Leander ISD officials are putting together the latest budget projections for 2026-27, and the district is estimating between a $6.8 million to $13.7 million shortfall. The projections are down from original estimates of a nearly $19.6 million shortfall.

The overview: According to executive director of business Gina Mitschke, LISD's demographer population and survey analysts is projecting an enrollment of 41,841 students next year, a decrease of 607 students from the current 2025-26 year.

Officials have already outlined $10.8 million worth of expenditure reductions to make, which includes the Faubion Elementary consolidation, staffing ratio adjustments and central office reductions.
Pape said district administration is also exploring a variety of revenue generators.

The budget also includes $1 million in revenue from the special education allotment approved during the last Texas Legislative session. Other budget considerations include a Voter Approval Tax Rate Election.

Something to note: The board could also increase the current budget parameter, or how much the district can spend beyond its revenue, from 1.5% to 3%. 


 

Cedar Pointe Baptist Church is commemorating 10 years of serving the Cedar Park community in April. To celebrate, the church will host a guest preacher in late April, followed by a lunch after the service. 

Learn more: The church hosts Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. and service at 10:30 a.m. weekly at the Cedar Park Recreation Center.

The backstory: Cedar Pointe Baptist Church was established in 2016 after members of High Pointe Baptist Church spent Sundays commuting to Austin from the Cedar Park and Leander areas. 

High Pointe Baptist Church then sent members out to establish roots in Cedar Park where it held services in a house, hotel, another church's facility, at an outdoor worm farm and predominantly at the Cedar Park Recreation Center. 
1435 Main St., Cedar Park
 

Concordia University’s renovated chapel, located in the school’s Welcome Center, reopened on March 23 after undergoing renovations.

What happened: The $2.2 million renovations began in August and improved accessibility and updated technology, officials said.

While the chapel maintains its 250-seat capacity, the previously fixed seating has been replaced with movable chairs to allow for more flexible uses of the room. Additionally, the stage has been reconfigured to improve visual access for audiences.

What else? The chapel hosts students for service three to four times a week, as well as serves as a venue for extracurricular events and academic lectures. University officials hope to extend use of the chapel to the public for speaker series, musical performances or other events.

Round Rock ISD lowered student enrollment projections and related funding for the 2026-27 financial year, as administrators continue the budgetary planning process.

This comes as the district's chief financial officer said in February that the district is already anticipating reductions in positions ahead of the coming school year.

The overview: The February budget proposal for the 2026-27 financial year showed $492.16 million in revenue paired with $490.13 million in expenses. In the updated proposal shared March 26, revenue decreased to $482.78 million, with $480.94 million in expenses.

The details: A reduction from 45,500 students to 45,000 projected for total enrollment led to about $9.3 million less in anticipated state funding. The district's proposed budget now includes about $5.5 million less in allocations for positions and $3.8 million less in program reductions.

CFO Dennis Covington said the updated enrollment numbers come from recent demographic updates from Zonda Education, the district's demographer. 

Beginning April 1, Texans can no longer use food stamps to purchase sweetened beverages and candy.

How we got here: During the 2025 legislative session, Texas lawmakers passed Senate Bill 379, which prohibits Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits from being used to purchase candy and sweetened drinks. In August, the federal government approved a waiver allowing Texas to implement the prohibition beginning April 1.

Texas will be the ninth state to prohibit SNAP benefits from being used on sugary items, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

How it works: Under SB 379, Texans will not be allowed to use their SNAP benefits to buy sweetened drinks containing any artificial sweeteners or at least 5 grams of added sugar, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. SB 379 also bans the purchase of candy with Lone Star Cards.

It is up to Texas businesses to determine which items are no longer SNAP-eligible, update their store purchase systems and train staff to recognize the newly restricted items, according to the HHSC.