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Edcouch‑Elsa ISD reports lower enrollment and ADA; principals outline new attendance incentives
Summary
Edcouch‑Elsa ISD reported a drop in enrollment and average daily attendance at its Sept. 22 board meeting and outlined campus-level incentives and new outreach to try to recover students and avoid roughly $793,000 in funding loss.
Edcouch‑Elsa ISD Superintendent Dr. Ochoa reported at the Sept. 22 board meeting that the district’s current enrollment stands at 4,144 students, down from 4,265 at the same point last year, and that districtwide average daily attendance (ADA) is 3,684.1 compared with 3,812.9 last year.
The decline has pushed the district’s attendance rate to 94.07 percent, short of the district goal of 95 percent. Dr. Ochoa told trustees that if the district does not recover students the district faces an estimated funding reduction of about $793,000.
District leaders told the board where students left the district: 46 to IDEA, 27 to Weslaco, 8 to Mercedes, 5 to Monte Alto, 5 to Edinburg, 6 to South Texas, 5 to Donna and 1 to Mexico. The superintendent said the district’s budgeted ADA is 3,706 and stressed the importance of restoring attendance to avoid revenue shortfalls.
Principals described incentives and outreach they have launched to raise attendance. LBJ Elementary Principal Ms. Viriala said campuses are running shorter attendance “challenges” (two‑week windows) and giving small, frequent rewards — items such as scented pencils, “jacket bucks” redeemable for healthy snacks, weekly raffles, and occasional campus trips like lunch at Peter Piper for classrooms that meet targets. Ms. Viriala said her campus also gives “lunch with the principal” to students with weekly perfect attendance.
JRG Principal Miss Layton described weekly and biweekly incentives, social‑media recognition, and ticket giveaways for football games. High school Principal Monica Cas said the high school is using a merchandise “Buzz Shop” where students spend earned “buzz bucks,” plans a recognition dinner for parents and students, and will run an “innovation hour” at lunch and an attendance hall of fame.
Dr. Ochoa and campus leaders also detailed operational steps: expanded home visits by truancy officers, an automated absence notification system with a firm 8:30 a.m. reporting time to central office so attendance follow-up happens before ADA is locked, and increased community outreach to sponsor prizes. The superintendent said the truancy and community‑aid teams have been conducting home visits in recent weeks to re‑engage absent students.
Board members asked for more frequent reporting. Trustee Torres said the board should get six‑week (or, in this case, five‑week) assessment data that more closely reflects current instruction; Dr. Ochoa and staff said the board would receive updated five‑week/ six‑week data at the October meeting.
Principals emphasized that the incentives aim to be equitable and to avoid cutting instructional time, and they noted many prizes are funded by fundraising or campus budgets.
The board did not take formal action on attendance initiatives at the meeting; trustees discussed next steps for monitoring progress and asked staff to continue monthly reporting on enrollment and ADA.
