Bond packages remain in place amid dropping enrollment in Texas' largest school districts

School districts across Texas forged ahead with bond issues despite a year of deep uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 crisis.

Enrollment has dropped due to the pandemic as districts switched to remote learning to combat the spread of the virus. Fears have been expressed that some of those students will fall between the cracks and not return. State funding is tied to school enrollment, which already was dropping in some of the state's most populous districts in recent years.

Voters have approved high-dollar bond drives in districts, including Dallas and San Antonio, in recent years even as enrollment drops.

In San Antonio, a $1.3 billion initiative, the largest in its history, includes $90 million toward the cost of high-speed Internet, student computers and other tech hardware and software.

Voters approved a $3.2 billion initiative in the Dallas Independent School District. This will pay for school construction, while an additional $270 million will go toward technology upgrades. District voters, however, rejected a planned new debt to renovate athletic stadiums and performing arts facilities.

The San Antonio Independent School District, which also approved budget initiatives, reported average annual enrollment declines of 2% over the last five years, Bond Buyer reported.

Numbers have fallen within the Austin Independent School District over the last six years. However, 72% of voters backed a $1.1 billion bond initiative in 2017.

Voters within the Northwest Independent School District, based in Fort Worth, rejected a $1 billion bond package in November. Officials plan to place it back on the ballot this year, the Star Telegram reports.

Meanwhile, Texas school superintendents are appealing to the state not to cut funding this semester amid dropping enrollment. Funds are based on enrollment, either in-person or remote.

Since the onset of the pandemic and the lack of in-person learning, however, districts across the state have noticed enrollment drops. 

The state agreed to fully fund districts for the first four months of the academic year, but that was due to end with the the start of the new semester in January.

Approximately 40% of the decline is in pre-K and kindergarten, both optional in the state, the Texas Tribune reported.