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Hello Houston,
Today is the school choice deadline for HISD families whose schools are closing. Families will get their results April 8.
Also with school choice, Texas' new voucher system may fill up before it reaches the last group of high-income families. The program drew a lawsuit this week from a Houston-area parent, who accused state officials of religious discrimination for barring Islamic schools from vouchers.
Today is also the last day before spring break. Enjoy your time off! We'll still send you a news roundup next Friday.
Must-reads:
- HISD taps Ross Elementary principal to lead new AI-focused school
- Here's what Houstonians had to say about HISD school closures
 | Claire Partain, HISD reporter |
Photo by: Houston Chronicle
HISD had Houston's fourth-largest drop in enrollment this year
HISD had the fourth-largest enrollment decline in the region this year, with a nearly 4.5% drop.
Almost every large Houston-area district lost students in 2025. The trend reflects an increasingly tough education landscape, with school choice options, demographic changes and immigration enforcement all fueling the declines. More competition is expected from the state's new $1 billion voucher program for private school tuition.
Aldine ISD led the losses — declining by over 7.5% — followed by Alief and Pasadena ISDs, losing about 5% of enrollment each.
The loss of students is forcing several districts, including HISD, to close schools. In HISD, some community members said state-appointed leadership has also contributed to families leaving.
If the trend continues, experts warn districts may have to cut budgets, downsize staff or close more schools.
HISD is about to close its school choice applications for K-12, but the window to apply for pre-K is still wide open.
It's actually free for many children, including if they are learning English, live in a low-income household or their parent is in the military or teaches at a public school. For other families, tuition is $6,744.
If you live within HISD, you can select up to 10 pre-K programs during Phase 1 — the district has nearly 160 to choose from. Applications are open through April 17, and you'll find out your lottery results May 5.
We've launched a new School Finder tool to help you navigate the process. To use, click this link, type in your address and filter for the "Pre-K" grade level. You can also filter for specialized programs, such as learning differences.
Use the tool to compare two schools side-by-side, or see our other guides to important dates, school ratings and FAQs. Happy searching!
What Else Happened This Week
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The Calendar Ahead
• March 2-15: Student art showcased at the Houston Rodeo
• March 4-April 17: Applications open for HISD's Virtual Launchpad
• March 6: School choice deadline for families at closing schools
• March 9-13: Spring break
• March 16: Deadline for "AI Envisioned" student art contest
• March 17: Pre-K virtual sessions for parents, all day
• March 19: Board of Managers meeting
Meet The Team
Photo by: Staff Graphic
Our HISD coverage is fueled by reporting from Megan Menchaca, Nusaiba Mizan, Claire Partain and Taylor Nichols. Laura Isensee is our education editor.
You can reach out to any of them by emailing them at their firstname.lastname@houstonchronicle.com, filling out this survey or by replying directly to this email.
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