The Austin Community College District (ACC) Board of Trustees unanimously certified a petition from residents living within the territory covered by Lockhart ISD (LISD) who are interested in putting an ACC annexation item on the ballot this November. The board voted during its regular meeting on Monday, May 6, 2024.
Community members seeking annexation were required to collect signatures from at least five percent of local registered voters in order for an annexation election to take place, per Texas Education Code.
Community members submitted 1,013 signatures from voters living within the territory to be annexed, exceeding the five percent of registered voters required (744).
Proposed Service Plan
The college presented a proposed service plan for Lockhart ISD. The plan includes three distinct phases of potential facility development in the community.
- Phase 1: ACC will work with LISD to provide services on LISD property during evenings and weekends when LISD property is not otherwise in use. The college will offer expanded career and technical workforce offerings as well as collaborate with the school district on the implementation of an Early College High School.
- Phase 2: ACC will work with the local community to develop and occupy a 15,000-square-foot to 20,000-square-foot workforce and general education space located in close proximity to Lockhart High School.
- Phase 3: ACC will purchase land and develop a permanent facility in the territory to be annexed after consultation with local community, economic, and educational leadership to ensure that the permanent facility meets the emerging and projected needs of the region.
Should voters decide to join the ACC District, homeowners living within Lockhart ISD territory would pay a property tax currently set at $0.0986 per $100 assessed property valuation. The total tax rate includes a maintenance and operations tax rate of $0.0854 (which cannot be increased without voter approval). The college offers a standard $5,000 homestead exemption. Senior citizens and homeowners with disabilities receive an additional $75,000 exemption for a total exemption of $80,000.
In exchange for paying the property tax, ACC District residents have access to much lower tuition and fees. Currently, in-district students pay $85 per credit hour in tuition and fees, compared with $286 per credit hour for out-of-district students (effective 2024-25). High school graduates and GED® completers would benefit even more thanks to the recently approved ACC Free Tuition pilot program. The program covers tuition and general fees for up to five years at ACC. Currently, since Lockhart ISD is considered out-of-district, those students are still responsible for the out-of-district fee of $201 per credit hour.
Residents also receive access to more comprehensive programs and services, including:
- ACC student support services, including advising, admissions and records, academic counseling, career counseling, financial aid, and student life.
- ACC customized training to assist businesses and organizations in their employee training.
- ACC degrees and/or certificates in transfer, career pathways, and Continuing Education noncredit.
- ACC support programs such as English-as-a Second Language (ESL), GED®, and Adult Basic Education offerings to prepare people for entering college credit programs.
- Credit or noncredit entry-level, and reentry job-training programs at ACC that can be completed in one year or less.
- Eligibility to vote in elections of the ACC governing Board of Trustees.
- Eligibility to run for the ACC governing Board of Trustees.
If approved, residents living within the Lockhart ISD territory will receive in-district benefits immediately.
