The preliminary enrollment numbers for 2022-23 include 7,770 students, which is slightly above the district’s demographic projections of 7,756 presented in April. The district uses several measures to calculate enrollment projections, including new student online student enrollment that began March 1.
The district’s budget assumes an enrollment of 7,875. As of June 6, the district is about 100 students short of the enrollment numbers used in the 2022-23 budget calculations. These budget calculations assumed the district would exert more control over transferring students into the district to bolster financial resources for compensation increases issued in May.
“We are in June, and this is still a very fluid process, so we will still get students over the summer,” said Jeremy Trimble, assistant superintendent of operations and planning for EISD. “We will fill that gap as we move through, especially in July. I am very confident we are going to close that gap with additional students coming into the district.”
For prekindergarten through fifth grade, Bridgepoint, Cedar Creek and Eanes elementary schools are projected to lose or gain less than five students. Barton Creek Elementary School is expected to gain eight students, while Forest Trail Elementary School is estimated to lose 44 students. Enrollment at Valley View Elementary School remains low in 2021-22 at 359 students and is expected to drop to 303 students in 2022-23, according to current projections.
Hill Country Middle School is expected to gain eight students, and West Ridge Middle School is expected to gain 23 students. Additionally, Westlake High School is expected to lose 18 students.
Kindergarten enrollment remains low, but Trimble said this was predicted by the district, and these enrollment goals continue to be difficult to hit. Valley View Elementary, in particular, has a low number of kindergarten students along with a low number of kindergarten transfer applications, Trimble said.
The enrollment projections also included information about the Spanish immersion program at elementary schools in the district, offered at Eanes, Cedar Creek, Bridgepoint and Barton Creek elementary schools. Board Member Jennifer Champagne voiced concerns about low enrollment in two sections of the program at the fourth grade level in Bridgepoint, which currently project 13 students, compared to 17-20 students in each section at the other elementary schools.
“We are eagerly following that, and it has prompted some interesting conversations around our Spanish immersion model,” Superintendent Jeff Arnett said. “We think this may provide the opportunity for us to make some adjustments there, which are going to be discussed in the coming weeks.”
