Trustees reviewed end‑of‑year enrollment and attendance figures and discussed reasons for a districtwide decline in student counts compared with prior years.

District staff described an overall decrease in district enrollment compared to the prior school year. “In general, yes,” staff said when asked if other area schools are also seeing declines. The staff presentation noted the district’s total enrollment had fallen from earlier highs and that specific grade cohorts showed variation.

During discussion, district staff raised possible causes the district has begun to track, including families who have left the area amid recent immigration‑enforcement concerns. “We have some kiddos, whose families, especially with current ICE conversations…some people are just scared. We even have families that may have left to go home and visit who haven't been able to return,” Miss Cox said, noting that she would follow up to examine the numbers more closely at the student level.

Trustees asked for regional comparisons and historical context. One trustee observed the district had higher enrollment in 2015–16 (about 4,000 students) and has declined since, noting a loss of major employers as one factor. Staff and trustees also discussed homeschooling and the role of Pathways Academy in retaining district students: Pathways currently enrolls existing Kilgore ISD students and is expected to help retain students who otherwise might have left the district.

No formal action was taken; trustees asked staff for further analysis and possible Region 7 comparison data to better understand trends.