To help cut a $34.4 million deficit, school district officials announced Feb.5 they would be phasing out the International Baccalaureate Programme at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year.

According to LISD Superintendent Bruce Gearing on the district’s website at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year  80.5 positions would be affected by the phasing out of the IB Programme. 

And Dustin Binnicker, assistant superintendent of advanced academics and pathways, stated the same day, “Leander ISD has made the difficult decision to remove International Baccalaureate programming across the district. We recognize the impact this has on the students, families and staff who have invested deeply in their IB communities over the years. While IB will no longer be offered, our commitment to providing advanced learning opportunities remains unchanged.”

Lindsay Fernandes, senior: “I’m really sad that younger kids won’t be able to experience the IB program because I think it fosters a lot more personal growth than other programs like AP or dual enrollment on top of the academic growth. It makes me kinda angry that IB was the first on the chopping block, especially because I feel like it’s a big part of Leander’s identity. It really sucks that the lack of public school funding has hurt such a good program among many others at Leander.”

Siri Pemberton, senior: “It is really sad and IB is such a great program. I understand the budget constraints and the position LISD is in, by no fault of its own. However, the IB program brings so much to the kids who do it and to the educational prestige of the district. I think by cutting it LISD is losing something they don’t even know is so great, and that they may regret it later when the LISD image dwindles. They could work out a solution to keep it at one high school (LHS) which would cut 75% of the budget issues and end up being only a small budget constraint that they could work out.”

Alyse Kavanaugh: IB gave me an outlet for what I wanted to study in college, now that they are taking away I can think of all the other things we could have cut funds to instead of the IB program. This is an important part of why a lot of people came to LHS. It’s disappointing that we choose other areas of the school to focus on funding and not the education that helps students for college.”

David Rojas, junior: “The IB program was a very important aspect of the school and several people joined LHS because of this program, so they should bring it back.”

Elizabeth Chaison, junior: “The departure of the IB program from LISD is a tremendous loss to numerous students and to the quality of education provided within the district. Since LISD prides itself in being a district that can support special education, it is extremely disappointing that it is willing to cut programs like IB that provide gifted and talented students, a demographic included under the term “special education,” with vital support and opportunities. IB was one of the only ways available for students like myself to receive the level of individual instruction and attention that is necessary for true academic growth, growth that I myself was finally achieving after joining IB. I feel that the departure of IB from LISD represents wider trends in the district and education that show an inclination toward lower educational standards, only harming students who actually wish to push themselves developmentally.”

Carmen Hauenstein, senior: “This program has been one of my absolute favorite parts of high school. It is completely different from other programs and I feel really bad that future classes won’t have this great opportunity.”

Sofia Garza, senior: “I am feeling very upset about it because I met many really good teachers who are passionate about teaching their subjects and those who recently just got training too.”