District officials announced the decision at a Nov. 20 board of trustees meeting during which representatives of VLK Architects presented the design for High School No. 2. The move comes as officials are projecting lower enrollment growth.
What’s happening
LTISD officials are now planning to open High School No. 2 off Hwy. 71 in the fall of 2028 instead of 2027, Superintendent Paul Norton said.
Additionally, the opening of Elementary School No. 8—initially slated for 2026—will be delayed at least a year or “until our enrollment justifies the construction,” Norton said.
The district had 11,010 students as of Oct. 25, which was 263 students less than the year prior, said Pam Sanchez, assistant superintendent for business services.
Some context
The completion of High School No. 2 has been delayed after LTISD had to revise the school's design, Norton said. In April, the board of trustees voted to reduce the school’s capacity from 2,000 to 1,500 students in light of new demographic data.
Over 2,300 new homes that were planned for the area will no longer be built after Travis County officials purchased over 2,100 acres in conservation easements following a November bond election, Population and Survey Analysts president Stacey Tepera said at a March 20 meeting. The district is now projected to have 5,000 high school students once built out instead of 5,500.
Across its elementary campuses, the district is seeing a decline in kindergarten enrollment in light of high housing costs and interest rates, Sanchez said. By the 2026-27 school year, Bee Cave Elementary is projected to have around 900 students compared to over 1,000 students in previous projections, which has affected the opening of Elementary School No. 8, she said.
Also of note
LTISD officials will build High School No. 2 on a 150-acre site encompassing three separate buildings for academics, fine arts and athletics.
The academic building will feature two stories of classrooms, science labs and a media center. District officials may later build on to the academic wing to accommodate 2,000 students, VLK Architects principal Rory Estes said.
The fine arts building will house a 700-seat auditorium and connect to the academics building through the cafeteria.
The two-story athletics building will include a 1,720-seat competition gym, two auxiliary gyms and an indoor practice field alongside to an outdoor practice field. The campus will have an outbuilding with locker rooms, concessions and ticket booths as well as an agricultural barn.
A long sidewalk will lead to an 8,000-seat football stadium, track and field stadium, softball and baseball fields, and a tennis complex. The pathway, known as a “spirit walk," will energize fans who visit to attend games, Estes said.
The campus will feature a public event plaza and a private courtyard for students. Around 1,170 parking spots will be available, including a student parking lot that will also serve as a band practice space.
Looking ahead
Construction on High School No. 2 is set to begin in July and finish in March 2028, according to district documents.
LTISD officials plan to zone students for High School No. 2 in the spring of 2026, Norton said. The campus is expected to open to freshman and sophomores in 2028 with its first graduating class walking the stage in 2031.
The district will continue to work on the permitting process for Elementary School No. 8 so it will be ready to build at a later date, Sanchez said.
LTISD officials will decide by January 2026 on whether to open Elementary School No. 8 in August 2027 to allow 16-18 months for construction, according to district information.
