Enrollment in Texas public schools continues to climb, growing by 19 percent over the past decade and by more than 59 percent over the past 26 years, according to a new report released by the Texas Education Agency.
The TEA report, Enrollment in Texas Public Schools 2013-2014, documents the ethnically and culturally diverse populations that are increasingly attending the state’s public schools. In 2013-2014, statewide enrollment increased from the previous year by 1.5 percent. With an enrollment of 5,151,925 in 2013-2014, the student body was:
- 51.8 percent Hispanic;
- 29.5 percent white;
- 12.7 percent African American;
- 3.7 percent Asian; and
- 1.9 percent multiracial.
The percentages of enrollment accounted for by Asian, Hispanic, and multiracial students increased from 2012-2013 to 2013-2014. The percentage accounted for by African American students stayed the same. The percentage accounted for by white students decreased.
Other highlights from the report include:
- Texas public school enrollment during the 2003-2004 school year was 4,328,028 students. By 2013-2014, total enrollment has increased by 823,897 students (or 19 percent).
- In 2013-2014, Grade 1 at 409,333 students had the highest enrollment followed by Grade 9 at 408,202 students. In each of the preceding ten years, Grade 9 had the highest enrollment of any grade.
- The percentage of students receiving bilingual or English as a Second Language (ESL) instructional services increased from 14 percent in 2003-2004 to 17.1 percent in 2013-2014.
- Across regional education service centers, Region 4 (Houston) served the largest proportion of the state’s total enrollment (22.3 percent) in 2013-2014.
- According to national figures, public school enrollment in Texas increased by 20.1 percent between 2001 and 2011. This was more than five times the increase in the United States (3.9 percent) over the same time period.
- According to national figures, the proportion of Texas public school enrollment accounted for by Hispanic students increased from 41.7 percent in 2001 to 50.8 percent in 2011. Nationally, the proportion of public school enrollment accounted for by Hispanic students increased from 17.1 percent to 23.7 percent during that same time period.
The complete TEA enrollment report, Enrollment in Texas Public Schools 2013-2014, is available at http://tea.texas.gov/acctres/enroll_index.html.