Liberty Hill ISD Superintendent Steven Snell resigns to become Williamson County Judge

After six years leading the district, Liberty Hill ISD Superintendent Steven Snell has resigned to become the next Williamson County Judge.

The Liberty Hill ISD board of trustees voted to accept Snell’s resignation at an April 7 special meeting. The board named Chief of Schools Travis Motal as its interim superintendent as the search for a new superintendent begins.

"The future is bright for Liberty Hill, and they're in great hands with Mr. Motal," Snell said in an interview with Community Impact.

The update

By accepting Snell's resignation, the board released him from his contract with the district, which was recently extended through 2028.

Motal has worked for LHISD in various roles over the last six years, including chief of schools, director of secondary and a principal. As he begins temporarily leading the district, Motal said he wants to help LHISD prepare for graduation, work through its budget development and hire new teachers and staff.

"I'm very excited," Motal said. "I appreciate the trust of the board [and] appreciate the faith they're going to have. I look forward to working with them, look forward to working with the community, the parents and keep Liberty Hill moving forward."

The board will discuss the superintendent resignation agreement to finalize Snell's compensation package at its next meeting April 11 at 9 a.m., school board President Megan Parsons said.

Snell told Community Impact he will be sworn in as Williamson County Judge April 21 at 3:30 p.m.

In their own words

Snell said he hopes to leave behind a legacy of community and culture in LHISD. He said he has purposefully prepared for the district's growth and is proud of the accomplishments of his team, including the construction of new campuses and student learning.

"It's bittersweet," Snell said. "I have loved every minute of working as superintendent of Liberty Hill ISD. I love this community and more important, I love the people I work with and the families that we've interacted with. It's been an incredible ride."

How we got here

On March 27, the Williamson County Commissioners Court appointed Snell as county judge following the resignation of former county judge Bill Gravell. Gravell resigned March 11 after accepting a role in President Donald Trump's administration with the U.S. Small Business Administration in the Office of Advocacy as the Region 6 advocate.

Snell was one of four candidates interviewed for the positions, including former Cedar Park Mayor Matt Powell.

"[It's a] huge responsibility in one of the biggest and most prosperous counties in the state," Snell said. "I'm looking forward to starting and doing that work."

The background

Snell has led the district in navigating fast growth from under 5,000 students to nearly 10,000 students over the last six years, according to the Texas Education Agency.

During his tenure, district voters passed bond packages in 2021 and 2023 totaling around $1 billion in construction projects. The district opened its second high school, Legacy Ranch, at a new middle school campus in 2024 with the school’s official campus opening in 2026.

LHISD is preparing to open its ninth elementary school and has acquired land throughout the Liberty Hill area to prepare for future growth. In an interview with Community Impact, Snell said he wanted to acquire a site for the district’s fourth high school and 10th elementary school before departing.

The district has faced growing budgetary concerns amid a mounting budget deficit in recent years. In November, voters failed to pass a nearly $0.06 per $100 valuation increase to the district’s tax rate though its first voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE.

Next fiscal year, the district plans to make $6.37 million in budget cuts, including more than 70 positions.