How many students are enrolled?
School enrollment data plays a critical
role in school budgeting decisions, helping
leaders plan how many teachers to hire, what
services or activities are needed, and whether
to build or expand facilities. Notably, enrollment
trends also inform decisions to close schools.
Why this matters
Most U.S. states use enrollment to determine state
funding for school districts. Texas is one of only
six states to do it differently — funding schools based
on average daily attendance — despite routine legislative
attempts to move to enrollment. Supporters of an attendance-based
system say it incentivizes schools to make sure students show up to
class. Advocates for an enrollment-based system consider the metric
more predictable and say it could provide schools more financial
stability.
Read more about one East Texas school district’s recent decision
to close schools amid declining enrollment and charter school competition.
Districts statewide will face more pressure after Texas lawmakers approved
one of the nation’s largest school voucher programs, letting families use
taxpayer dollars for private or home schooling. The Texas Tribune has
a special report that pulls together everything you need to know about school
choice, vouchers and how they will change the state's educational landscape.
