Millions in lost enrollment dollars looms for Richardson, Plano ISDs

PLANO, TX – Enrollment issues related to the coronavirus pandemic could lead to budget deficits of around $10 million each for Richardson and Plano ISDs.

RISD enrollment is around 1,700 students below projections for the current year, while PISD enrollment is more than 2,000 students under its projection. The Texas Education Agency uses average daily attendance to determine the amount of state funding each district receives.

“The loss of that funding could be devastating, especially as we work to overcome the learning loss our students have experienced because of the pandemic,” RISD Superintendent Jeannie Stone said via email.

Hold-harmless

TEA implemented a hold-harmless guarantee for the first semester of the 2020-21 school year, which ensured that districts would receive their anticipated funding regardless of changes to attendance or enrollment. But TEA had not applied the guarantee to the spring semester as of Feb. 23.