Facing a projected budget shortfall of $30.81 million, Frisco Independent School District has announced a new initiative to enroll out-of-district students for the 2025-2026 school year.
This will be the first time in the district’s history that it has opened its doors to students outside of its usual boundaries in an effort to increase funding and address the district’s overall financial challenges.
The decision comes as many school districts across Texas struggle with rising costs and, in some cases, declining enrollment. The move also coincides with broader concerns about funding for public schools, particularly as Texas lawmakers have yet to increase per-student funding since the 2019-2020 school year.
Various gaps in funding across Texas have left many districts, including Frisco ISD, scrambling to balance their budgets.
In Frisco ISD’s case, the district anticipates a shortage of about 900 student seats in grades kindergarten through seventh for the upcoming school year. Filling those vacant spots is expected to generate an additional $6.75 million in state funding.
To address the gap, the district has launched the “Access Frisco” program, which will allow students from outside the district to apply for enrollment in 16 selected elementary and middle schools. Families applying for the program must meet a few basic requirements: they must be Texas residents, have good attendance records for the past two years, and have passing grades in core subjects.
However, the program is not without its limitations. Students selected for the program will be responsible for their own transportation to and from school, as the district does not plan to hire additional staff or teachers to accommodate the new students.
Additionally, the program will not extend to high school grades due to complications with transfer credits, UIL eligibility, and college-level coursework.
The program has already sparked considerable interest, with Frisco ISD receiving hundreds of applications within the first few days of the priority application window, which opened this week, reported from Axios.
At least four North Texas school districts have already voted to close schools as a cost-saving measure. Frisco ISD, however, is choosing to fill its vacant seats in hopes of avoiding drastic cuts.