A 7-acre property near the border of Georgetown and Round Rock will be purchased for a future Round Rock fire station and a shared water pump station to serve residents of both cities.

What you need to know: Round Rock City Council on June 25 approved a measure to purchase  property near the intersection of CR 110 and University Boulevard. A 2.5-acre parcel will be designated for a future fire station, and a 4.5-acre parcel will be set aside for a water tank and pump station. The latter will serve residents of both cities, Round Rock Public Works Director Michael Thane said in a June 23 packet briefing.

In June, coverage updates from Round Rock ISD included results from standardized exams, which generally showed growth across several content areas, and the conclusion of the district's budget planning process for the 2026-27 financial year. 

1. Round Rock ISD students score above state average on all but one 2026 STAAR exam

2. Round Rock ISD passes balanced budget, to call tax rate election to fund potential staff raises

3. Round Rock ISD STAAR end-of-course exams show growth across most subjects

Officials with the city, Williamson County and state discussed current economic development trends and the shift toward advanced manufacturing at the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce Cornerstone Luncheon on June 25. 

The discussion: Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Williamson County and the city of Georgetown have experienced a market shift from office jobs to advanced manufacturing positions amid an extended period of population growth, Williamson County Economic Development Coordinator Dave Porter said.

“There's not a market more on fire right now in terms of economic development than Georgetown and Williamson County,” he said.

This change is largely driven by corporations such as Samsung Electronics and Tesla, which have made Williamson County a home base for their manufacturing operations. Other large projects, including Pegatron and Compal, are in the works, as well.

Something to note: In addition to bringing new companies to the area, officials highlighted the career paths that already exist locally.

Porter said there are over 15,000 businesses in Williamson County, and 75%-80% of job opportunities come from existing businesses.

Texas' Republican-led State Board of Education approved a sweeping rewrite of the state's social studies curriculum standards and a list of dozens of books that students will be required to read each school year, both of which are infused with biblical references. The new requirements will begin rolling out to public school classrooms in the 2030-31 school year.

The details: As many as 25 texts will be read each year in early elementary school grades, with about 10 books required in later grades. The reading list was created under a 2023 state law requiring “at least one literary work” per grade.

The new social studies curriculum standards will expand lessons about Texas and American history, deemphasizing some teachings about world cultures and people of color. The standards also expand the amount of content students will be expected to learn each year.

The debate: Proponents of the new standards and reading list said they will teach students to love their state and country, while critics said the policies do not include diverse perspectives.