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Edcouch‑Elsa ISD reports enrollment dip and unveils tiered attendance incentives and recruitment push
Summary
District leaders reported enrollment of 4,137 (April 17) and average daily attendance of 90.11%, estimating an ADA‑linked deficit of about $1.57 million; the board heard a new districtwide, tiered attendance initiative with food incentives, family raffles, dress‑code passes and expanded in‑person registration to boost retention and registration.
At the May 11 board meeting, Edcouch‑Elsa ISD officials reported enrollment and attendance numbers and outlined a multi‑pronged plan intended to raise average daily attendance and stabilize funding.
Administration reported enrollment of 4,137 students as of the end of the fifth six‑weeks (April 17), with average daily attendance (ADA) at 90.11%. The presenter said the ADA shortfall translates to an estimated deficit of roughly $1.57 million tied to attendance variance.
To address the shortfall, officials proposed a districtwide, tiered attendance initiative intended to preserve campus autonomy while coordinating district incentives. Dr. Garza described an elementary incentive ladder (week‑by‑week rewards: popcorn, ice cream, pizza), family raffle drawings funded by donations, and a six‑week campus celebration for sustained perfect attendance. Middle‑ and high‑school incentives include dress‑code passes as rewards for meeting attendance goals.
Officials also described recruitment and registration strategies: targeted campus tours for transitioning students (pre‑K to K, 5th to 6th, 8th to 9th), summer orientation camps, and expanded in‑person registration days and evenings because past online registration rates were low. The district plans to reach families directly and provide hands‑on registration assistance to reduce barriers that can affect staffing and funding.
The presentation also referenced recent TEA reclassification changes that affect the Teacher Incentive Allotment for specific campuses; the presenter attributed the reclassification to changes in enrollment and local economic development but numeric allotment figures in the transcript were garbled and are not reported here as precise amounts.
Next steps: campuses will finalize the tiered model and post incentive information publicly; administration will pursue targeted outreach and return to the board with implementation details and fundraising plans for family incentives.
