Weslaco ISD plans outreach after enrollment shortfall; preregistration push underway
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Summary
Superintendent Elias Rivera told the board the district missed ADA targets for 2024–25 and is pursuing preregistration and targeted outreach to recover students; leaders warned enrollment drives funding and that virtual transfers and new housing patterns are factors.
WESLACO, Texas — The Weslaco Independent School District reported declines that reduced average daily attendance (ADA) revenue and described summer preregistration work to recover students before the new school year.
Superintendent Elias Rivera told trustees the district budgeted conservatively for an ADA of 14,500 but that final indices left the district short of that goal. Rivera said falling short of the ADA target cost the district roughly $400,000 in state revenue compared with the budget assumption.
Why it matters: Texas school funding is heavily driven by ADA. Small drops in average attendance can reduce state funding materially, forcing districts to make difficult tradeoffs during budget planning.
What the district is doing: Rivera and staff outlined a preregistration and outreach campaign that includes summer phone banks, home visits, campus‑based preregistration tables at award assemblies, and targeted attention to older students who are harder to re‑engage. The district reported a preregistration snapshot in late June showing roughly 14,483 students registered and a goal of 16,500 for the coming year; staff said 1,502 students had not yet preregistered and the district had a team contacting families.
Leaders cited several drivers for enrollment movement: growth in virtual schools and open enrollment (students attending another district's virtual program), development and multifamily housing with concentrated growth on the south side of the district, and the coming statewide school‑choice changes. District and board members discussed capacity and staffing implications if campuses grow substantially.
Board direction: Trustees asked staff for campus‑level preregistration breakdowns and additional analysis showing which students were intra‑district transfers, inter‑district transfers, or not yet enrolled. Rivera said the central office would provide campus‑level breakdowns and continue daily enrollment monitoring through the summer.
Ending: Trustees emphasized that principals should prioritize ADA through attendance strategies and parent engagement; board members also suggested on‑site preregistration during late‑summer campus events to make enrollment easy for families.
