Leander ISD board approves expansions to Vandegrift, Rouse high schools

The Leander ISD board of trustees voted Feb. 7 to proceed with expansions of Vandegrift and Rouse high schools.

Though in the early design phases, both schools will receive new science labs in order to meet the state's mandate that Texas public high school students take four years of science.

Fields & Associates Architects was selected to design the additional labs and also a separate project that adds classrooms to Vandegrift High School. According to the district, Vandegrift was planned for a capacity of 2,400, but construction was delayed until full capacity was needed.

Jimmy Disler, LISD director of Capital Improvements, called the labs at Vandegrift "flexible," as they help add more space at the near-capacity school.

"If we put the science labs in the classrooms [at Vandegrift], each school can have 2,400 kids, and it'd be additional space in any event. You can reuse those lab spaces even if they're not used as science space," he said. "We'll probably try to have construction started possibly by summer and possibly open mid-year."