Hundreds of parents press Leander ISD trustees to drop plans to repurpose neighborhood elementary schools

Dozens of parents, teachers and students told the Leander Independent School District Board of Trustees on Thursday that neighborhood elementary schools should not be closed or repurposed as part of the district's long-range planning process.

The comments, delivered during a public-comment period that included 52 speakers, focused most frequently on Nauman Elementary, Fabian Elementary and Naman Elementary. Speakers described the campuses as neighborhood centers that support walking-to-school patterns, volunteer-run programs and long-term student outcomes.

The comments came as trustees consider proposals to repurpose or consolidate some central-area campuses amid shifting enrollment. At Thursday's meeting, attendees repeatedly asked trustees to preserve neighborhood models and urged the district to explore alternatives such as converting underutilized classrooms at multiple campuses rather than closing an entire campus.

Parents and staff described specific community impacts if a campus were repurposed. "Nauman is my neighborhood school, and living close helps me do all the things I love because I feel connected to the school and those around me," said Kaylin, a third grader at Nauman, during the public comment period. Parent Candace Wallner, who said she is Nauman PTA volunteer coordinator, told trustees, "Parent involvement is vital to the operations of an elementary school and its PTA, which provides a large amount of funding for programming and supplies that a public school's budget simply does not cover."

Other speakers emphasized development patterns and demographic data. Paul Fuller, a Fabian parent and local business owner, said repurposing a central school in a growing neighborhood risks leaving an empty building for decades. Several speakers cited academic measures and attendance, with one parent noting Nauman's "89 out of 100" rating on the 2023 Texas accountability system and above-average proficiency and low absenteeism.

A separate group of comments raised privacy and process concerns after a sign-in sheet from a Special Programs Parent Advisory Council meeting was released under a public-information request. A parent who identified herself as a SPAC founding member said the sheet included names of families and students in special programs and called the disclosure a violation of privacy that would undermine trust and discourage family participation. That speaker asked the district to "advocate for privacy protections for special programs families when participating in LISD special programs events." The board noted in agenda materials that district policy BED (local) governs public comment procedures.

Trustees paused the public-comment item after hearing the full roster of speakers and moved to the consent agenda. No formal action on school closures or repurposing occurred at the meeting; trustees were informed that the long-range planning committee will continue its work and that any formal decisions will come through future board actions.

Trustees and staff acknowledged the emotion in the room and said the board values community input while the district balances enrollment, facilities and budget constraints. Board President Gloria Gonzales Delacchia (listed in the meeting roll call) told the audience the board appreciates community engagement and would consider the feedback in future discussions.

The board did not take votes on any closure or repurposing proposals at Thursday's meeting. Staff and trustees emphasized that follow-up community engagement and additional data analyses remain part of the long-range planning process.