Check out the latest updates in Eanes, Lake Travis and Leander ISDs. 

Eanes ISD could begin advisory process for potential 2027 bond: EISD officials are continuing to work toward a potential 2027 bond, which could see projects for every campus in a multimillion-dollar package. The last day for the board to call for a bond election is Feb. 12, 2027, to hold an election May 1, 2027. The Bond Advisory Committee could hold meetings this fall and present final recommendations to the trustees Dec. 8. 

Lake Travis ISD poised for $1.2M shortfall, lower tax rate in FY 2026-27: The general fund was budgeted with the assumption of 10,667 student enrollment and a 94.4% average daily attendance rate.

Leander ISD approves 2026-27 compensation plan with 0% general pay increase: Following a review from the Texas Association of School Boards, the LISD board of trustees approved the 2026-27 compensation plan May 7. However, the approved plan also includes a one-time lump sum retention payment of up to $1,000 for full-time employees and $500 for part-time employees.

In smaller communities and cities around the Greater Austin area, demand for health care specialists has risen at a rate unmatched by access to professionals, said Ashley Price, Austin Regional Clinic's vice president of operations.

Austin Regional Clinic, or ARC, is expanding its specialty services both north and south of Austin to provide unique care to residents in the surrounding cities.

Current situation: Access to health care specialists in Central Texas can be a barrier for residents seeking medical care, Price said. While cities neighboring Austin are growing rapidly, the nation faces a shortage of both primary care physicians and specialists.

Specialists, nurse practitioners and physician assistants with ARC travel to multiple clinic locations to meet patients where there is a need, so they are not required to journey into Austin for care.

The specifics: ARC is further expanding with the opening of a Lockhart clinic on June 15, and ARC South Specialty in South Austin, opening in phases beginning June 1.

ARC also opened the Greenlawn Specialty clinic in Round Rock on Jan. 19.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed June 3 that a case of the New World screwworm, a parasitic fly, was detected on a cattle ranch in South Texas.

The overview: The case marks the first domestic detection of screwworm in a decade and the first Texas case in approximately 50 years. The flesh-eating parasite is a threat to the state’s $15.5 billion cattle industry.

Zooming in: No additional infestations have been identified, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins told reporters. Federal and state officials have emphasized that they do not anticipate issues with the food supply chain, as the screwworm only targets live animals and does not infest meat, fruit or vegetables.

However, experts have warned that a larger, prolonged screwworm outbreak could cause a spike in beef prices.

A widespread infestation is estimated to cost Texas at least $1.8 billion per year in damages, according to a USDA analysis of a 1976 screwworm outbreak. Texas cattle, sheep and goat producers would face about $732 million in annual losses.