Texas public schools facing decline of 75,000 students this year, TEA says
At a state public education committee meeting in Austin on Monday, the Texas Education Agency announced the largest single-year enrollment decline they've seen in years. This comes as the state takes on a new school voucher program that gives families taxpayer money for private school.
This school year alone, the TEA reports that Texas saw 75,000 fewer public school students. Next year, public education is expected to lose 120,000 students or more, according to demographer Bob Templeton, who testified.
Currently, the TEA reports that roughly 5.4 million students are enrolled in public education in Texas, with 380,000 teachers employed across 9,000 campuses and 1,200 school districts. A dramatic drop in enrollment means a drop in state funding per student, and that has commonly led to campus closures statewide.
TEA Commissioner Mike Morath said he cannot pinpoint the reason for the decline in enrollment.
"We are down students," Morath said. "These are somewhat more accelerated than statewide demographic trends indicated. We cannot tell you the precise cause of this. We just know that it is it has occurred. This is what has been true over the last school year."
Templeton gave some context. He cited enrollment in charter schools, virtual schools, private schools, and homeschools is up while birth rates are down.
Templeton stated that Texas Education Freedom Accounts will also have an impact, drawing many students away from public education and towards private education with the assistance of vouchers, this upcoming school year.
Where is the declining enrollment happening?
Declining enrollment is an issue not just in North Texas but across the state.
Since January, Fort Worth ISD has decided to close another school, on top of the 18 already slated to close. Carroll ISD is closing an intermediate school. Arlington ISD is closing an elementary school. These can all be cited back to falling enrollment and tight budgets.
Gina Hinojosa, a democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives who's also running for governor, said in the hearing that this is a crisis for public education.
"A lot of our school districts are not making it," Hinojosa said at the hearing. "We have 10 schools shutting down in Austin. We will not be the same community after that happens. It is very hurtful, but it is happening. In Fort Worth, where there are 18 schools proposed for closure. It is happening in El Paso. It is happening in Corpus Christie. It is happening all over this state, and it is blowing up school communities."
Morath said the state has not been tracking campus closures. The agency does not have an account of how many school buildings there are statewide and how many students are in each one, but the data collection may begin next year.
School bus seatbelt requirement
A school bus seatbelt requirement, as a result of SB 546, was also brought up in Monday's hearing.
By May 29, districts have a deadline to report to the TEA the estimated cost to equip each bus operated by/or contracted for use by the district with three-point seat belts.
According to the TEA, as part of the required estimated cost reporting, school systems will be able to participate in a grant opportunity related to seat belt installation.
There was discussion at Monday's hearing to extend the deadline. Districts statewide have cited that there is a backlog to get new buses, and it is costly.
Full compliance required by law is Sept. 1, 2029.