Original Research by School Decision on Step - Core
STEP-CORE is an alternative school serving eighth and ninth grades in Georgetown, located in Liberty Hill ISD. It is a very small campus, with an enrollment of just a couple of students. Because the school operates as an alternative program with an extremely limited enrollment, conventional testing data does not apply; state assessment results in math, English language arts, science, and social studies are not available for this school.
Georgetown itself is a rapidly growing community anchored by its historic downtown square and the Williamson County Courthouse. The city has been among the fastest-growing in the United States, with residents drawn to its walkable downtown core, San Gabriel Park with regional trail connections, and proximity to employers across the I-35 corridor stretching to Austin. Housing values in the area reflect the growth and regional demand, and both rental and purchase markets show typical strain from rapid appreciation.
Liberty Hill ISD has been managing extraordinary enrollment growth. Voters approved major bonds in 2021 and again in 2023 to build new schools and expand capacity, then narrowly approved a tax rate increase in November 2025 after a failed election in 2024 and consequent budget cuts over the prior couple of years. The district adopted a hybrid four-day-week calendar for 2025-26 but reversed course for 2026-27 back to mostly five-day weeks with shorter daily schedules, after the state denied its waiver request. These calendar and budget swings have direct implications for family schedules and program availability.
STEP-CORE exists within this context as a small-enrollment alternative program. Its purpose and design are not described in available data, so a parent would want to reach out directly to the school or district to understand what alternative pathway it provides—whether it serves students needing smaller settings, individualized pacing, credit recovery, or another specialized model. With only a couple of students and no publicly reported test data, the school falls outside standard accountability measures. A parent considering this program should discuss directly with the school its curriculum, teaching approach, support structures, and how it fits their child's learning needs and transcript requirements.
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