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The Leander ISD board of trustees are taking steps toward repurposing Faubion Elementary, approving Pfluger Architects as the architecture firm to provide design services for the repurposing in a 6-1 vote Jan. 22. 

How we got here: The board voted Dec. 17 to close Faubion in 2026-27 due to the campus' projected low enrollment and LISD's budget shortfall. The school will be consolidated with Westside Elementary and its campus repurposed.

The board did not vote on what Faubion would be repurposed for at the time of the vote, but district officials said they could consider utilizing the campus for New Hope High School's expansion, the Leander Extended Opportunity Center or the Early College High School, in line with LISD's long-range plan.

The update: Per district documents, Pfluger Architects will help establish the most appropriate campus use based on identified needs and provide full design services necessary to support construction.

Looking ahead: As the repurposed campus could be used for secondary education, trustee Sade Fashokun suggested keeping the name Faubion for an early childhood center instead.

Check out six upcoming, ongoing or completed transportation projects around the Austin metro, from work along I-35 to Bastrop, Hays and Williamson County projects.

Upcoming projects
FM 812 improvement project
Project: The project will upgrade FM 812 from US 183 in Travis County to Hwy. 21 in Bastrop County to improve safety and mobility and reduce congestion. 
Update: Design plans are expected to be finalized in the spring.

• Timeline: full project completion TBD
• Cost: $145 million
• Funding source: Texas State Highway Fund

• Timeline: 2022-2028
• Cost: $548 million
• Funding source: TxDOT and CAMPO

Eight Republican candidates are running to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate during the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The big picture: Republican incumbent John Cornyn is seeking a fifth term as Texas' senior senator. Each state has two U.S. senators—Cornyn currently serves alongside Republican Ted Cruz.

Seven Republican candidates are challenging Cornyn for the Republican nomination: John O. Adefope, Anna Bender, Virgil John Bierschwale, Sara Canady, Wesley Hunt, Gulrez “Gus” Khan and Ken Paxton.

If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes in the Republican primary, a runoff election will be held between the two top vote-getters on May 26.

Looking ahead: The winning Republican candidate will face the winner of the Democratic nomination in November; the winner of that election will be sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January 2027.

Three Democratic candidates are running to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate during the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The overview: Jasmine Crockett, Ahmad R. Hassan and James Talarico are competing for the Democratic nomination for a six-year term in the U.S. Senate.

The details: Each state has two U.S. senators, with Ted Cruz and John Cornyn currently representing Texas. Cornyn, whose seat is up for election, is running for reelection in an eight-way Republican primary.

The winning Democratic candidate will face the winner of the Republican nomination in November; the winner of that election will be sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January 2027.