A long-awaited Target has opened its doors for business in Liberty Hill.

The details: The national retailer will also feature a Starbucks and CVS pharmacy located within the new 148,000-square-foot building. The location will also offer pickup and same-day delivery.

A representative from the company said the store is expected to create more than 200 new jobs, according to previous Community Impact reporting.

• 351 US 183, Liberty Hill

As Leander ISD's enrollment continues to shift, district officials are looking ahead toward building the next two elementary schools.

How we got here: Costs for elementary 31 and 32 were both approved as part of the 2023 bond. At the time, estimated costs outlined in the bond package included $71.4 million for elementary 31 and $79.9 million for elementary 32.

The details: Elementary 31 is intended to add capacity in the northeast part of the district, specifically the Tarvin, Parkside and Akin elementary feeder area. Officials say ongoing residential development continues to shape enrollment capacity in this quadrant, and recent projections indicate enrollment growth across the surrounding feeder area.

The district is planning on relocating Mason Elementary students to the new elementary 32 campus. About 76% of students in the current Mason attendance area live closer to the new site than to the existing Mason campus.

Looking ahead: Construction activities for both elementary campuses would need to begin in spring 2027 in order to meet a targeted opening of August 2028.

In 2015, the Texas Legislature passed a law changing the amount of time students are required to spend in public schools from 180 days to 75,600 minutes per school year.

More than a decade later, some state senators are considering again mandating the number of days schools are open, citing concerns about student performance in districts that use condensed weekly schedules.

The details: At least 181 districts and 572 campuses used four-day school weeks in the 2024-25 school year, per Texas Education Agency data.

A TEA study found that during the 2022-23 school year, students attending school four days per week had lower performance in certain subjects on the annual State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness than students at five-day schools.

"There is not a benefit that I see for a four-day school week for the child," Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, said. "We know there's learning loss. What is the advantage of a four-day [week]? Because I see none except to please somebody who wants to be off more days."