SISD preparing for enrollment growth

While enrollment in the El Paso School District is declining, Socorro ISD is planning for an increase in students. Most of the area’s growth is happening in far east El Paso County, especially in the Pebble Hills and Eastlake areas.

The SISD board of trustees got an update on district attendance boundaries and enrollment projections Tuesday night. The company Templeton Demographics presented a district improvement plan for long-range facility planning.

Some 45,000 students are enrolled this year in the district.

VLK Architects recently completed a facilities study for SISD and recommends the construction of four new schools within the next 10 years.

Marivel Macias is the assistant superintendent for administrative services for SISD. She said the district will take the information into consideration, including the proposal for four new schools.

“That’s something they are projecting. However, what we want to do is make sure that we balance, and we are able to meet the needs by transitioning students into this other attendance zone. Then we might not need the four that they are recommending. So again, they are that third party that is going to allow us to make a better decision for our future,” Macias said.

The district reports none of its schools are over capacity because overflow students are sent to neighboring schools.

“From today to a year ago, we are up about 750 students to date,” Macias said. “We are the district of choice and we are continually growing, fast growth. We do believe that. And of course, just looking at our single family homes that are actually being built, we do have room to grow.”

Macias said it is too early to predict if the information in the studies will lead to a bond.