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During a school board meeting Tuesday, Weslaco ISD Superintendent Richard Rivera detailed the current enrollment figures in the district which showed almost identical numbers compared to last year but a higher average daily attendance (ADA) than expected.
The report showed Weslaco ISD had 16,230 students enrolled as on Sept. 3 compared to 16,227 students enrolled on Sept. 5 2023, an increase of only three students.
“Even though it’s just three (students) over, I’m just glad we haven’t lost enrollment,” Rivera said. “Many districts have lost enrollment because there’s too many other programs and different ways that kids are leaving. I’m happy that we’re not losing students but I’m still concerned that we’re not growing that much because there’s a lot of new developments in Weslaco taking place and I expected enrollment to be a little higher.”
The presentation also detailed the enrollment at the district’s 18 campuses as of September 2024 and compared them September 2023.
Half of the 18 campuses either had a negative or positive difference in enrollment compared to last year.
Silva Elementary had the largest increase of students with 84 marking a total of 697 total students.
Mary Hoge Middle School had the largest decrease of students of 84 dropping to 823 total students.
“We went ahead and staffed the number (campuses) … we moved teachers from the campus that have low numbers to the ones who have high numbers,” Rivera said.
The ADA for the district after the fifth week of school stands at 14,781 which is an additional ADA of 281 compared to the 2024-2025 budget that set an ADA at 14,500.
“We work very hard with the principals, because you can have a high enrollment, but if you have a low ADA, you’re not getting the state funds since the state funds (school districts) on ADA,” he said. “We work very hard every week and right now the average is about 96% which is very high.”
School districts receive about $8,000 per ADA, Rivera said, and with the higher than expected ADA could result in more funds for Weslaco ISD.
“Right now we calculated over $2 million right now if the school year ended right now from the state … so the goal is to be over 14,500 at the end of the year,” he said.
Rivera added that it is important for parents to make sure students come to school every day, not just for the ADA but for learning to take place.
“If kids are absent, they’re not learning,” he said. “So we stress to our kids to come to school every day, not just because of the financial side but also because, by coming to school every day, they’re able to go ahead and increase their knowledge.”
