An external internal audit of Leander ISD’s academic program found widespread strengths — including strong teacher engagement and high district performance — but also 13 areas requiring improvement, principally in change management, curriculum design, data access and professional learning.

The audit, presented by Will Hardaway and Dr. Eileen Reed of Gibson Consulting, reviewed administrative organization, curriculum systems, professional learning and campus implementation. Gibson’s team said the district “is a high performing district with a dedicated teacher workforce,” but that fast growth has left some systems misaligned with current scale.

Key Gibson findings and district response:
- Change management: The report said the district’s rollout of new initiatives lacked consistent change‑management practices, limiting sustained instructional change. Gibson recommended adopting a change model (ADKAR) and embedding change‑management questions into planning. Superintendent Lisa Gehring told the board the district “agree[s] with what you are going to hear tonight in the report” and said staff are already using change‑management approaches in some projects.
- Curriculum system design and usability: Gibson found the district’s curriculum is comprehensive but difficult for many teachers to navigate; specialists had created abundant resources that can produce “noise.” Gibson recommended redesigning curriculum documents for consistent layout, fewer clicks and clearer differentiation supports. District staff said pilots (for example in secondary math) have produced cleaner, easier‑to‑use units and committed to a broader curriculum re‑design process with teacher input.
- Data access and ownership: Auditors concluded district staff must access and synthesize data across too many platforms and that limited data literacy has slowed progress on closing achievement gaps. Gibson recommended clearer data ownership, stronger data protocols and a potential data warehouse. Administration confirmed a district RFP for a comprehensive data warehouse is in progress and emphasized that a platform alone won’t replace training and capacity building.
- Professional learning and mentoring: The audit found district professional learning is decentralized and often driven by preference surveys rather than skill‑gap analysis; mentoring programs lacked robust monitoring. Gibson urged centralizing professional‑learning strategy, tracking participation, requiring mentor training and using outcome metrics such as retention and student growth. District officials said they have purchased a learning management tool (MobileMind) and will publish a district professional‑learning plan and stronger mentor requirements.

Why it matters: The audit addresses how the district supports teachers and uses data — not a critique of classroom practice — and the recommendations aim to increase implementation fidelity and reduce uneven campus experiences. Gibson emphasized that many recommendations are consequences of rapid district growth over two decades and can be addressed by organizational adjustments.

Board reaction and next steps: Trustees pressed for implementation timelines and asked for a recommendation‑by‑recommendation timeline and follow‑up audits. District leaders said they will produce an implementation plan with prioritized actions and will bring follow‑up reports to the board. Gibson offered to support implementation and suggested periodic re‑measurement to assess progress.

Ending: The board thanked Gibson and district staff for the report. Members asked for measurable milestones and for staff to return with a staged implementation plan so the board can track progress toward improved curriculum accessibility, data use and teacher supports.