Edinburg CISD reports 32,263 students as enrollment dips again; charters account for local shifts

Edinburg CISD officials told trustees on April 14 that district enrollment has fallen to 32,263 students as of April 10, 2026, a decline of 1,723 students from the same point last school year.

Enrollment presenter Freddie Martinez reported elementary enrollment at 16,232 (−590), middle school at 6,483 (−153) and high school at 9,548 (−329). Martinez placed the district’s change in the context of Region 1 and statewide figures: while ECISD lost about 2.52% year‑over‑year, the region lost about 2.60% and the state’s public schools lost roughly 1%.

Martinez highlighted that charter schools within ECISD boundaries have continued to grow and that some families move because of housing instability. He also noted that on a five‑year window ECISD shows modest growth (+1.32%) but a 10‑year comparison shows a roughly 6.28% decline since 2016.

"Every school year that we move forward, we're expecting a 3,000 drop just in county alone," Martinez said, referring to birth‑rate and demographic trends that affect long‑term enrollment.

Trustees asked about targeted strategies; staff described efforts to flag students who leave for mobility reasons and outreach to newly arrived families, and said the district will continue to monitor attendance improvements (an increase of roughly 1% was noted) and to pursue retention strategies.

What’s next: district staff said they will present specific outreach and retention plans and continue monitoring the fall snapshot and monthly attendance data.

The presentation drew questions but no formal board action beyond discussion and follow‑up direction.