Leander ISD Superintendent Dr. Bruce Gearing was announced as one of four finalists for the superintendent search at Conway Public Schools in Arkansas Friday afternoon, catching some board members off guard, according to a release by the district.

“While this announcement came as a surprise to the Board, we want to assure our community that the Board remains dedicated and focused on our purpose — serving students, supporting staff and continuing the important work happening across our classrooms and campuses every day,” the district said in a release Friday. “The Board of Trustees will continue to ensure stability, transparency and progress for our district regardless of any outcome.”

The news came amid an ongoing budget crisis in school districts across Texas, including LISD. After six years with no funding increases from the Texas legislature, LISD is facing a $22.8 million budget deficit in 2026-27, a $29.3 million shortfall in 2027-28 and a $32.3 million shortfall in 2028-29.

“The district has been a great steward of taxpayer dollars over many years,” Superintendent Bruce Gearing, Ed.D. said in an interview on the Wolfcast in April. “[But], in our current year budget, we’re running a large deficit, much larger than we’d like. We cannot continue to spend out of our savings account year after year, and remain financially solvent. There are some big challenges coming our way, and those challenges will likely get bigger as we go forward, but the job that we do, helping our students prepare themselves for that future, whatever that holds, is what is becoming critical.”

The school board has recently been considering the closure and consolidation of multiple low-enrollment schools including Cypress, Faubion and Steiner Ranch elementary schools, as a cost-saving measure that has faced severe backlash from the local community.

“We have some big decisions coming up,” school board president Anna Smith said. “We have a budget deficit that is glaring in our face, and we’ve got to do something. Reconsolidation is a big topic in our district right now. Regardless of what happens with our superintendent, this board is still committed to do what we’re going to do.”

Smith said that although the news about Gearing concerns her, the school board is still committed to the wellbeing of the students in the district.

“I’m going to be honest because everyone knows I’m an honest person,” Smith said. “It’s concerned me a little bit because you need a strong leader in this moment to be able to guide you. But I’m going to fall back on our cabinet. Doctor Gearing has done a great job at placing these people in place. So it is going to be hard, but we’re going to overcome this. We have a strong board, a strong executive team, and we have a strong administration team.”

Finalist interviews will take place Dec. 8, 10, 11 and 17, with meetings with each candidate during the day and formal interviews at night. Conway district officials said they hope to select a final candidate before winter break and move into contract approval in January.

Gearing was hired as the LISD superintendent in August 2019, beginning his duties on Sept. 3, 2019.  Gearing previously served as superintendent of Dripping Springs ISD for seven years. He replaced Dan Troxell, who left the district in July 2019.

“I am extremely excited to join the outstanding teachers, staff and community in Leander ISD,” Gearing said at the time of the hiring. “I look forward to building relationships with our life changers throughout the year, celebrating our many successes, and learning along the way for the benefit of children.”