A recent demographic report shows the district reaching over 18,000 students in 2033 as dozens of new subdivisions—including thousands of single-family homes and multi-family units—are underway.
The gist
Enrollment in the district increased from 4,878 to 8,843 students from the 2019-20 to 2023-24 school years, according to a demographic update presented by Superintendent Steven Snell at a July 15 board of trustees meeting.
For the 2024-25 school year, enrollment is projected to reach 9,820 students, a 101% increase from the 2019-20 school year. The district is expected to enroll 18,091 students by the 2033-34 school year.
How we got here
A rise in student enrollment comes amid development growth throughout the district, including:
- 30 subdivisions being actively built
- Seven future subdivisions planned
- Groundwork underway on around 745 lots within three subdivisions
Over 600 students will attend Tierra Rosa Elementary in Santa Rita Ranch in August. The district will open its eighth elementary school in Lariat in 2026 to accommodate 1,000 students. The district is also seeing new multi-family housing developments near Santa Rita and Tierra Rosa elementary schools, Snell said.
LHISD had the fourth highest number of home closings in Central Texas this year besides Hays CISD, Georgetown and Leander ISDs, according to the presentation.
Also of note
Over the last five years, the district has seen a 131% increase in the number of students transferring out to attend other school districts and charter schools. Meanwhile, transfers into the district have declined as LHISD changed its policy to stop allowing out-of-district transfers in 2019, Snell said.
The district’s demographic presentation highlighted the growth of charter schools across the state as nearly 423,000 Texas students attended charter schools last school year, according to the presentation. Several new charter schools are expected to open in the Austin area in the coming years, including a new school that will serve around 2,000 students off Kauffman Loop in Liberty Hill, Snell said.
“My biggest takeaway [was] that our growth has slowed a little bit. I mean still steady, still fast growth but has slowed a little from what we’re used to,” Snell said. “The charter school numbers are very concerning.”
In case you missed it
By the 2033-34 school year, LHISD may have 11 elementary schools, four middle schools and three high schools, according to a district presentation in December.
The district will open its second high school and seventh elementary school in August.
