Pflugerville - Hutto Edition | September 2024

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Pugerville Hutto Edition VOLUME 20, ISSUE 1 SEPT. 6OCT. 8, 2024

2024 Education Edition

The search for superintendents Pugerville, Hutto ISDs hire new district leaders

Hutto ISD

BY BRITTANY ANDERSON

In the last year, four Austin metro school districts— Austin, Georgetown, Hutto and Pugerville ISDs— have each hired new superintendents, a process that can be costly and time-consuming but necessary to the success of a district, according to school ocials. Pugerville and Hutto are the districts with the newest recruits. The Pugerville ISD board of trustees hired Quintin Shepherd from Victoria ISD in April, and Hutto ISD trustees hired Jeni Neatherlin from Granger ISD in August. Superintendent turnover is relatively common in Texas, and there are a variety of reasons these leaders leave one district for another, said George Kazanas, executive search and eld services ocer for the Texas Association of School Boards. “Some districts are still attracting quite a few applicants just because of their location,” Kazanas said. “... Candidate pools can range anywhere from 15 to 20 [to] up to 60 [applicants], it just depends. ... I would say geography is huge of where the district is.” Pugerville’s and Hutto’s new leaders are putting their vision for the district in motion, with Shep- herd hosting a listening and learning tour, and Neatherlin working to implement the strategic plan, Inspire 2028.

Jeni Neatherlin was hired as Hutto ISD's new superintendent Aug. 27 after serving in Granger ISD for three years.

BROOKE SJOBERGCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Pugerville ISD

Quintin Shepherd was hired as Pugerville ISD's new superintendent April 29 after serving in Victoria ISD for six years.

CONTINUED ON 29

COURTESY PFLUGERVILLE ISD

Also in this issue Impacts: Learn about a new fried chicken spot coming to Pugerville (Page 9)

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INSIDE

Development: Read about Hutto’s new wastewater treatment project (Page 26)

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This proposition reclaims sales tax dollars that can be used for an EMS that’s local, affordable and there when you need it! WHY is “ESD 2 Prop A” Important? AMBULANCE SERVICE ESD 2 QUIT PROVIDING AMBULANCES TO PFLUGERVILLE 2014 - Election increases sales taxes to support EMS. Approved by a margin of 6 votes.

Would You Keep Paying Someone Who Quit Their Job? ESD 2 quit providing ambulance services despite having excess funds, yet continues to collect OUR local sales taxes . Our city now funds ambulances through increased property taxes. Shouldn’t the agency actually providing services receive the sales tax? Fighting Against Your Rights: Unelected Travis County ESD 2 Board Broke the Law The Texas Supreme Court ruled that the unelected ESD 2 Board violated the law by refusing to place a citizen petition on the ballot, using $600,000 of taxpayer money to fight against the rights of over 7,100 citizens. Do you want unelected leaders who disregard your right to vote and deny ambulance services or ELECTED leaders who provide services without extra funding? The CHOICE is yours. DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY NOW THEY QUIT, RECLAIM IT! OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES BETTER The ESD 2 Board won’t provide ambulances to Pflugerville, regardless of this proposition. By Voting Yes , you take the first step so that our local elected officials can ENVISION A BETTER EMS in the future.

“Getting its own ambulance service has been years in the making, Moellenberg said, and the process began in 2013 when ESD 2 taxpayers approved a ½ cent sales tax increase to fund the project.” ESD 2 Fire Chief Ron Moellenberg, Community Impact article, 3/6/2017 2017 - ESD 2 takes over EMS from Austin-Travis County EMS and purchases ambulances using local sales tax funds. 2021 - ESD 2 Board falsely claims impending bankruptcy. 2022 - ESD 2 Board quits providing

2023 - ESD 2 increased budgeted expenses in 2023 by 50% even though total calls decreased. ambulance service despite having a $16 million surplus for 2020-2021. EMS calls decreased by 49% . 2020-2023 - MASSIVE surplus of $32 million over four years . Despite the annual cost of $1.7 million for Pflugerville ambulances, ESD 2 REFUSES to restore ambulance services using increased sales tax. Today, ESD 2 Board has a record- breaking reserve of $57 million, which is 151% of their operations - 6 - 15 times more than necessary! No employees need to be laid off or stations closed given their RESERVES and remaining sales and property tax.

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PFLUGERVILLE - HUTTO EDITION

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PFLUGERVILLE HUTTO EDITION

Impacts

Round Rock

Coming soon

4 Vera Bradley The brand known for its colorful quilted bags, luggage and accessories will open a store in the Round Rock Premium Outlets, a company representative confirmed. A date has not been set for the store’s opening. A suite number for the new location is also not yet available. • Opening TBD • 4401 N. I-35, Round Rock • www.verabradley.com 5 The Riff House Rehearsal Rooms Owned by Brady and Kimber Vance, the rehearsal space will give musicians and bands a place to practice. The business features sound-treated rooms equipped with drums, sound equipment and microphones. Instruments and amplifiers will also be available for rent. • Opening Sept. 13 • 894 Summit St., Ste. 104, Round Rock • Facebook: The Riff House Rehearsal Rooms

LIMMER LOOP

1431

A.W. GRIMES BLVD.

130 TOLL

Round Rock

620

SUMMIT ST.

ROUND ROCK W. DR.

45 TOLL

Relocations

MOPAC

Laura Audrey Custom Cookies The pick up and delivery cookie service relocated from Fort Worth to Round Rock. Laura Franks, who is also a speech pathologist, owns and operates the company. Franks also plans to offer cookie decorating classes in the future. • Relocated in August • www.lauraaudreycustomcookies.com Mars Auto The developer of autonomous trucking vehicles based in South Korea announced July 31 that the company’s U.S. headquarters will relocate from Dallas to Round Rock. The company was the first to launch a self-driving pilot program in South Korea in 2020, and expanded its fleet to the U.S. earlier this year.

MAP NOT TO SCALE

offers a wide variety of merchandise such as jewelry, electronics, tools, appliances, sporting goods, musical instruments and other merchandise. • Opened in July • 1051 I-35, Round Rock • www.firstcash.com 3 New Creation Church The church, which hold services at Veterans Hill Elementary, opened its first location in Round Rock. The nondenominational church started as a home prayer group led by Charles Sawadogo and his wife, Pastor

Now open

1 La Tapatia Restaurant & Bar The Mexican restaurant owned by Juan Luis and Maria Elena Hernandez reopened in August in Rock Creek Plaza, after relocating to a new unit within the same shopping center. The restaurant offers a variety of tacos, tostadas and Mexican-style plates. • Opened Aug. 21 • 2132 N. Mays St., Unit 950, Round Rock • www.latapatiarestaurantbarroundrock.toast.site 2 First Cash Pawn A third Round Rock storefront opened in July near I-35, in a retail space formerly home to Allen’s Boots. Headquartered in Fort Worth, the chain of pawn shops

• Opening TBD • Location TBA • www.marsauto.com

Kaday Sawadogo. • Opened Aug. 25

• 555 Limmer Loop, Round Rock • www.thenewcreation.church

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Now open

Coming soon

Relocations

6 Einstein Bros. Bagels The bagel shop opened in Round Rock in August, inside a retail space previously planned for a new Dirty Dough Cookies store. • Opened Aug. 21 • 121 Louis Henna Blvd., Ste. 105, Round Rock • www.einsteinbros.com

9 The Picklr The pickleball franchise is opening two locations in the Austin area this fall. One location will be in West Austin and the other will be in Round Rock. The Round Rock location is expected to have eight indoor pickleball courts, a warm-up court, a private event space, a pro shop, locker rooms, showers, league play and tournaments.

11 Genesis of Round Rock The Round Rock location of the luxury car dealer relocated to a new space near Mays Street in July. The dealership, formerly located at 2405 N. I-35, Round Rock, offers brand new luxury Genesis vehicles as well as pre-owned Genesis and vehicles from a variety of manufacturers. • Opened early July

• Round Rock location opening this fall • 3021, S. I-35 Frontage Road, Round Rock • www.thepicklr.com/location/round-rock

• 2201 N. Mays St., Round Rock • www.genesisofroundrock.com

12 Milano Ristorante The Italian restaurant recently closed. Owned by the Braga family, the restaurant first opened in late 2021. The family also owns Milano Trattoria in Georgetown, which remains open. • Closed June 26 • 1700 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock • www.milanoristorantetx.com 13 Poker House Austin The legal gambling club opened earlier this year but recently announced its closure. The club offered a poker room experience featuring cash games and tournaments. • Closed Aug. 1 • 2400 S. I-35 Frontage Road, Ste. 160, Round Rock • www.pokerhouseaustin.com

• 620 Round Rock West Drive, Round Rock • www.sacredheartclinic.org

In the news

7 Cristales-The Boutique The local boutique celebrated its 10th year of business in the Round Rock community this August. The boutique sells dressers, rompers, outerwear, sets, bottoms and other apparel. • 2000 S. I-35 Frontage Road., Ste. C2, Round Rock • www.cristales-theboutique.com 8 Sacred Heart Community Clinic The charity dental and medical clinic named a new executive director in August. Marilyn Diaz will lead the organization, which provides services to the uninsured and underserved residents of Williamson County.

Closings

10 Gourmet Texas Pasta The vegan pasta company closed its manufacturing operations in Round Rock in August, per an announcement from the business via social media. Gourmet Texas Pasta offered a variety of different specialty pastas, including gluten-free options. • Closed Aug. 7 • 1100 Sam Bass Road, Ste 103 & 104, Round Rock • www.gourmettexaspasta.com

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PFLUGERVILLE - HUTTO EDITION

Impacts

Pflugerville

Now open

138

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Ecstatic Expression Coffee Co. A Pflugerville-based coffee and tea catering business, founded by James and Madia Canali, offers three catering packages to accommodate different events. • Opened July 20 • www.ecstaticexpressioncoffee.com

A.W. GRIMES BLVD.

RED BUD LN.

MARTIN LN.

45 TOLL

GREENLAWN BLVD.

1 5

Coming soon

1 Spokesman Coffee Spokesman Coffee will open a new shop next to Crux Climbing Center. The shop will offer local drafts, grab- and-go food and craft-roasted coffee. • Opening this fall • 18817 N. Heatherwilde Blvd., Pflugerville • www.spokesmancoffee.com 2 Infinite Hitting The baseball and softball training clubhouse, owned by Trey and Kristen Whaley and Jane Hines, will offer hitting lessons by professionally trained coaches. • Opening in early October • 21419 Martin Lane, Ste. 200, Pflugerville • www.infiniteaustintx.com

Pflugerville

685

VISION DR.

130 TOLL

DESSAU RD.

MAP NOT TO SCALE

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Sprinkle Me Baby Sprinkle Me Baby, owned by LaNica Failey, is a mobile baking business and event caterer. Utilizing a converted school bus equipped with an oven, the company guides guests in creating cookies and cakes. • Opening in October • Facebook: Sprinkle Me Baby ATX

Coming soon

In the news

3 The Gossip Shack The specialty chicken restaurant is reached its five-year anniversary in Pflugerville. The Gossip Shack offers a menu of chicken and waffles, chicken tender and wing combos, and over 50 flavors to choose from. • Opened May 2019 • 1615 Grand Ave. Pkwy., Ste. 110, Pflugerville • www.thegossipshack.com 4 Lone Star Bar The full service bar is celebrating five years of business in Pflugerville. Lone Star Bar offers weekly events and specials, including karaoke on Saturdays nights. Patrons can also enjoy live music and an outdoor beer garden.

5 Spicy Boys Fried Chicken Spicy Boys Fried Chicken will be joining Crux Climbing Center, a rock climbing gym, at its Pflugerville location. The food vendor serves fried chicken sandwiches and wings, and has four food truck locations in Austin. • Opening this fall • 18817 N. Heatherwilde Blvd., Pflugerville • www.spicyboyschicken.com

6 Rollie Rolls Ice Cream The Thailand-inspired ice cream shop is celebrating it’s fifth anniversary. The ice cream shop has a menu featuring build-your-own rolled ice cream for customers to choose their own base flavors and mix-ins. Rollie Rolls also offers milk teas,

smoothies and coffee. • Opened August 2019 • 1101 W. Pecan St., Ste. 8, Pflugerville • www.rollierolls.com

• Opened September 2019 • 403 FM 685, Pflugerville • lonestarbartexas.com

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PFLUGERVILLE - HUTTO EDITION

Impacts

Hutto

also sells produce and a variety of other treats from Latin America. • Opened Aug. 10 • 3333 CR 119, Ste. 7, Hutto • 512-979-9360 4 Pflutto’s Tavern The sports bar hosts live music, karaoke nights, pool tournaments and other events. Pflutto’s Tavern also has a Pflugerville location at 20205 FM 685, Ste. 300. • Opened in June • 101 Limmer Loop, Ste. 600, Hutto • www.facebook.com/pfluttostavern.hutto

Now open

1 Precision Podiatry Precision Podiatry recently opened in Hutto and is the clinic’s fourth location in the Austin area. The office, led by Dr. John Marshall, treats a variety of conditions, including athlete’s foot, flat feet, ankle arthroscopy, infections, ingrown toenails, plantar fasciitis and other ailments. • Opened Aug. 5 2 QuikTrip QuikTrip sells a variety of hot and cold food, such as barbecue sandwiches, tacos, wraps and pizzas. The Oklahoma-based gas station chain has over 1,000 locations across the U.S. This is the second location in Hutto. • Opened in late July • 113 Star Ranch Blvd., Hutto • www.quiktrip.com • 201 CR 138, Ste. 104, Hutto • www.precisionpodiatry.com 3 La Bodeguita Meat Market Owned by Nathaly Andalia, the market offers a wide variety of meat, including seafood, different types of poultry and other provisions. Andalia said the business

3 7

119

ED SCHMIDT BLVD.

LIMMER

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EXCHANGE BLVD.

Hutto

Relocations

5 Monica Story - State Farm Agent The State Farm Insurance office, previously located in Round Rock, recently moved to Hutto. Led by Monica Story, the office helps individuals and families find car, home, renters, life, health and business insurance, among a variety of other services. • Relocated in July

STAR RANCH BLVD.

1 6

• 351 Exchange Blvd., Ste. 210 • www.storyinsuranceteam.com

138

GATTI

MAP NOT TO SCALE

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Now open

6 Plaque Panther Dentistry The dentist office, owned by Dr. Devon Harris, provides cosmetic, rehabilitative and routine preventative care. Services include gum care, fillings, dentures, Invisalign, veneers, night guards, whitening and more. • Opened Aug. 10

7 Hutto Antique Mall Owned by local resident Kiowa Madrid, the shop sells a variety of retro and vintage goods. Customers will find items such as clothing, furniture, home decor and other collectibles at the mall. • Opened Aug. 10

8 La Michoacana Plus Ice Cream Parlor In addition to ice cream, the parlor serves mangonadas, chicharron, elotes, shakes, nachos and other treats. The national franchise also sells fruit gummies, juice and a variety of prepackaged snacks and toppings. • Opened Aug. 17 • 531 Ed Schmidt Blvd., Ste. A130, Hutto • www.michoacanaplus.com

• 201 CR 138, Ste. 204, Hutto • www.plaquepanther.com

• 3333 CR 119, Ste. 107, Hutto • www.huttoantiquemall.com

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Projections show response times will likely double in some areas and in extreme cases, wait times could be up to an hour.

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Government

BY PARKS KUGLE & GRACIE WARHURST

County raises pay supplements for judges In an eort to balance the upcoming scal year 2024-25 budget with employee retention, the Williamson County Commissioners Court voted to approve pay supplements for each district judge and the district attorney July 30. The overview According to county documents, the proposal includes maintaining the supplement for each district judge at roughly $18,000 per year, which is in line with current district attorney supplement. County Judge Bill Gravell moved to adjust the supplemental gure for District Attorney Shawn Dick to $52,000. His proposal kept the $18,000 gure for district judges. Gravell’s proposal passed by a 3-2 vote. Pre- cinct 2 Commissioner Cynthia Long and Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey voted against it.

3 candidates le for city council election Pugerville will hold a City Council election in November for Place 3 and 5. The gist As of the Aug. 19 deadline to le for the city of Pugerville’s Nov. 5 election, three candidates submitted applications for a spot on the ballot. Incumbent Place 3 City Council member Kimberly Holiday will run unopposed, while current Place 5 City Council member Jim McDonald will seek another term against challenger Melody Ryan. Dates to know • Oct. 7: deadline to register to vote • Oct. 21: early voting begins • Nov. 1: last day of early voting • Nov. 5: election day

“If we’re going to attract the very best, we have to make sure that our salaries are worthy of them.” BILL GRAVELL, WILLIAMSON COUNTY JUDGE

What they’re saying This amendment sparked a debate among the commissioners on whether it is the county’s or state’s responsibility to add funding to the district attorney’s salary. Long and Covey said their goal is to provide Dick a higher salary while avoiding having county taxpayers pay for something they believe the state should. Gravell disagreed, citing concerns about mak- ing county salaries attractive to top talent.

PFLUGERVILLE HUTTO EDITION

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Government

BY GRANT CRAWFORD & ANNA MANESS

City to plant over 300 neighborhood trees The city of Pflugerville will plant 335 native trees in an effort to mitigate surface and air temperature in three neighborhoods. The overview The first planting events will be held this Nov. 2 and Dec. 7, with the goal of planting 20-50 trees each session in the Windermere, Watson Park and Hillside Springs neighbor- hoods. Residents can register to volunteer online.

Commissioners approve FY 2024-25 budget Williamson County Commissioners Court approved a $635.12 million fiscal year 2024-25 bud- get and set the 2024 county tax rate at $0.399999 per $100 valuation on Aug. 27. The breakdown The adopted county budget is broken down into three funds: general, road and bridge, and debt service, running $361.22 million, $73.15 million and $200.75 million, respectively. This budget is about $75.02 million higher than the 2023-24 adopted budget of $560.11 million, according to county documents. The details The approved budget includes 42 new full-time positions. The new positions include a county administrator and roles in the tax assessor-collec- tor office as well as the elections, technology and

WilCo's approved FY 2024-25 budget breakdown

General fund budget: $361.22M Debt service fund budget: $200.75M Road and bridge fund budget: $73.15M

Total $635.12M

SOURCE: WILLIAMSON COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

facilities departments. The general fund includes an $18.03 million pur- chase of a 28-acre property in Austin with a 75,000 square-foot building, which will provide the county with more office space. The purchase will use a tax levy to avoid additional debt, according to the news release. The budget also includes a 3% raise for civilian employees, law enforcement and corrections personnel.

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PFLUGERVILLE - HUTTO EDITION

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Transportation

BY HALEY MCLEOD & GRACIE WARHURST

Roadwork to cause temporary road closures Several road projects are currently underway and may cause temporary road closures in Pflugerville. The details One project will install a new traffic light at the intersection of Pleasanton Parkway and Weiss Lane. Construction on the project began Aug. 16 and is planned to be complete in 6 months. Roadway closures will be communicated to residents throughout the project, according to city officials. What else? Pflugerville Loop will be closed for repairs from Central Commerce to the West Pflugerville Loop fire station. It is anticipated to reopen at the end of September. The westbound travel lane of Picadilly Drive will also experience closure due to repairs from Grand Avenue Parkway to Copperhead Drive. The road is expected to reopen by early October.

Hutto partners with TxDOT on CR 137 The city of Hutto is also working with the Texas Department of Transportation on a project to improve CR 137. A closer look The $19.8 million project is intended to reduce delays by adding a lane to the site, according to city documents. Project design is 90% complete, with con- struction set to begin by the end of this year.

Bohls Middle School

Pflugerville

130 TOLL

PLEASANTON PKWY.

PICADILLY DR.

COPPERHEAD DR.

CENTRAL COMMERCE DR.

Pflugerville

BRUSHY CREEK

1660

Hutto

137

W. PFLUGERVILLE LOOP

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PFLUGERVILLE - HUTTO EDITION

Real estate

The Pflugerville-Hutto housing market saw a decline in year-over-year home sales in July, as well as a decrease in median home prices, according to data from the Austin Board of Realtors. Residential market data

July 2023

July 2024

Homes sold

Average days on the market

-20%

-11.4%

-18%

78634

130 TOLL

78634

78660

78634

78660

Median home sales price

45 TOLL

July

2023

2024

78660

$374,308

$358,283

78634

MARKET DATA PROVIDED BY AUSTIN BOARD OF REALTORS AND UNLOCK MLS 512-454-7636 WWW.ABOR.COM

$448,500

$405,000

78660

Homes sold by price point in July

Pflugerville | Hutto

78634

78660

July

2023

2024

$900,000+

261

244

New listings

$700,000-$899,999

224 190

Closed sales

$500,000-$699,999

$300,000-$499,999

Homes under contract

217

159

<$299,999

Months of inventory

2.3

3.1

Median home price in July

Hutto $358,283

Round Rock $469,000

Travis County $525,000

Price per square foot

$214 $209

Pflugerville $405,000

Austin MSA $450,000

Williamson County $428,500

491

596

Active listings

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Education Education Guide

BY HANNAH NORTON

2024

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Readers, welcome to your annual CI Education Edition! This guide features the latest updates and resources about local K-12 public school options in your community, ranging from new campuses to budget details to bond elections. All of the stories were written by our team of local journalists, and all of the advertisements are from nearby businesses who support our mission to provide free, useful news—please show them your gratitude by supporting them.

Amy Bryant General Manager abryant@ communityimpact.com

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TEA once again blocked from issuing AF ratings for Texas public schools

The AF accountability system The TEA’s accountability system was established by the 2017 Texas Legislature based on a variety of factors, including:

The annual State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness

For the second year in a row, a Travis County judge blocked the Texas Education Agency from releasing its AF accountability ratings for Texas school districts and campuses Aug. 12. The case echoes a 2023 lawsuit from over 100 school districts, which alleged the TEA’s revamped accountability system was “unlawful” and would unfairly harm school districts. The agency was set to release ratings for the 2023-24 school year on Aug. 15. In a lawsuit led Aug. 12, ve public school dis- tricts said the TEA has not been transparent about changes to its accountability system and failed to x “mistakes” made last year. The TEA said it was reviewing the ling to determine next steps. “It is disappointing that a small group of school boards and superintendents opposed to fair

accountability and transparency have once again led a lawsuit aimed at preventing AF ratings from being issued and keeping families in the dark about how their schools are doing,” a TEA spokes- person said in a statement. More details Texas’ AF system, designed in 2017, gives parents insight about the quality of their children’s school. If a campus or district receives a failing grade for several years in a row, the state can intervene. Districts have not received complete AF ratings since 2019. In 2022, schools that received a C or lower were deemed “not rated” as they recovered from signicant learning loss from the COVID-19 pandemic. Accountability ratings were not issued at all in 2020 or 2021.

Academic growth

High school graduation rates

Student preparedness for college, a career or the military

SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Travis County District Judge Karin Crump sided with the school districts in an Aug. 12 order, temporarily blocking the TEA from issuing new accountability ratings while litigation continues. A full hearing was scheduled for Aug. 26, but it has since been delayed until Sept. 16.

PFLUGERVILLE HUTTO EDITION

GREAT PFUTURES BEGIN HERE

Now accepting: • All students living in PfISD boundaries • Out of district applications pfisd.net/register

Individualized learning that meets the needs of ALL students

100-DAY PLAN Dear Pflugerville ISD Community My 100-day plan, “Discovering Pflugerville,” aims to establish a transparent, inclusive, and forward-thinking administration. This plan involves familiarizing myself with our schools’ current status, immersing myself in the community, and building relationships that will drive us toward collective success. DR. QUINTIN SHEPHERD SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

View the Complete 100 Day Plan

Be Part of the Conversation!

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY BRITTANY ANDERSON & BROOKE SJOBERG

Gus Almquist Middle School opens in HISD Hutto ISD opened Gus Almquist Middle School to sixth, seventh and eighth grade students Aug. 13, the first day of the 2024-25 school year. About the project Construction of the $67.73 million middle school took just about two years and relieves capacity concerns at HISD’s other middle schools, Hutto and Farley, according to the district. The new campus includes facilities for expanded science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM; and fine arts programs as well as a new entrepreneurship course. Over 970 students were enrolled to attend as of Aug. 12, according to district staff, but the total capacity sits around 1,200 students. What they’re saying Leading the campus as its first principal, Ryan

ACC semiconductor programs get boost Austin Community College officials announced Aug. 8 that a $7.5 million grant awarded from the U.S. Department of Defense will go toward the community col- lege district’s efforts to develop and expand its semiconductor training programs. The overview ACC received the grant from the DOD’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency for the college’s work in semiconductor manufacturing, according to a news release. ACC was the only community college out of the 18 academic institutions selected. The $7.5 million grant was awarded to The University of Texas and the Texas Institute for Electronics, which distributed the funds to ACC, allowing it to “expand existing training programs and develop new ones.” Some of the district’s $297.5 million in expenditures contributing to the $7.9 million shortfall include: for instruction $177M for facilities maintenance and operations $25.5M for school leadership $16.4M for guidance and counseling services $13.3M for student transportation $11M

Gus Almquist Middle School

GREEN PASTURE

• Cost: $67.73M

• Capacity: 1,200 students • 2024-25 enrollment: 978 students

• Size: 160,000 sq. ft.

Burns said he plans to foster community and campus culture, and that district staff have been working hard to prepare the campus for students to occupy it. “What we’re going to have is opportunities for every kid to find like-minded students who they can get connected with on campus so school’s not a place where they have to go just because they have to—it’s a place that they want to be,” he said.

PfISD adopts budget, lowest tax rate in 30 years Pflugerville ISD is heading into the 2024-25 fiscal year with a $297 million budget, which includes a $7.9 million shortfall in its general fund, and a new

$0.3200 for its debt service rate. The rate is the lowest tax rate for the district in over 30 years and is a 23-cent reduction over last year’s tax rate, per agenda documents. In April, the board approved a 2% salary increase for staff and a new minimum wage of $17 an hour. Officials said employee salaries make up 86% of the annual budget, and the raises equate to an increase of about $5.6 million to the budget.

tax rate of $1.1069. Breaking it down

The board adopted the budget Aug. 15. It also set the 2024-25 tax rate at $1.1069, consisting of $0.7869 for maintenance and operations and

SOURCE: PFLUGERVILLE ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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HUTTO 307 Farley St. 78634

Scan here to schedule your appointment today!

Scan here to schedule your appointment today! Scan here to schedule your appointment today! No doctor referral needed for select insurance!

HUTTO 307 Farley St. 78634

PFLUGERVILLE 15803 Windermere Dr. Ste. 204, 78660

HUTTO 307 Farley St. 78634

PFLUGERVILLE 15803 Windermere Dr. Ste. 204, 78660

PFLUGERVILLE - HUTTO EDITION

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Education

BY HANNAH NORTON

Bob Popinski discusses Texas public school funding challenges Amid high operating costs and stagnant state funding, public school districts across Texas have adopted budget shortfalls for fiscal year 2024-25. Last year, public education advocates urged law- makers to increase the basic allotment—which is the base amount of money schools receive per student and has not changed since 2019, when it was raised to $6,160. Community Impact interviewed Bob Popinski, the senior policy director for education policy nonprofit Raise Your Hand Texas, to learn more. How are Texas public schools funded? Right now, Texas is in the bottom 10 [states] for per-student funding. We’re more than $4,000 below the national average, according to a new National Education Association report. [Texas uses] what is known as an equalized system, where the Legislature sets the amount of per-student funding and a district is guaranteed that amount. [District] revenue comes from local property taxes and general revenue from the state. On average, when you look at per-student fund- ing across the state, the funding that actually gets down into the classrooms—that pays for day-to-day operations like teachers and cafeteria workers and bus drivers and school principals—is roughly $10,000 per student, on average, across the state. Why are so many districts facing high budget shortfalls? Since 2019, the last time we saw any increase to our school funding formulas, inflation has gone up 22%. School districts are operating at roughly a $1,400 deficit from where they were in 2019. When you look at the basic allotment—[which is] kind of the building block for our school funding formula—it’s at $6,160, and that hasn’t been updated since 2019. Federal stimulus funding is ending. And school districts knew that, ... but it doesn’t mean that the post-pandemic student achievement loss has gone away. There’s still a lot of programs that are in place to help students with their academic progress that school districts would like to con- tinue, but because that federal stimulus funding is going away, it may not be available to them. In addition to those two major driving factors, there are some school districts out there experi- encing enrollment decline. Think of it this way:

Per-student spending On average, Texas public school districts spent $13,109 per student for the 2022-23 school year. Texas ranks 44th for per-student expenditures out of all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

#50 #49 #48 #47 #46 #45 #44 #43 #42

Alabama Arkansas

$13,484 $13,516

Texas

$12,815 $12,837 $13,109

Florida Arizona

Tennessee

$12,476

Nevada

$12,246

Oklahoma

$11,928

Utah

$11,146

#51 Idaho

$9,808

The national average for per-student expenditures is $17,493.

SOURCE: NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION/COMMUNITY IMPACT

COURTESY RAISE YOUR HAND TEXAS

if every student draws down about $10,000 to pay for teachers, and you lose 10 kids, that is $100,000 that the school district doesn’t have to pay for a teacher salary. But you still have to have a teacher in the classroom, and you still have to have a bus driver, and you still have to be able to turn the lights and the air conditioning on. So those are big, kind of fixed costs that a school district doesn’t necessarily control. What kind of staffing issues are schools facing, and what can the state do to help? The state needs to implement a lot of the recom- mendations that came from the Teacher Vacancy Task Force report that was issued last year. There were about 24 recommendations in there. A lot of them focused on salary; a lot focused on training and retention of teachers. School districts are struggling to find certified teachers. In the 2022-23 school year, approxi- mately 15,300 teachers were hired in Texas with- out certification. That’s a drastic increase, about a 650% increase, from 2010. And it’s especially acute in rural and small towns, where nearly 75% of teachers were uncertified. Research shows [hiring uncertified teachers] can have negative consequences on academic achieve- ment. If you have a new teacher that doesn’t have the skills to be ready on day one, obviously your kids aren’t going to be achieving where you want them to be. It’s also causing high turnover. Only about 37% of uncertified teachers are still teaching after five years. That means over 60% have left before that fifth year of teaching.

The Texas State Board of Education will soon approve new textbooks that districts can begin using during the 2025-26 school year. What does this mean for districts and students? It’s a big decision for school districts, whether to opt in to the statewide curriculum program. The idea behind the law is that the state [can identify] high-quality instructional materials and make them available statewide. If a school district opts in, they can get an additional $40 per student and another $20 to print the materials. [The State Board of Education’s] job is to deter- mine the criteria and quality of those materials. There’s a lot of back and forth with the publishers and with stakeholders [regarding] what needs to be in that program. Once that is fully formed, it really is up to the local school boards and school administrators to see if that is the right fit for their district. And if it is, you can draw down additional funding in a time when budgets are tight. But if you have different community needs and different community wants, and you’ve spent decades developing your own curriculum and you think it’s high quality, it may not be the right fit for [your district].

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. For a longer version, visit communityimpact.com .

PFLUGERVILLE - HUTTO EDITION

Development

BY GRACIE WARHURST

Hutto breaks ground on wastewater plant expansion

954 new homes set for Carmel East Home builder Ashton Woods Homes is planning 954 lots as a part of Carmel East—the nal phase of the master-planned community expected to open in spring 2026. A closer look The homesites will range from 40- to 70-foot lots with customizable options. There are plans to connect to the Carmel West neighborhood to create a larger com- munity, according to a news release.

Pugerville advances more water projects City Council approved work on water and wastewater lines at its Aug. 13 meeting. The details Ocials approved a $53,885.82 credit agreement with HEB to convert a waterline on Colorado Sand Boulevard from 8 to 12 inches. A similar deal with Atlantic Urbana Cam- eroon for $166,948.82 will expand line along Cameron Road from 8 to 12 inches. What else The city will also work with Quiddity Engineering to rehabilitate wastewater lines at a cost of $174,345. The Boulder Ridge Lift Station will also be rehabilitated, as the city struck a $270,600 deal with HR Green Inc. for design work.

Residential, commercial development planned near Hutto Megasite About 372 acres of land within Hutto city limits, originally zoned for agricultural and single family use, will be the site of a planned unit development. Zooming in The land is south of the city’s industrial busi- ness park Megasite, which is still under various stages of development. Ashley Bailey, city of Hutto director of Development Services, presented two options for the planned unit development to City Council Aug. 15. City Council moved forward with option two, which would create a mixed-use development with 50% residential use and 50% nonresidential use. The plan also include a future Carl Stern Boulevard right-of-way acquisition. Residential

132

The city of Hutto broke ground on an expan- sion of the South Wastewater Treatment Plant Aug. 20. The expansion will help accommodate future population growth and increased demand in Hutto, city engineer Patricia Davis said. About the project A part of the city’s capital improvement plan, the expansion aims to increase the plant’s capac- ity from 2.5 million gallons per day to 6 million gallons per day. The plant will be able to treat wastewater to Type 1 reuse standard, which is suitable for irrigation and re protection. This will in turn reduce the city’s potable water demand, accord- ing to city ocials. Total project cost is an estimated $180 million and is expected to be completed by the end of December 2026.

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Hutto

3349

Stromberg Planned Unit Development

development would occupy the south side of the right-of-way, and light industrial development at the north side would act as a transition to the nearby Megasite. Residential plans include both high- and low-density options as well as attainable housing. What else? The project won’t break ground for at least another year and a half, according to representa- tives from Gray Engineering.

The city of Hutto broke ground on an expansion of the South Wastewater Treatment Plant Aug. 20.

GRACIE WARHURSTCOMMUNITY IMPACT

What they’re saying “We’re taking another massive step forward in ensuring that the infrastructure supporting our community continues to operate seamlessly behind the scenes,” City Manager James Earp said at the ground breaking ceremony.

130 TOLL

Carmel East

Carmel West

PECAN ST.

ROUND ROCK 201 University Oaks Blvd (512) 341-9066 ARBORETUM 10515 N Mopac Expressway (512) 342-6893

GEORGETOWN 1013 W University Ave (512) 868-6696 PFLUGERVILLE 19000 Limestone

Commercial Dr (512) 953-4070

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