Student enrollment decreasing at El Paso ISD and Ysleta ISD; increasing at Socorro ISD

Two of the largest school districts in El Paso are seeing a consistent decline in enrollment.

The El Paso Independent School District and the Ysleta Independent School District have lost thousands of students in the past five years.

EPISD went from 63,541 students in 2013 to 59,688 students, which comes out to about a six-percent drop. YISD went from 43,007 students in 2013 to 41,172 students, which is close to a four-percent drop.

Lower enrollment, means less dollars from the state. Currently, EPISD faces a $7 million budget deficit. But, YISD was able to balance and pass its budget earlier this year.

“We typically lose probably $1.5 million to $2 million dollars a year. We’re losing about 200 students a year so what we do, beginning January, anytime there is a vacancy or what we call positive attrition — resignations, retirements, people that are relocating — we don’t fill those positions,” YISD Superintendent Xavier De La Torre said.

EPISD officials announced on Thursday they are considering closing several schools in order to overcome their budget deficit. The district had already planned. Voters were promised that students would end up going to newer, or improved schools.

Now it’s not clear if that will be the case.

“I can’t imagine being in that position,” Ysleta teacher association president Arlinda Valencia said.

Conversely, the Socorro Independent School District has seen an increase in enrollment of almost 3,000 students in the past five years.