The Hays CISD board of trustees approved $12.25 million of preliminary budget cuts for fiscal year 2026-27 at a March 30 meeting.

The two-minute impact: On March 26, district officials proposed to cut millions in spending to create a surplus budget after several years of financial struggles.

Because almost 90% of HCISD’s budget is spent on salaries, officials said the amount of cuts they needed to make could not be achieved without affecting jobs.

The proposed cuts include the loss of 125 positions and the suspension of 970 stipends, directly affecting more than 1,000 employees.

What they’re saying: “As class sizes grow, it becomes increasingly more difficult for me as their teacher to meet those needs fully,” HCISD kindergarten teacher Anaissa Ortiz-Wong said at the meeting. “Additionally, larger class sizes make it more challenging to ensure consistent supervision, meeting each learner’s needs and building relationships that are so necessary.”

Looking ahead: Cuts that are adopted by the board of trustees in the final 2026-27 budget will take effect July 1.

A Central Texas-based blood donation nonprofit will open a donation center in Kyle this summer.

What you need to know: We Are Blood announced March 3 via social media that a Kyle donation center is set to open in the next few months.

The details: A project filing from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation registered in late February shows the 2,695-square-foot facility will cost an estimated $540,000 to renovate.

It will include a reception area, interview rooms, a blood draw area, an office and storage.

• Opening this summer

• 19037 I-35 N., Ste. 2, Kyle

From a new commercial building at The Domain shopping center to private school improvements and more, here are five of the most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Baer Manufacturing Crosspoint Tenant Improvement in Georgetown ($15.7 million): A 605,873-square-foot office, manufacturing and warehouse space will be built.

2. Domain 9.5 in Austin ($7 million): Austin-based Cousins Properties will construct a two-story, four-tenant commercial building with a parking garage at The Domain shopping center, totaling 31,410 square feet.

3. Veritas Academy in Austin ($7 million): The private school campus will add a gym, field house and community hall.

4. Gerber Collision and Glass in Liberty Hill ($2 million): The Illinois-based automotive repair company will build its fourth location in Williamson County. 

5. Driftwood Business Center in Austin ($600,000): The Driftwood Business Center will add a 6,648-square-foot warehouse with space for multiple tenants.

In the nine months until Texas’ 90th legislative session begins in January, state lawmakers are expected to hold information-gathering hearings on hundreds of topics that will lay the groundwork for next year’s policymaking.

During a March 27 legislative summit in New Braunfels, four longtime lawmakers shared some of their top priorities for next year.

What they're saying: The legislators said they were focused on furthering some projects from previous legislative cycles, including water preservation initiatives and a new education savings account program.

More details: They said they also intend to study data center operations and how the large facilities impact local water supplies, noting that the legislature will work with local officials to determine how much data center regulation should happen locally and when the state should step in. 

“Does the state need to be involved? Yes,” Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, said. “Does local government need to have a say? Yes. But we’ve also got to remember, so does the private taxpayer. So we need to get a combination of all three.”