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Public school districts across Texas are experiencing stagnant state funding amid rising costs, inflation and declining enrollment.

Districts in the Lake Travis and Westlake area are proposing a variety of options to remain financially healthy, from a voter-approved tax rate election in Leander ISD to the sale of surplus land in Lake Travis and Eanes ISDs.

Eanes ISD: The Eanes ISD board of trustees adopted the 2026-27 budget with a financial surplus of about $80,000 in June. That surplus could increase following the sale of a piece of district land for an estimated $1.5 million.

Leander ISD: As Leander ISD heads into the 2026-27 school year with a projected budget shortfall of $9.9 million, district leaders are looking at ways to generate additional revenue while addressing districtwide campus and facility needs.

Lake Travis ISD: After a period of growth in the 2010s, Lake Travis ISD is experiencing declining enrollment, which impacts the amount of state funding the district receives.

Leander ISD scored 87 out of 100 possible points in the Texas Education Agency's A-F accountability ratings, maintaining a "B" rating from last year. The TEA released the 2025-26 ratings for Texas school districts on Aug. 14.

How it works: According to the TEA, ratings are based on measures of student achievement including State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR tests; graduation rates; and college, career and military readiness outcomes. "A," "B" and "C" ratings are considered passing, while "D" and "F" are failing ratings. Campuses rated "D" or "F" for two or more consecutive years are required to implement state turnaround plans.

Breaking it down: Per the data, LISD has:

• 19 "A"-rated campuses

• 13 "B"-rated campuses

• 11 "C"-rated campuses

• 2 "D"-rated campuses

• 2 "F"-rated campuses

Twenty-six campuses maintained their ratings from 2024-25. 

While no LISD campuses have had "D" or "F" ratings for two consecutive years since 2024-25, Giddens Elementary and Knowles Elementary received a "D" rating this year, and Bagdad and Camacho received "F" ratings. 

Check out the latest transportation project updates across the Austin metro.

Austin Transit Partnership office search continues as officials press for lower costs, risks: The Austin Transit Partnership continues to pursue new offices for its growing workforce as its development of Austin Light Rail ramps up. A decision on the transit planning organization's next home could come in September, months after officials declined to approve a $32 million luxury office lease downtown following opposition from Mayor Kirk Watson.

Road work projects around CedarView development to be completed before Scheels opening: Two roadwork projects around the CedarView development in north Cedar Park— at the intersection of New Hope Drive and Enchanted Rock Drive, and New Hope Drive and Main Street-Block House Drive—will be completed by late August by the time Scheels opens Aug. 29.

WilCo commissioners support TxDOT I-35 expansion project: Williamson County commissioners voted Aug. 18 to formally support the expansion of I-35 through the county, a project led by the Texas Department of Transportation and sent the department a list of requests.

COTALAND Theme Park is officially opening on Sept. 26, bringing racing, rollercoasters and attractions to Circuit of The Americas, or COTA, according to a news release.

“COTALAND was created to be far more than a traditional amusement park,” COTA Founder Bobby Epstein said in a news release. “This is where theme park thrills, world-class racing, live entertainment and family experiences come together in a way that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the country.”

What they offer: COTALAND is slated to feature over 30 experiences, from rollercoasters, to mini golf, to COTA Karting and a zip line. Attractions include the Hot Lap experience where guests can ride along on the Formula 1 track.
COTALAND will have coasters like the Circuit Breaker, the first tilt roller coaster in Texas, according to the release. The park is also set to have family-friendly rides and attractions, including Kiddie Karting and Lil’ Logger, which are bite-sized versions of larger COTALAND rides.