Texas public schools experienced a sharp enrollment drop of more than 76,000 students between the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years, marking the second-largest single-year decline in modern state history and the largest outside the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decline, detailed in a new report from Texas 2036, a nonpartisan nonprofit, brings total public school enrollment below 5.5 million students. Hispanic students accounted for roughly 81% of the loss, or about 61,781 students, with the steepest drops concentrated in elementary grades K-5, which represented 60% of the overall decline.
Texas 2036’s report, “Texas Public School Enrollment Trends,” analyzed a decade of data and found the drop occurred even as Texas added nearly 500 new campuses between 2021 and 2025. Eighteen of 20 Education Service Center regions lost students, with notable declines in the Rio Grande Valley, Amarillo, and Midland areas.
Public schools’ share of Texas school-age children has fallen by about 3.5 percentage points over the past decade, a shift that points to factors beyond simple population or birth-rate changes. In many counties with growing populations, traditional independent school districts (ISDs) still saw enrollment declines.
The report highlights a redistribution of students. Major urban districts have contracted, while charter schools and some rural districts have expanded their share. Charter enrollment has grown significantly in recent years, even as traditional public schools lost students, according to a 2025 report by the Texas A&M University Private Enterprise Research Center.
Dallas ISD, by contrast, saw a modest increase in the 2024-25 school year after years of decline. For the 2025-26 school year, the district’s official enrollment is 132,008 students as of May 11, 2026, according to the district’s My Data Portal. Broader North Texas patterns, however, have continued to reflect ongoing enrollment pressures in many districts.
Multiple factors appear to be driving the statewide shift. Declining birth rates, particularly in urban areas, have reduced the pool of incoming kindergarten students. Suburban migration, expanded charter options, and increased family choices—including private schooling and homeschooling—have also played roles.
Texas 2036 noted that nearly 60% of the current decline is in early grades, creating a “pipeline problem” that could affect middle and high schools in the coming years. Forty-three percent of traditional ISDs are in growing counties, but still lost students.
The enrollment changes arrive amid other major education policy shifts in Texas. The state launched the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program, providing public funds for private school, homeschool, or other approved expenses. Applications saw strong demand, with nearly 96,000 students preliminarily approved for the coming year, per CBS Texas.
The Dallas Express has reported extensively on TEFA implementation and related choice expansions, which give families additional options outside traditional public schools.
State officials and districts have responded with adjustments. Some urban districts, facing budget strains due to lower enrollment, have considered or pursued school closures, program cuts, or the expansion of virtual learning. The Texas Education Agency has continued interventions in underperforming districts, including takeovers and new leadership appointments.
Texas 2036’s analysis frames the decline as a structural shift rather than a temporary dip. With more than 60% of jobs requiring postsecondary credentials, sustained enrollment losses could impact long-term workforce development if not addressed through improved outcomes and retention.
The Dallas Express has tracked enrollment challenges facing Texas public schools in recent years. Articles have documented significant declines in major districts, including Houston ISD’s loss of thousands of students and subsequent campus closures, as well as similar pressures in North Texas systems such as Fort Worth ISD, Lewisville ISD, and Frisco ISD. Reporting has highlighted how these drops, driven by factors including growth in homeschooling, charter expansion, and family migration, have led to budget shortfalls, rightsizing efforts, and school consolidation proposals across the state.
