Texas Education Statistics 2026: Schools, Enrollment & Spending
Texas public schools enrolled 5,467,642 students in the 2025–26 school year. The system included 1,225 school districts and state-authorized charter systems, 9,231 campuses, and 377,556 teachers.
Enrollment measures use 2025–26 Texas Education Agency records. Revenue and expenditure measures use the latest nationwide school-finance release, covering fiscal year 2024.
Statewide Measures
Enrollment, school-system scale, student characteristics, and current spending use the latest official reporting periods available for each measure.
Texas Public School Enrollment, 2015–16 to 2025–26
Annual fall enrollment reported through the Texas Student Data System and PEIMS.
Enrollment reached its series high in 2024–25 before declining in 2025–26. The series also records a decline in 2020–21.
Long-Term Growth and the Recent Decline
- The 2025–26 decline followed four consecutive years of enrollment growth after 2020–21.
- The two annual declines in this series occurred in 2020–21 and 2025–26.
Texas Public School Enrollment by School Year
Annual change compares each school year with the immediately preceding year. Change from 2015–16 uses the first year in the displayed series as the baseline.
| School year | Enrollment | Annual change | Annual change (%) | Change from 2015–16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | 5,299,728 | Base year | Base year | 0 |
| 2016–17 | 5,359,127 | +59,399 | +1.1% | +59,399 |
| 2017–18 | 5,399,682 | +40,555 | +0.8% | +99,954 |
| 2018–19 | 5,431,910 | +32,228 | +0.6% | +132,182 |
| 2019–20 | 5,493,940 | +62,030 | +1.1% | +194,212 |
| 2020–21 | 5,371,586 | −122,354 | −2.2% | +71,858 |
| 2021–22 | 5,427,370 | +55,784 | +1.0% | +127,642 |
| 2022–23 | 5,518,432 | +91,062 | +1.7% | +218,704 |
| 2023–24 | 5,531,236 | +12,804 | +0.2% | +231,508 |
| 2024–25 | 5,544,255 | +13,019 | +0.2% | +244,527 |
| 2025–26 | 5,467,642 | −76,613 | −1.4% | +167,914 |
Enrollment Movement Since 2015–16
- Despite the recent decline, 2025–26 enrollment remained 167,914 students above the 2015–16 total.
- The largest annual gain in the displayed series occurred in 2022–23, when enrollment increased by 91,062.
- The ten-year net change was +3.2%, while the latest one-year change was negative.
Schools, Student Groups, Regions, Charters, and Finance
The supporting modules separate school-year enrollment measures from fiscal-year finance measures.
School System Scale in 2025–26
Texas contains both very large metropolitan systems and districts or charter systems with only a small number of enrolled students.
Teacher count reported with the 2025–26 statewide enrollment profile.
San Vicente Independent School District and Raven School each reported 14 students.
Houston Independent School District operated 273 campuses.
The TEA enrollment report excludes state-administered school districts from its statewide profile.
Enrollment by Grade
Grade-level enrollment identifies where the statewide decline was concentrated and which cohorts moved against the overall direction.
| Grade | 2024–25 | 2025–26 | Change | Change (%) | State share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early education | 26,099 | 24,792 | −1,307 | −5.0% | 0.5% |
| Prekindergarten, age 3 | 43,914 | 48,196 | +4,282 | +9.8% | 0.9% |
| Prekindergarten, age 4 | 205,961 | 200,876 | −5,085 | −2.5% | 3.7% |
| Kindergarten | 359,871 | 350,226 | −9,645 | −2.7% | 6.4% |
| Grade 1 | 378,335 | 370,343 | −7,992 | −2.1% | 6.8% |
| Grade 2 | 390,170 | 377,842 | −12,328 | −3.2% | 6.9% |
| Grade 3 | 406,747 | 388,620 | −18,127 | −4.5% | 7.1% |
| Grade 4 | 405,715 | 406,606 | +891 | +0.2% | 7.4% |
| Grade 5 | 405,128 | 406,149 | +1,021 | +0.3% | 7.4% |
| Grade 6 | 404,988 | 405,237 | +249 | +0.1% | 7.4% |
| Grade 7 | 407,512 | 406,409 | −1,103 | −0.3% | 7.4% |
| Grade 8 | 410,871 | 407,930 | −2,941 | −0.7% | 7.5% |
| Grade 9 | 460,045 | 445,575 | −14,470 | −3.1% | 8.1% |
| Grade 10 | 439,519 | 424,814 | −14,705 | −3.3% | 7.8% |
| Grade 11 | 410,503 | 409,385 | −1,118 | −0.3% | 7.5% |
| Grade 12 | 388,877 | 394,642 | +5,765 | +1.5% | 7.2% |
Grade-Level Movement
- Grade 9 remained the largest grade cohort, with 445,575 students.
- Grade 3 recorded the largest numeric and percentage decline: −18,127 students and −4.5%.
- Enrollment increased in prekindergarten for age 3, Grades 4–6, and Grade 12.
Race and Ethnicity Shares of Texas Enrollment
Shares are based on the 2025–26 statewide public school enrollment total.
The chart uses mutually exclusive TEA race and ethnicity categories. Program and special-population measures are reported separately.
Student Population Composition
- Hispanic students represented 53.1% of statewide enrollment.
- White and African American students together represented 37.2%.
- Asian and multiracial students accounted for a combined 9.2%.
Race, Ethnicity, Programs, and Special Populations
Race and ethnicity categories divide total enrollment. Program and special-population rows can overlap because a student may qualify for more than one classification.
| Category | Student group | 2024–25 | 2025–26 | Change | Change (%) | 2025–26 share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race/ethnicity | African American | 707,648 | 704,728 | −2,920 | −0.4% | 12.9% |
| Race/ethnicity | American Indian | 18,224 | 18,351 | +127 | +0.7% | 0.3% |
| Race/ethnicity | Asian | 308,431 | 317,458 | +9,027 | +2.9% | 5.8% |
| Race/ethnicity | Hispanic | 2,967,187 | 2,905,406 | −61,781 | −2.1% | 53.1% |
| Race/ethnicity | Pacific Islander | 8,744 | 8,711 | −33 | −0.4% | 0.2% |
| Race/ethnicity | White | 1,352,852 | 1,326,643 | −26,209 | −1.9% | 24.3% |
| Race/ethnicity | Multiracial | 181,169 | 186,345 | +5,176 | +2.9% | 3.4% |
| Program or population | Economically disadvantaged | 3,349,612 | 3,273,503 | −76,109 | −2.3% | 59.9% |
| Program or population | At risk of dropping out | 2,963,913 | 2,979,350 | +15,437 | +0.5% | 54.5% |
| Program or population | Bilingual or ESL program | 1,345,594 | 1,298,730 | −46,864 | −3.5% | 23.8% |
| Program or population | Dyslexia | 356,830 | 388,493 | +31,663 | +8.9% | 7.1% |
| Program or population | Emergent bilingual | 1,345,042 | 1,290,293 | −54,749 | −4.1% | 23.6% |
| Program or population | Foster care | 11,713 | 11,497 | −216 | −1.8% | 0.2% |
| Program or population | Gifted and talented | 483,373 | 489,027 | +5,654 | +1.2% | 8.9% |
| Program or population | Homeless | 78,060 | 71,841 | −6,219 | −8.0% | 1.3% |
| Program or population | Immigrant | 193,831 | 179,552 | −14,279 | −7.4% | 3.3% |
| Program or population | Migratory | 13,426 | 13,377 | −49 | −0.4% | 0.2% |
| Program or population | Military-connected | 229,370 | 240,562 | +11,192 | +4.9% | 4.4% |
| Program or population | Section 504 | 375,601 | 357,262 | −18,339 | −4.9% | 6.5% |
| Program or population | Special education | 856,651 | 911,342 | +54,691 | +6.4% | 16.7% |
| Program or population | Title I | 3,689,382 | 3,614,772 | −74,610 | −2.0% | 66.1% |
Changes Within Student Groups
- Asian and multiracial enrollment each increased by 2.9%, while most larger race and ethnicity groups declined.
- Special education enrollment rose by 54,691 students, raising its statewide share from 15.5% to 16.7%.
- Dyslexia identification increased by 8.9%, the fastest relative growth among the listed program and population measures.
- Program totals must not be added together because the classifications overlap.
Enrollment Across Texas Education Service Center Regions
The 20 TEA service regions are ordered by 2025–26 enrollment in the chart.
Education Service Center regions are administrative education geographies. They do not follow metropolitan-area or county boundaries.
Regional Enrollment Concentration
- Regions 4, 10, and 11 accounted for 49.6% of statewide enrollment.
- Region 4–Houston alone enrolled more than 1.22 million students.
- The five smallest regions together represented less than 5% of the state total.
Enrollment Change Across the 20 Education Regions
Annual change compares 2025–26 with 2024–25. The ten-year column compares 2025–26 with 2015–16.
| Region | Service center | 2024–25 | 2025–26 | Annual change | Annual change (%) | State share | Ten-year change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edinburg | 435,144 | 423,760 | −11,384 | −2.6% | 7.8% | −0.9% |
| 2 | Corpus Christi | 94,521 | 93,856 | −665 | −0.7% | 1.7% | −7.8% |
| 3 | Victoria | 47,706 | 46,578 | −1,128 | −2.4% | 0.9% | −14.5% |
| 4 | Houston | 1,246,551 | 1,222,037 | −24,514 | −2.0% | 22.4% | +2.3% |
| 5 | Beaumont | 83,884 | 83,813 | −71 | −0.1% | 1.5% | +2.2% |
| 6 | Huntsville | 224,622 | 224,628 | +6 | 0.0% | 4.1% | +18.1% |
| 7 | Kilgore | 184,645 | 184,375 | −270 | −0.1% | 3.4% | +6.8% |
| 8 | Mount Pleasant | 55,432 | 54,705 | −727 | −1.3% | 1.0% | −10.8% |
| 9 | Wichita Falls | 35,699 | 35,262 | −437 | −1.2% | 0.6% | −6.4% |
| 10 | Richardson | 910,252 | 897,268 | −12,984 | −1.4% | 16.4% | +8.9% |
| 11 | Fort Worth | 595,779 | 588,403 | −7,376 | −1.2% | 10.8% | +1.6% |
| 12 | Waco | 176,884 | 173,727 | −3,157 | −1.8% | 3.2% | +1.5% |
| 13 | Austin | 397,937 | 397,603 | −334 | −0.1% | 7.3% | −1.5% |
| 14 | Abilene | 71,695 | 74,482 | +2,787 | +3.9% | 1.4% | +26.9% |
| 15 | San Angelo | 49,576 | 48,339 | −1,237 | −2.5% | 0.9% | −3.9% |
| 16 | Amarillo | 79,169 | 76,822 | −2,347 | −3.0% | 1.4% | −11.2% |
| 17 | Lubbock | 81,623 | 80,137 | −1,486 | −1.8% | 1.5% | −5.7% |
| 18 | Midland | 106,060 | 102,732 | −3,328 | −3.1% | 1.9% | +16.3% |
| 19 | El Paso | 160,879 | 157,293 | −3,586 | −2.2% | 2.9% | −12.3% |
| 20 | San Antonio | 506,197 | 501,822 | −4,375 | −0.9% | 9.2% | +11.1% |
Recent and Ten-Year Regional Direction
- Region 14–Abilene recorded the strongest one-year growth at 3.9%.
- Region 6–Huntsville added only six students, leaving its rounded annual rate at 0.0%.
- The other 18 regions reported annual declines.
- Ten-year changes ranged from +26.9% in Region 14 to −14.5% in Region 3–Victoria.
Charter Enrollment Moved Differently From the State Total
State-authorized charter systems and district-authorized charter campuses are separate TEA categories. Both are included within statewide public school enrollment and must not be added to the state total.
| School structure | Systems | Campuses | 2015–16 enrollment | 2024–25 enrollment | 2025–26 enrollment | Annual change | State share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Texas public schools | 1,225 | 9,231 | 5,299,728 | 5,544,255 | 5,467,642 | −1.4% | 100.0% |
| State-authorized charter systems | 182 | 993 | 247,389 | 436,031 | 446,633 | +2.4% | 8.2% |
| District-authorized charter campuses | 22 districts | 105 | 37,228 | 60,556 | 56,741 | −6.3% | 1.0% |
Charter Enrollment Divergence
- State-authorized charter enrollment increased by 10,602 students while total statewide enrollment declined.
- District-authorized charter campuses lost 3,815 students, producing a 6.3% annual decline.
- State-authorized charter enrollment was about 80.5% higher than in 2015–16.
Current Spending per Pupil: Texas and the United States
Annual nominal current spending from FY2019 through FY2024.
Current spending covers day-to-day elementary and secondary education operations. It excludes capital outlay, interest on debt, and some other expenditure categories.
Spending Growth and the National Gap
- Texas current spending per pupil rose by 31.2% in nominal terms from FY2019 to FY2024.
- The U.S. value rose by 33.6% over the same period.
- The Texas–U.S. nominal gap expanded from about $3,360 per pupil in FY2019 to about $4,725 in FY2024.
Current Spending per Pupil by Fiscal Year
Values are nominal and are not adjusted for inflation or regional price differences.
| Fiscal year | Texas per pupil | U.S. per pupil | Texas difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $9,827 | $13,187 | −$3,360 |
| 2020 | $10,342 | $13,501 | −$3,159 |
| 2021 | $11,005 | $14,358 | −$3,353 |
| 2022 | $11,803 | $15,630 | −$3,827 |
| 2023 | $12,304 | $16,526 | −$4,222 |
| 2024 | $12,895 | $17,619 | −$4,725 |
Texas Finance Measures Compared With the U.S.
Per-pupil expenditure measures and revenue shares describe different parts of school finance and should be read separately.
| FY2024 measure | Texas | United States | Texas difference | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current spending per pupil | $12,895 | $17,619 | −$4,725 | Nominal dollars per pupil |
| Instruction spending per pupil | $7,421 | $10,346 | −$2,925 | Nominal dollars per pupil |
| Support services per pupil | $4,831 | $6,582 | −$1,751 | Nominal dollars per pupil |
| Federal revenue share | 13.4% | 11.6% | +1.8 percentage points | Share of total revenue |
| State revenue share | 35.8% | 45.2% | −9.4 percentage points | Share of total revenue |
| Local revenue share | 50.8% | 43.2% | +7.6 percentage points | Share of total revenue |
Revenue Mix Compared With the U.S.
- Local sources supplied 50.8% of Texas public school revenue, compared with 43.2% nationally.
- Texas received a smaller share from state sources and a larger share from federal and local sources.
- Texas ranked 43rd among the 50 states and District of Columbia for current spending per pupil in FY2024.
Texas Public School Revenue and Expenditure Totals
Totals are shown in billions of nominal FY2024 dollars. Current spending, capital outlay, and other expenditures are components of total expenditure.
| FY2024 finance category | Finance type | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Total revenue | Revenue | $83.243 billion |
| Federal revenue | Revenue source | $11.156 billion |
| State revenue | Revenue source | $29.826 billion |
| Local revenue | Revenue source | $42.262 billion |
| Total expenditure | Expenditure | $91.497 billion |
| Current spending | Expenditure component | $66.426 billion |
| Capital outlay | Expenditure component | $17.294 billion |
| Other expenditure | Expenditure component | $7.776 billion |
| Outstanding debt | Debt balance | $135.155 billion |
Current Operations, Capital, and Debt
- Current spending represented the largest expenditure component at $66.426 billion.
- Capital outlay totaled $17.294 billion and is not included in the current-spending-per-pupil measure.
- Outstanding debt is a balance measure rather than an annual expenditure and should not be added to FY2024 spending.
What the Texas Data Shows
The measures describe enrollment scale, student composition, regional distribution, school structure, and finance without assigning causes to the reported changes.
Short-Term and Ten-Year Enrollment
The latest annual decline does not erase the longer direction. Enrollment in 2025–26 remained 3.2% above the 2015–16 level, but below the 2024–25 peak.
Different Cohorts Moved in Different Directions
The statewide total declined, yet several grade levels, race and ethnicity groups, and program populations grew. A single statewide percentage does not describe every student group.
Regional Scale Shapes the State Total
Nearly half of Texas enrollment was located in the Houston, Richardson, and Fort Worth service regions. Movement in these large regions has more effect on the state total than equal percentage changes in smaller regions.
Charter Categories Require Separate Treatment
State-authorized charter systems expanded while district-authorized charter campuses contracted. Combining the two categories would hide their different enrollment directions.
Finance Measures Answer Different Questions
Total expenditure reflects system scale. Current spending per pupil measures operating spending relative to enrollment. Capital outlay and debt describe separate parts of school finance.
Nominal Spending Is Not Purchasing Power
FY2024 dollar values do not account for inflation or geographic price differences. A nominal per-pupil comparison does not measure the amount of labor, services, or facilities purchased in each location.
Data Sources and Measurement
Texas Education Agency, Enrollment in Texas Public Schools, 2025–26. The report supplies statewide, grade, race and ethnicity, program, regional, charter, campus, district, and teacher measures.
Enrollment records are collected through the Texas Student Data System Public Education Information Management System. Additional annual reports are listed in the PEIMS Standard Reports.
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, FY2024 elementary-secondary finance tables.
The Census Bureau published the FY2024 national school-finance release in May 2026. The accompanying school system finances release provides national totals and definitions.
Enrollment values are student counts for Texas public schools in the reported academic year. State-administered districts are excluded from the TEA profile.
Finance totals are nominal dollars. Per-pupil values divide reported expenditure functions by the Census Bureau enrollment denominator used for the survey.
Race and ethnicity categories are mutually exclusive. Program and special-population classifications overlap, so their counts do not sum to total enrollment.
Enrollment counts are displayed as whole students. Percentages are generally rounded to one decimal place. Finance totals are rounded to three decimal places in billions, and per-pupil values are rounded to the nearest dollar in visible text.
The 2026 title identifies the publication context. It does not imply that every metric was collected in calendar year 2026. Enrollment uses academic year 2025–26, while the latest nationwide finance dataset covers fiscal year 2024.
Academic-year enrollment and fiscal-year finance values are not matched reporting periods. Census finance values are nominal and are not adjusted for inflation or regional price parity. Current spending excludes capital outlay, debt interest, and other noncurrent expenditure categories. State-authorized and district-authorized charter measures use different organizational definitions. Program and special-population counts may overlap, and some TEA program percentages exclude early education students from the applicable denominator.