More North Texas school districts are opening enrollment to out-of-district students as a way to increase enrollment and bring in more revenue.
Mansfield ISD on Monday began accepting applications for out-of-district students as part of its Destination Mansfield program launched earlier this year.
Mansfield, like many Texas school districts, has struggled financially because of inflation, too few state education dollars, and enrollment declines. State data shows the district last year had roughly 35,300 students, down a few hundred from the year before.
“Our demographers tell us that it'll go back up here in a couple of years based on the live birth rates, but what we did have is a population shift out of the northern sector of our district,” said Deputy Superintendent Sean Scott. “Some of those neighborhoods aged out a little bit. They'll recycle back around, but for right now, they're not producing as many children in the schools.”
The district’s limited spring rollout of Destination Mansfield brought in about 30 students, said Scott, for grades K through 4. This time it’ll include all grades.
And it’s about time, he said.
“Every district that touches us has had open enrollment for the last several years,” Scott said. “We’re kind of the last one to the table here.”
Several districts across North Texas — including nearby Grand Prairie and Arlington — offer open enrollment. Frisco ISD began Access Frisco last year; McKinney announced its Choose McKinney ISD program this spring. Both districts are facing falling enrollment and planning to close at least one campus.
Mansfield isn’t facing school closures, but it is operating with a budget deficit of more than $10 million.
Scott’s not sure how many outside students Mansfield might attract. The district welcomes any who are interested, because in Texas, state funding follows the student — though Scott said he wishes that would change.
“We're sitting here having a conversation about fighting over kids or recruiting kids or attracting kids,” he said, “versus how could we get together and best serve kids.”
Bill Zeeble is KERA’s education reporter. Got a tip? Email Bill at bzeeble@kera.org. You can follow him on X @bzeeble.
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