Exciting Growth in Leander ISD

Leander Independent School District (ISD) is located in central Texas, just north of the capital city of Austin. The district encompasses 199 square miles and currently serves approximately 28,000 students. This number is expected to increase dramatically, as the district is exploding in growth. Last year Leander ISD gained 1,757 students in its total enrollment, a 6.6% increase. With this statistic, Leander ISD ranks second among districts with over 20,000 students for the largest population increase last year. Over the past five years, Leander ISD has expanded by more than 10,000 students, a 55% increase. Although part of this growth has to do with an overall increasing population in this part of Texas, the district has had significantly more than most of the surrounding school districts. If expected trends continue, Leander ISD predicts an enrollment of 30,252 for 2009 and has an expected enrollment of more than 53,000 by 2018.

To accommodate the growing student population, Leander ISD has plans for extensive expansion of its educational facilities. The district currently has twenty-one elementary schools, six middle schools, and four high schools. Two new elementary schools are already slated to open in the fall of 2009. Over the next ten years, the district plans to build at least ten more elementary schools, including three in 2014 alone. The district also plans to open four new middle schools and three new high school campuses by the fall of 2018.

Demographics and Student Success

Of the approximately 28,000 students that currently attend Leander ISD schools, approximately 70% are Caucasian, 20% are Hispanic, 5% are African American, 4.5% are Asian or Pacific Islanders, and .5% are Native American. Passing rates in some subjects on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) differ somewhat between the groups, although all had at least a 94% passing rate on the writing section and at least a 90% passing rate on the reading. In general, the group that struggled the most was the 17.2% of the student population from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Still, all demographic groups showed improvements in every subject of the TAKS from 2007 to 2008.

Students in Leander ISD also had a strong showing on college entrance exams. In 2007, students achieved an average score of 511 on the reading portion of the SAT, well above the Texas average of 492 and above the national average of 502. On the math portion, Leander ISD students had an average score of 532, which was above the state average of 507 and the national average of 515. On the ACT, Leander ISD students scored an average composite score of 22.5, higher than the state average of 20.5 and the national average of 21.2.

In order to facilitate these and other successes, Leander ISD has put in place a number of academic and student services. Some of these include programs for English Language Learners, career development programs, and advanced programs and coursework on all levels. High school students can also participate in the prestigious International Baccalaureate Program.

Teaching in Leander ISD

Leander ISD currently employs more than 3,900 faculty and staff members, including more than 1,870 teachers. A few positions are currently available, especially for fine arts and bilingual teachers. The latter group will enjoy a stipend in addition to the competitive teacher salary scale. As the district continues to expand and as new buildings are built, the demand for quality educators will be even greater.

New teachers with a bachelor’s degree currently earn a starting salary of $41,200. For more information about Leander ISD and for an online application, check out the district’s website: http://www.leanderisd.org/

Obtaining Certification in Texas

If you are interested in joining the teaching community at Leander ISD, the Web Centric Alternative Certification Program (WCACP) now offers you the exciting opportunity to complete the academic portion of the certification process online.

The online program is a combination of work at your own pace curriculum, chat sessions, and videoconferencing projects. The flexible online program allows you to continue to work and take care of family responsibilities while working towards your Texas teacher certification.