Lake Travis ISD received a Superior Achievement rating under the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas, earning 98 out of 100 possible points. The 2025-26 report utilizes data from FY 2024-25 and indicates a four-point increase from last year. 

LTISD has earned Superior Achievement for 24 consecutive years, according to district officials.

How it works: The FIRST system is how the Texas Education Agency rates the financial accountability of all public school districts in the state. Scores are based on 21 indicators, with four critical indicators that will result in automatic failure if not met, according to previous Community Impact reporting.

The district scored eight out of 10 points on indicator 11, which analyzes if the ratio of long-term liabilities to total assets is sufficient to support solvency.

Quote of note: "The fact that for 24 years we have an unblemished record ... I'm very appreciative for all of the work our business services department does," board member Erin Archer said.

The Eanes ISD board of trustees could adopt a new policy governing out-of-district student transfers by next school year. The board reviewed four potential transfer student policies Oct. 20.

Current situation: EISD has historically used out-of-district student transfers as a strategy to support student enrollment and district finances. However, administration has been working through scenarios examining how these transfers impact finances, student enrollment, staffing, campuses and programs.

What are the options? The four potential models included charging tuition for out-of-district transfer students, capping out-of-district transfer students to 7% at each grade level, eliminating out-of-district transfer students and phasing out out-of-district transfer students.

What happens next? After hours of discussion, the board voted to continue to review the 7% out-of-district transfer enrollment cap at its next meeting on Nov. 17. Officials noted that this is only a first reading and is not yet a vote to implement the policy, as policy amendments can still be made at future meetings.

In July, Texas' top elected officials directed most state agencies, appellate courts and public universities to cut spending by 3% in their base budget requests for the next two years.

The overview: Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows said those reductions will help Texas hold a "strong fiscal position" by expanding property tax relief and maintaining public education funding when the legislature returns to Austin next year.

The issue: Dozens of agency leaders have warned that the cuts, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, are not sustainable. They would cause Texas residents to lose "essential" services and lead to losses in state revenue, leaders said at the capitol and in budget documents.

Government institutions protesting the budget reductions include the comptroller's office, the attorney general, Texas' Cancer Prevention and Research Institute, state criminal justice agencies and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is depression tied to changes in daylight, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Roxanne Dudley, a psychiatric nurse practitioner and licensed professional counselor with Integral Care’s Mobile Crisis Outreach Team, said fall’s added stress can worsen both anxiety and seasonal depression.

What residents should know: Everyone has bad days, she said.

If symptoms last more than two or three weeks and take up multiple hours of the day, get help, Dudley said. “That’s not just business as usual."

Managing the impact: First is exercise. The usual 20-30 minutes a day can feel impossible with low energy or packed schedules, Dudley said. “I’m a big fan of exercise snacks,” she said. Five or 10 minutes twice a day adds up.

Whatever people try, Dudley recommended self-compassion. “It’s progress, right? Not perfection,” she said.

Reach out: Integral Care is Travis County’s mental health safety net, so cost and insurance should not be barriers to care.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is also available 24/7 by call or text.