Hutto ISD received a “C” for the 2025-26 school yearn in the Texas Education Agency’s school accountability ratings, scoring 75 out of a possible 100 points.

Diving in deeper: The ratings released Aug. 14 mark the district’s fourth consecutive “C” rating, data shows.

In HISD, five campuses saw ratings decrease by one or more letter grades.

Overall, the district had 13 “C”-rated campuses and one “D”-rated campus, Howard Norman Elementary.

What they’re saying: In an Aug. 11 address at the Hutto Chamber of Commerce's meeting, Superintendent Jeni Neatherlin said the district expects its accountability rating to further improve in the coming 2026-27 school year.

She cited the delayed nature of some data informing accountability ratings, such as the college, career and military readiness standard, in which HISD scored 64% for the 2025-26 accountability ratings. This data is based on the previous year’s graduating class.

“When I got in here, that was not something that was rolling really well, and we had to pivot, make some adjustments,” Neatherlin said.

Paws Puppy Studio, which offers wellness activities with dogs, recently opened in Hutto.

The details: The studio is owned by 15-year-old Regina Rico Schnell and managed by her mother Amanda Schnell. They partner with local shelters and ethical breeders to socialize puppies before they go to their forever homes.

Every Saturday and Sunday, Paws Puppy Studio hosts four classes, which include puppy mindfulness, puppy story time, puppy painting and a puppy dance class.

Classes are $25 each and can be booked online.

• 128 Little Elm Way, Hutto

A countywide burn ban is now in effect in Williamson County as drought conditions increase across the area.

A closer look: The Williamson County Commissioners Court issued the ban at 11:05 a.m. Aug. 18. The order can remain in effect for up to 90 days, though the commissioners court or county judge may lift it earlier if conditions improve.
The ban prohibits outdoor burning of combustible materials unless the fire is contained within an enclosure that contains all flames and sparks. This includes burning household yard waste such as leaves, grass, brush and other trimmings, as well as burning trees, stumps, shrubs or other vegetation for land clearing.

Violating the burn ban is a class c misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500, according to a county news release. Residents can view the full order and additional restrictions on the Williamson County burn ban status webpage.

A Logistics Park in Georgetown, a hotel in Austin and a Scooter’s Coffee in Cedar Park are among the five most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Northland Project ($60 million): This project involves the interior finish-out of an existing shell building.

2. Green Point Building 3 ($42 million): This project is part of the 231-acre GTX Logistics Park in Georgetown, and involves the construction of a 753,481 square foot concrete tiltwall warehouse shell.

3. East Austin 7th Street Hotel ($34 million): This project includes the construction of a new, 5-story commercial hotel.

4. Scooter's Coffee ($400,000): A new Scooter’s Coffee location is coming to Cedar Park, with construction set to wrap up in the spring.

5. Starbucks ($400,000): A new Starbucks location is coming to Bastrop, with construction set to wrap up in April.

Many Texas students began returning to the classroom for the 2026-27 school year in mid-August.

Here are five things Texans should know as the 2026-27 school year kicks off.

The details:

• 2026 school accountability ratings issued
• New rule impacts accountability-related school closures
• 100K students using new Texas Education Freedom Accounts
• Public school closures deepen across Texas
• Check out recent public education laws