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Liberty Hill High School

Board Briefs: August 2024

Posted Date: 8/22/24 (7:36 PM)

LHISD Board Briefs

LHISD Board Briefs August 2024 - Regular Board Meeting ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 
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LHISD Board Briefs

Recognitions

LHHS Solar Car Earns First Place in State Solar Car Race

Our LHHS solar car team dominated the cruiser division with a max speed 40 mph and travelling 300 miles in 4 days at the Texas Motor Speedway. We are so proud of their ingenuity and determination!


The Liberty Hill ISD Board of Trustees poses for a photo with Liberty Hill High School Students Jayne Brown, Pranav Nichenametla, and Gabriel Villanueva celebrating their first-place victory in the 2024 Solar Car Challenge.
Chief Chris Rybarski Changes Tire for Stranded Parent During Convocation

Chief Chris Rybarski was caught in the act of kindness after Convocation when a teacher found themselves stranded with a flat tire. Chief Rybarski took action and changed the tire, in the blistering heat!


Liberty Hill ISD Police Chief Chris Rybarski stands with Superintendent Steven Snell and the LHISD Board of Trustees as they recognize him for being an LHISD Champion in Action. The LHISD Champion in Action program recognizes ISD teachers and staff for their impact in our community.

Special Called Board Meeting August 15, 2024

2024 School Funding Election Props A & B Graphic

Liberty Hill ISD calls election to fund teacher raises, educational programs, help with deficit.

The Liberty Hill ISD Board of Trustees has scheduled a School Funding Election for November 5, 2024 in order to provide funding that would raise educator salaries while preserving instructional and extracurricular programs in the district.


Over the past six years, the Liberty Hill ISD Board of Trustees has reduced the property tax rate by 37 cents per $100 property valuation. Proposition A on the November ballot would add 6 cents back to the tax rate, providing funding that would allow the district to increase educator pay and maintain educational programs. The election is a response to cuts in state and federal funding, as well as population growth in Liberty Hill and inflation over the past several years.


Before the Board voted to call the election, Liberty Hill ISD Superintendent Steven Snell said, “Proposition A would make it possible for Liberty Hill ISD to give our teachers pay raises. Right now, we cannot afford raises because the state legislature has not invested the state surplus in public schools, federal funding is decreasing, and we have been facing high inflation and increasing operational costs. Prop A would generate additional funding that we could use to pay teachers more and to protect the programs that have helped Liberty Hill ISD build champions in academics, character and community.”


Liberty Hill ISD and school districts across Texas face funding shortfalls due to legislative action. For example, the state has reduced a funding stream that is specifically for fast-growing districts such as Liberty Hill ISD, and a major federal funding source is about to expire. At the same time, inflation has driven schools’ operating costs higher. From 2019 to 2023, while the state Legislature did not increase the main unit of funding education — the Basic Allotment — Liberty Hill ISD saw cost increases of 83% for utilities, 176% for fuel, and 172% for insurance.


In response, the district has reduced expenses by $2 million. Those cuts have largely included freezing staff positions. Without Proposition A, the district would face further cuts, including reductions of up to 10 percent of the district’s teaching workforce, as well as cuts impacting instruction and extracurricular activities.


Liberty Hill ISD Board President Megan Parsons said before the board vote, “This board cares deeply for this community and for education. In Liberty Hill ISD, we have continued to serve and provide for our growing student population despite the challenges of unfunded state mandates, lack of funding - even though we have seen significant inflation, and cuts in other funding, such as our fast-growth allotment. I believe Proposition A will allow Liberty Hill voters to decide whether to reward our teachers and maintain excellence in our schools, or whether we are forced to make deeper budget cuts that will impact the quality of education we offer.” 


If voters approve Proposition A on November 5, the total school district tax rate will be $1.23 per $100 property valuation, which would increase the monthly tax bill on a median-value home (valued at $462,264) by $18.11. However, homeowners who have received a tax-payment freeze because they are at least 65 years old or they have a disability would see no increase in their tax payment, provided they make no substantial improvements to their home.


The Liberty Hill ISD Board of Trustees also called an Attendance-Credit Election for November 5. Due to property-value growth, the district will soon be required to start making payments to the state through a process known as recapture. All Texas school districts who send these required payments to the state must hold an Attendance Credit Election. Proposition B would simply authorize the district to make its required payments to the state; it would not impact the tax rate.


If voters do not approve Proposition B, the state could permanently remove some property from Liberty Hill ISD for property-tax purposes. For example, the state could require a large retail business within Liberty Hill ISD to make property-tax payments to a different school district. Even as the business grew more and more valuable, its payments would not go to Liberty Hill ISD. In other words, the responsibility of funding Liberty Hill ISD schools would be spread among a smaller number of property owners.


“Because of growth in our property values, the state is going to take money away from Liberty Hill one way or another,” Superintendent Snell said before the Board voted to call the election. “Proposition B would allow the district to make its required payment to the state. Without Prop B, the state can permanently remove property — such as large businesses — from our tax base. We want to keep Liberty Hill property values in Liberty Hill.”


For detailed information about the Liberty Hill ISD School Funding Election, Proposition A, and Proposition B, visit www.LHvotes.com.


To view the public hearing: 2024-25 budget and proposed tax rate presentation that was provided to the Board on Aug. 15, 2024, click here. 




Regular August Board Meeting 8/19/24

There were no public comments during this board meeting.


Communication Items - District Updates


  • Superintendent Steve Snell shared updates about the first week of school, "We have had a great start to school," said Snell. "Each day has been better than the last. The traffic has been better, buses and learning in the classroom has been unbelievable. Every school I go into, I'm seeing happy teachers and happy kids."

  • The District Annual Audit Process started this week.
  • Construction updates
    • Design work continues on Elementary #8 - Located in the Lariat Subdivision. Expected opening is in the fall of 2026.
    • Design work continues on LHHS renovations and additions of a new Band Hall, Robotics classrooms, expanded cafeteria, and other fine arts renovations. Work is expected to start in May of 2025.
    • The returning of LHHS Baseball and Softball started this week and is expected to be completed in mid-September.
    • The Legacy Ranch sports fields are complete. Work continues on the field house and lighting.
    • LMHS, Tierra Rosa and Legacy Ranch are all complete and in the punch list phase.
    • 18+ Building is behind schedule, tracking to be complete on Sept. 9.

The Board approved the consent agenda which included:


  • The tax collection summary
  • Finance summary report
  • Budget amendments
  • Purchases over $50,000
    • Food services equipment for Bill Burden Elementary School
    • Universal screeners for Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) and Math
    • Benchmark instructional materials for English Language Arts and Reading
    • Instructional materials for English Learners Language Arts (ELLA), English Language Development and Acquisition (ELDA), English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) and Social Studies
    • Capital area regional day school program for the deaf agreement
    • Contracted service for software database agreement
    • Contracted services for School Health and Related Services (SHARS)
  • District enrollment is at 9,626 as of August 16, 2024
  • Food services adult meal prices will stay at $4.50.
  • Resolution for Extracurricular Status of 4-H members
  • Joint election agreement with WILCO in November

Action Items

  • The Board approved Insurance Coverage, Limits, Deductibles, and Contributions for 2024-25 in the amount of $899, 657 as presented by Rosanna Guerrero. 
  • The Board approved the development agreement with 5500 CR 277 Investments, LLC., the owner of property adjacent to LHHS, and the grant of the permanent and temporary easements and right-of-way improvements.
  • The Board approved the purchase of a tract of land containing approximately 8.491 acres, described in WILCO Appraisal District R315566, located in Liberty Hill.
  • The Board approved the purchase of a tract of land containing approximately .56 acres, described in part in WILCO Appraisal District R315566, located in Liberty Hill. 
  • The Board approved action on personnel: accepting resignations, employing personnel

The next regular board meeting will be September 16, 2024.

To listen to the August 19, 2024 board meeting, click here.



Anti-Vaping Resources for Parents

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Steven Snell
Superintendent of Liberty Hill ISD

Liberty Hill ISD. Building Champions in Academics, Character, and Community

Email: superintendent@libertyhill.txed.net
Website: libertyhill.txed.net
Location: 301 Forrest Street, Liberty Hill, TX, USA
Phone: 512-260-5580
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steve.snell.585
Twitter: @s_snell


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