Red Oak donates land for new LISD school 

A big boost is coming to Lockhart’s growing community. Red Oak Development Group has announced plans to donate land to the Lockhart Independent School District for a new $90 million middle school that’s expected to break ground in early 2026. The school will sit in the heart of Moxie, Red Oak’s 589-acre walkable community currently under construction. But this project isn’t just about building classrooms, it also marks the official launch of Red Oak’s new TEACH program, short for Teachers’ Economic Advancement through Community Homeownership. The program’s goal is to help local teachers buy homes in the neighborhoods where they work.

   “This is the kind of partnership that defines a community’s future,” said Tom Staub, Red Oak’s founder and CEO. “Moxie was designed to rethink how suburban development happens, and that includes putting schools and teachers at the center from the very beginning.”

   The new middle school will serve about 1,250 students on a 26-acre campus and is being designed with flexible classrooms, outdoor learning spaces, and programs in the arts, athletics, career training, and STEM. It’s expected to employ around 90 faculty and staff once complete. Red Oak and LISD worked closely on the site design to make sure the school is easily accessible from nearby homes and parks. Even the surrounding street names will reflect shared community values, one of them, Courage Way, was inspired by LISD’s emphasis on leadership and character-building.

   “Red Oak didn’t just hand us a plot of land and walk away,” said LISD superintendent Mark Estrada, recently named the 2025 Region 13 Superintendent of the Year. “They truly listened and collaborated. When developers take that kind of interest, it benefits everyone, especially our students and teachers.” launched alongside the land donation, will direct 100 percent of Red Oak’s profits from certain homesite sales back to teachers in the form of closing-cost credits. The goal is to make it easier for educators to live in the same communities where they teach. With home prices rising far faster than teacher salaries nationwide, many educators face long commutes or are priced out of their own districts. Staub says Red Oak wants to help change that.

   “Teachers are the backbone of great communities,” he said. “TEACH isn’t just about giving them a break, it’s about giving them a stake in the place they help shape every day.” The program will begin in Lockhart and is expected to expand to other Red Oak communities in the future.

   For Red Oak, the middle school project and the TEACH initiative reflect a broader philosophy: success shouldn’t just be measured in price per square foot, but in life per square foot. Moxie, the company’s flagship development, brings that vision to life with parks, trails, artful architecture, and plans for a walkable town center. With the addition of the new middle school, the community is set to become a hub for families, educators, and lifelong learners alike.