From the cover
Districts face decisions as school year begins
BY GRACE DICKENS
Eanes ISD
Proposed plans The Long-Range Facility Planning Committee proposed a number of changes for schools throughout the district, including the potential closure and repurposing of Eanes Elementary. These remain subject to board approval.
Changes are in store for Eanes ISD as the district continues its search for a new superintendent and gears up for conversations about campus shifts. As part of a report from the Long-Range Facility Planning Committee in May, committee members recommended a range of improvement projects around the district, including full reconstructions of multiple campuses. Repurposing Eanes Elementary into an early education center was also proposed. For Eanes Elementary parent Jon Selden, this raised many concerns. “I’m totally for every single change they proposed except for closing Eanes Elementary, and that makes the entire plan completely dead on arrival,” Selden said. Board President Kim McMath said the district has had no further discussion on the item given the
Elementary school plans
Middle school plans
Westlake High School plans
Conversion of Eanes ES into an early childhood center
Full reconstruction of Hill Country MS
Reconstruction/renovation of Westlake HS New parking garages with aim of 2,000 total parking spaces (1,130 existing) Relocating programming for athletics, career education and fine arts to consolidated areas
Full reconstruction of Cedar Creek ES and Forest Trail ES Additions to and modernizations of Bridge Point ES and Barton Creek ES
Addition to and modernization of West Ridge MS Addition of 450-seat auditorium, new competition and auxiliary gyms for both schools
SOURCE: EANES ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
To implement any changes, the district would likely require voter-approved bonds, and the district is still in the process of forming a bond advisory committee to review the plans and create bond packages for the board to consider, McMath said.
unexpected resignation of former Superintendent Jeff Arnett over the summer. “We will look at both cost but also the community’s either support or concern about any of these concepts,” McMath said.
Diving in deeper
Current situation
The firm assisted Dripping Springs ISD in hiring Holly Morris-Kuentz, who has held the role since 2021, and most recently assisted Lake Travis ISD officials in hiring Superintendent Curtis Null in May. McMath said community engagement efforts will likely kick off in late September or early October. “I think it will be multiple weeks, if not a month, of engagement in different forms with the community,” McMath said.
To keep district operations running following the departure of Arnett, the board elected interim Superintendent Tom Trigg on July 24. The board also approved a contract with JG Consulting in August, with the goal of approv- ing a new superintendent by Nov. 18. The superintendent search process plans to include community engagement efforts, such as in-person meetings and anonymous surveys. From this, JG Consulting will develop a rubric for the board to approve and consult to inform their decision.
Student enrollment in EISD has declined since 2019-20. This is in spite of the district’s efforts to bolster enrollment using transfer students. In the 2024-25 school year, there were approximately 750 transfer students accepted into the district—a number that has consistently grown since 2020. Texas lawmakers increased the base amount of per-student state funding schools receive, called the basic allotment, from $6,160 to $6,215 under House Bill 2 in June. That money is allocated for staff pay, classroom materials and other specific uses. The $55 increase falls over $1,200 short of what some public school advocacy organizations estimate is necessary to keep pace with inflation, but lawmakers said these targeted allotments would ensure money goes to the classroom. Even so, EISD passed its annual budget in June with a $7.6 million shortfall.
Going forward
Superintendent search September-October
In-district vs. transfer enrollment
Applications for the superintendent search are expected to close in October, with candidate interviews and the final selection process scheduled to begin in October and November. EISD officials said they could not provide a timeline for future consideration or discussion of the proposed renovation and repurposing plans proposed by the LRFPC as of press time. Initial plans from the LRFPC requested a Bond Advisory Committee to be formed by September for bond consideration in May or November 2026.
• Application portal opens, candidate screening begins, community engagement efforts begin October • Application portal closes, candidates reviewed October-November • Candidate interviews and final selection Nov. 18 • Lone finalist is named at board meeting
Transfers
In-district enrollment
10K 8K 6K 4K 2K 0
7,555
7,373 7,173 7,054 7,009 6,854
611 595 661 679 729 750
SOURCE: EANES ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
School year
SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
25
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