From the cover
Districts face decisions as school year begins
BY GRACE DICKENS
A closer look
Lake Travis ISD
slower housing market, these changes are due to Travis County’s purchase of large amounts of land demographers originally thought would contain subdivisions. The decreased enrollment numbers have resulted in delays for both projects, with High School No. 2’s opening delayed to 2028 and the opening of a Bee Creek Road elementary school delayed inde nitely.
Following two years of decline, the moderate scenario for enrollment projections estimates the district will gain 1,676 students by 2033-34. Even so, these numbers still show a decline from the original gures used to predict the size and scope of High School No. 2 and an elemen- tary school on Bee Creek Road, which were both funded by voter-approved bonds. Alongside a
A new superintendent, a new high school and new enrollment trends are just a few adjustments Lake Travis ISD is facing as the school year kicks o . The most recent shakeup for LTISD was in May with the hiring of Superintendent Curtis Null, who formerly served as superintendent of Conroe ISD near Houston. Null brings 23 years of experience to the table from his time as a deputy and assistant superintendent, principal and assistant principal, teacher, and athletic trainer. “It’s a much smaller district, which I’m enjoying that change,” Null said. “It allows me the opportunity to be present at all of our schools to really get to know the people individually.” Now at the helm, Null and the school board are facing a number of decisions and delays on facility bond projects as enrollment projections shift and a $4.2 million budget shortfall for this year persists.
Student enrollment over time in Lake Travis ISD
Lake Travis ISD is expected to gain 1,676 students over the next nine years, according to a 2025 demographic update by Population and Survey Analysts.
16K 14K 12K 10K
Enrollment
Projected enrollment Reduced projected enrollment Accelerated projected enrollment
8K 6K 0
SOURCE: POPULATION AND SURVEY ANALYSTS COMMUNITY IMPACT
Delayed 2018 2023 bond projects
What to expect
“The main thing is always student achievement. That’s why we do what we do, to make sure that our kids can be successful. We understand here that we have budget challenges that we have
Cost estimate
Spending to date
Project
Status
The adjustment of HS No. 2’s opening was orig- inally to update building designs to accommodate 1,500 students instead of 2,000 students, but the district is still facing barriers due to county permit- ting, Null said. Once permitting is approved, the district can move forward with other aspects of the high school, such as choosing a mascot. “This is going to be a big change, and I think a lot of our community are really looking forward to it,” board President Lauren White said. The construction of an elementary school on Bee Creek Road is based enrollment and the construc- tion budget, Null said, resulting in its inde nite
Elementary school on Bee Creek Road High School No. 2 High School No. 2 athletic facilities
Delayed inde nitely
$58.5M $7.8M
to address and work with the team to try and nd a pathway forward with that.” CURTIS NULL, LAKE TRAVIS ISD SUPERINTENDENT
Delayed by permitting
$179.9M $14.3M
Delayed by permitting
$102.7M $0
SOURCE: LAKE TRAVIS ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT
delay. An elementary school on Hamilton Pool Road is currently in its design phase, according to the district.
The outlook
Bond projects
2026 • Summer-fall: science addition completed • October: Cavalier Stadium renovation completed 2027 • Spring: Women’s Field House addition completed • Summer: ine arts and competition gym addition completed 2028 • Fall: High School No. 2 opens
new science addition,” Chief Financial O cer Pam Sanchez said. The district plans to keep the community updated on HS No. 2 through districtwide communications. If county permitting is approved in the next couple of months, Null said the community engagement process for HS No. 2 decisions should begin next spring for a 2028 opening.
Other bond projects, such as Cavalier Stadium renovations and the Women’s Field House expansion, are planned to begin in September, while districtwide facilities projects are also in progress. “The current high school competition gym and ne arts addition, … that’s underway right now. … And then we’ve also started construction for our
SOURCE: LAKE TRAVIS ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT
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LAKE TRAVIS WESTLAKE EDITION
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