Potential 2026 bond could fund next phase of Leander High School modernization

Leander ISD board trustees discussed the possibility of a 2026 bond Feb. 19 that could fund the next phase of modernization projects at Leander High School. The discussion provided context for LISD's Citizens' Facility Advisory Committee, which would develop the bond proposal, Chief Operations Officer Jeremy Trimble said.

Some context

According to Trimble, the standard modernization cycle of a facility is 20 years, but given current circumstances, that cycle is about 25 years.

Ten facilities opened in LISD between 2000 and 2005, with another nine facilities opening in the five years after that.

"Twenty-five years later, all of these facilities are entering that modernization window simultaneously," Trimble said. "So we have a bubble working through our system, and eventually it could burst if we do not address some of these needs."

Diving in deeper

Some facilities such as LHS—which opened in 1984—cannot be fixed through a standard modernization cycle, Trimble said. Modernization typically involves replacements or upgrades to heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, fire alarm and safety systems, electrical infrastructure, lighting, plumbing, roofs, interior finishes, and furniture.

The campus lacks cohesive circulation, including fragmented building additions, site and organizational constraints, and requires more than just system replacements to improve functions, he said.

"There is an impact to our students and the student experience [and] even the staff that navigate that building," Trimble said.

The campus has already gone through one phase of upgrades. A design master plan to reimagine the campus started in January 2023 and was funded by the 2017 bond. Phase 1 of improvements, funded by the 2023 bond, includes additions and modernizations to the athletic facilities and performance art center. Work began in 2024 and is expected to be completed this summer.

While the design work for Phase 2 was also funded by the 2023 bond, funding for the projects themselves is contingent upon a 2026 bond, if called by the board of trustees and approved by voters.

LHS Principal Chris Simpson said the campus has never been comprehensively planned. He said that classroom wings, fine arts space and athletic facilities have instead been added on throughout the years. This has created a "hallway maze" and challenges with access and security.

Simpson also said LHS classrooms average about 70 square feet less than what the Texas Education Agency recommended classroom size should be.

"When you're talking about that student experience part, it's hard for them to navigate and learn," Simpson said. "We have a lot of square footage at LHS; it's not very efficient use of that square footage because of how it's been built and how it's been designed."

The plan

According to Pfluger Architects project architect Jeremy Barragan, the firm's new site plan for the campus includes:

• New floor plan with classroom neighborhoods that have shared collaborative spaces
• Updated fine arts spaces and a Career and Technical Education addition
• New library and a social staircase
• Expanded courtyard spaces
• Relocated bus loop and band marching pad
• Updated parking

Looking ahead

LISD's construction project manager Lori Black said Phase 2 would be split into two parts and, based on a preliminary construction timeline, begin in 2027 and be wrapped up by summer 2031.

No other information on a 2026 bond is currently available, but if called for would be held in November.

"It always sounds scary to look at this, but it takes so much effort," Trimble said. "Looking at just this phasing [is] not simple, and trying to make sure that we don’t over impact some of our student programs and groups, we have to be very cognizant of that. ... This is not two years and you're out of here; this is a long, phased out project. It's necessary to do that and make sure that we do it in the most efficient way."