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NISD, a district with a projected enrollment of 97,300 students for the 2025-26 school year, could face a budget deficit between $50 million and $70 million next year. Credit: Brenda Baz\u00e1n \/ San Antonio Report<\/p>\nWith the passage of education savings accounts and enrollment decreases in San Antonio\u2019s biggest school districts, it\u2019s no surprise that \u201cschool choice\u201d has become more competitive for public and private schools alike.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Northside Independent School District, the largest district in San Antonio, recently started \u201cExcellence Without Boundaries,\u201d an open enrollment program allowing any student in the San Antonio area to apply to attend any one of its schools.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While the district has long housed magnet schools and in-district charters that enroll students regardless of their address, Superintendent John Craft said it was the \u201cright time\u201d to go ahead with a more competitive strategy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There are over 130 charter schools within NISD\u2019s boundaries vying for the same pool of students, and the recently passed ESAs, which pay for private school tuition, therapy, transportation and other education-related costs, won\u2019t help.\u00a0<\/p>\n
ESAs, sometimes called school vouchers, cannot be used by families who enroll in public schools.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because of this, public school advocates and officials say school vouchers could result in the \u201cdisenrollment\u201d from public schools. Schools rely on enrollment and average daily attendance of students to determine how much money they get from the state.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that it was the right time to go ahead and engage in this somewhat new free market of providing educational services,\u201d Craft said in an interview with the Report. \u201cFrom a timing standpoint, we want to very intentionally and strategically place ourselves to be that option for families across the region and throughout Bexar County.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Enrollment and state dollars<\/p>\n
There are a few caveats to NISD\u2019s open enrollment program however, Craft said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Applying for the program doesn\u2019t grant a student automatic acceptance to their preferred campus. Before accepting someone transferring from outside of the district, officials will consider a student\u2019s attendance record, disciplinary history and the campus\u2019 capacity.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Formally launched June 18, the open enrollment application portal had 6,000 applicants within its first week, and Craft expects most of the students transferring into the district will be children of parents who commute to work within NISD\u2019s boundaries.\u00a0<\/p>\n
NISD, a district with a projected enrollment of 97,300 students for the 2025-26 school year, could face a budget deficit between $50 million and $70 million next year. Credit: Brenda Baz\u00e1n \/ San Antonio Report<\/p>\n
While the district doesn\u2019t have a benchmark it expects to hit with the new program, having any number of extra students contributing to NISD\u2019s average daily attendance (ADA) would be a \u201cbonus\u201d for the district\u2019s budget.\u00a0<\/p>\n
NISD, a district with a projected enrollment of 97,300 students for the 2025-26 school year, could face a budget deficit of anywhere between $50 million and $70 million next year.<\/p>\n
Craft said getting more state dollars through the district\u2019s ADA would put NISD in a position to \u201cprotect ancillary programs.\u201d In March, district officials considered increasing student-teacher ratios for certain extracurricular programs as a cost-saving measure, potentially resulting in ending certain programs at campuses where they weren\u2019t very popular.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But when it comes to \u201ccutting\u201d programs, Craft said his administration has been doing everything it can to avoid having that conversation with the school board.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI firmly believe that the opportunities that we provide, particularly in the extracurricular arena, is exactly what attracts so many of our students to wanting to come to school.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
UIL implications<\/p>\n
Based mostly on their large enrollment, NISD has several high schools that offer sports programs at the 6A level, the highest tier within the University Interscholastic League.\u00a0<\/p>\n
UIL is a state organization that regulates almost all athletic, musical and academic contests between Texas middle and high schools. Students who take advantage of NISD\u2019s open enrollment program, may face some UIL eligibility issues if they plan to transfer to the district solely to compete on one of the school\u2019s sports teams.\u00a0<\/p>\n