ECISD enrollment up a bit at Myatt, Hutchins
By BRENDA SOMMER news1@leader-news.com

Total enrollment at El Campo ISD schools is greater than last year, but continues to decline from earlier in the decade.

"We're starting to pick up in the last couple of years, primarily in the youngest grades," said ECISD Superintendent Mark Pool. "It's growth, but it's very small growth, and it's in the lower grades."

Enrollment figures are critical to school districts, because state funding is directly tied to those numbers.

Statistics presented to the ECISD board of trustees Sept. 18 show that after two weeks of classes, the district had an average daily enrollment of 3,437 students, up from the 3,419 figure during the last school year.

But total enrollment has declined by 98 since the 2002- 2003 school year, when 3,535 students came to class on an average day. That number dropped to 3,518 in 2003-2004, rose to 3,533 the next year, then dropped to 3,451 during the 2005-2006 school year.

However, the statistics do show slight upward trends in the number of very young students.

Myatt Elementary, which teaches pre-kindergarten and first graders, and Hutchins Elementary, which enrolls second and third grade students, both have shown increases in enrollment since the 2002-2003 school year.

Myatt figures are up by 65 students since that time, from 572 in 2002-2003 to 637 at present. Likewise, Hutchins has seen increased enrollment, from 475 in 2002-2003 to 486 at present, up by 11 students.

However, enrollment is dropping much faster at the rest of the district's schools. At Northside Elementary, which handles fourth and fifth graders, the district serves 37 fewer students than six years ago. The El Campo Middle School has seen enrollment drop from 820 students during the 2002- 2003 school year to 735 this year, a decrease of 85.

And El Campo high school also has declining enrollment, down 52 students over the six year period: 1,131 students in 2002-2003 versus 1,079 this year.

Pool thinks overall declining enrollment is only temporary, and believes it will rise in the future.

"It may take it a while, but look at Richmond-Rosenberg right now," Pool said. "I think that growth's going to walk its way down (U.S.) 59. East Bernard is already experiencing growth … and I think we'll get some growth when the new South Texas (nuclear) plant (construction) starts up."