Five school trustees who attended Round Rock ISD’s Connect 5 professional development event reported to the full board on a trustee listening session that engaged about 60 district employees. Trustees said the session produced consistent themes that the board and administration will consider together.

Major themes reported: trustees summarized eight recurring topics across small‑group discussions. The most frequently raised items were curriculum and instructional autonomy (requests for clearer rollout timelines, more teacher decision‑making and better pacing), communication and accountability (teachers seeking stronger feedback loops and evidence that staff input leads to action), concerns about teacher pay and year‑to‑year contracts, student belonging and stability (including effects of long‑term substitutes), and uneven access to enrichment, coaches and services across campuses.

Trustee responses and next steps: Trustees said many of the issues raised fall under administrative authority (curriculum adoption, staffing and deployments) but the board has a role in clarifying what is properly board work versus superintendent responsibilities and in ensuring the district follows up. Trustees said they will convene the district’s two‑way communication committee to synthesize the listening‑session notes, identify items the board can influence, and recommend next steps. Trustees recommended repeating the listening format with rotating smaller trustee panels (three trustees at a time) to avoid quorum issues and to increase candor.

Why it matters: Trustees said the session underscored that staff want to be part of solutions and that frustrations often stem from systemic constraints, such as changing state requirements, funding limits and past practices that no longer serve current needs. Trustees emphasized the district will not promise immediate fixes but will work with administration to surface feasible actions and better communication.

Attribution: All quoted summaries are attributed to trustees who participated in the event; direct attributions in the public meeting were to five trustees who attended the listening session.