Liberty Hill ISD moves forward with expansions at three elementary schools

Liberty Hill ISD is preparing to expand three of its elementary schools to handle continued enrollment growth. Trustees voted on Nov. 17 to hire construction managers for projects at Bill Burden, Rancho Sienna and Santa Rita elementaries. Director of Construction Dustin Akin said construction is planned to start in September 2026 and finish by August 2027.

The district has already begun shifting toward larger elementary campuses, starting with Lariat Trails Elementary in 2026 and Saddleback Elementary in 2027. Both are built for 1,000 students.

The three existing schools were designed for 800 students. Current enrollment shows 764 students at Bill Burden, 757 at Rancho Sienna and 698 at Santa Rita. A demographic report from Zonda Demographics estimates that district enrollment will grow from more than 10,400 students to nearly 19,500 by the 2034-25 school year. Interim Superintendent Travis Motal said growth has slowed slightly but continues at a steady pace.

Trustees approved 27,000 dollars in pre construction fees funded by the 2021 bond. Guaranteed maximum prices will be set later for each project. The overall budget for the three expansions is 23.5 million dollars from the 2023 bond.

Campus details include:
• Bill Burden’s expansion will be managed by Balfour Beatty with a 10,000 dollar pre construction fee and a 9.5 million dollar estimated budget.
• Rancho Sienna’s project will be managed by Core Construction with a 7,000 dollar pre construction fee and a 7 million dollar budget.
• Santa Rita’s work will be led by Joeris General Contractors with a 10,000 dollar pre construction fee and a 7 million dollar budget.

Bill Burden will also receive updates to heating and cooling systems, plumbing, interior finishes and its kitchen.

Trustee Brandon Canady said expanding current campuses helps avoid opening another elementary school too early and reduces long term operating costs. District planning projects the future openings of Middle School No. 4 in 2031-32, High School No. 3 in 2033-34 and Elementary School No. 10 in 2035-36.

These expansions show Liberty Hill ISD’s effort to keep pace with steady enrollment growth.