dyer said. The Georgetown Project’s Summer Youth Employment Program helps high school students and recent graduates explore new careers through working with local businesses. “You can see them stepping into a career and they’re going to college,” Dyer said. “They’re doing
The NEST Empowerment Center—located at the former Richarte High School campus—provides Georgetown ISD high school students a safe place to eat, rest and socialize after class.
CHLOE YOUNG COMMUNITY IMPACT
The NEST Center had the following impact in the 2024 25 school year:
2,500 meals provided
1,819 total teen visits
828 volunteer hours
168 shelter nights provided
141 GISD high school students served
22 family members provided temporary shelter
The center also provides resources and community support to help students succeed after graduation.
COURTESY THE GEORGETOWN PROJECT
SOURCE: THE GEORGETOWN PROJECT COMMUNITY IMPACT
something they might not have been able to do had they not had the opportunity to go through this program.” In the coming years, the NEST Center is aiming to help recent graduates receive post-secondary certi cations for positions in industries such as medical or HVAC, Dyer said. “That’s the di erence between a $15 an hour job and a $40 or $50 an hour job,” Dyer said. “That’s life-changing for people.”
OLD AIRPORT RD.
35
NORTHWEST BLVD.
N
2201 Old Airport Road, Georgetown www.georgetownproject.org
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