Leander ISD recommends approval of 2026–27 hazardous walking routes, cites 35 family responses

Leander Independent School District staff recommended that the board approve the district’s 2026–2027 Hazardous Routes list, the annual determination used to decide which students living within the two-mile NET Zone qualify automatically for bus service if walking routes are deemed hazardous. DeWayne Street, Sr. Executive Director of Facilities and Operations, outlined the community-developed scoring instrument (approved by the board Oct. 17, 2019) and said any route scoring above 475 points will be considered hazardous.

Staff said families were notified that routes were under review and 35 responses were submitted via the district feedback form between Jan. 14 and Feb. 1, 2026; staff reviewed those responses and evaluated each NET Zone walking route using the instrument’s criteria (examples include uncontrolled arterial crossings, roads with speeds greater than 45 mph, and railroad crossings). The presentation named specific neighborhood codes that will remain hazardous — for example, Cypress ES (NBCD 2430) with a matrix score of 525 and Giddens ES (NBCDs 4900/4905) with scores of 630 and 735 — and noted areas transitioning to NET because construction, added signals, or new sidewalks reduced hazards (examples: Camacho ES feeder NBCD 4615 ES score 455; Cedar Park MS/HS NBCDs 2225/2200 scores 157.5 and 140).

The packet includes a sample motion for trustees to approve the defined hazardous routes and to provide the certification to the Commissioner of Education pursuant to district policy CNA. Staff emphasized that individualized transportation required by an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is not affected by NET Zone changes.