North San Antonio | August 2025

Increase in education options impacts NISD, NEISD enrollment From the cover

Two-minute impact

Transfer trends

Transfers in Transfers out

Community Impact analyzed student enrollment and transfer data from the Texas Education Agency for Northside ISD, or NISD, and North East ISD, or NEISD. According to the data, a majority of students transferring out of the districts are choosing to transfer to charter or private schools. In NISD, TEA data shows that over 20,000 students transferred out of the district during the 2024-25 school year, with over 16,000 of those students—roughly 81%—transferring to local charter or private schools. NEISD saw over 10,000 transfers in the 2024-25 school year, with over 8,423 of those students—or roughly 77%— transferring to local charter or private schools. For NISD, a majority of students transferred to charter schools such as IDEA Public Schools, Basis Texas and the School of Science and Technology Discovery. In NEISD, students transferred to charter schools Great Hearts Texas, IDEA Public Schools, Basis Texas and the public school district San Antonio ISD. According to data from the TEA, there has been a 323% increase in transfers out of NISD and a 140% increase in transfers out of NEISD over a 10-year period. NISD Superintendent John Craft said transfers in and out of the district are dependent on what works best for individual families. “I think a lot of it is going to be dependent upon where the parent works in proximity to the location of the campus, and the ability to be able to drop the students o and pick the students up at the end of the day,” Craft said.

Northside ISD

North East ISD

10,925

20,381

2.5K 1.5K 1K 500

10K 12K

8K 6K 4K 2K

971

608

0

0

Students transferring from NISD into charter schools and other school districts in 2024-25

Students transferring from NEISD into charter schools and other school districts in 2024-25

Charter/private schools

Charter/private schools

School districts 2,491

School districts 3,649

16,732

8,434

Top schools NISD students went to in 2024-25

Top schools NEISD students went to in 2024-25

1,871

Great Hearts Texas

4,170 3,057 2,094

IDEA Public Schools Great Hearts Texas

1,620

IDEA Public Schools

Basis Texas

977 937

San Antonio ISD

School of Science and Technology Discovery

Basis Texas

1,874

764 School of Science and Technology Discovery George Gervin Academy 486

1,314

San Antonio ISD

Harmony Public Schools - South Texas

1,081

SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

The big picture

Maika said the decline in public school atten- dance doesn’t need to be viewed in a negative mindset, but rather, as a learning experience. “What we’re embracing here in [NEISD] is, what are we to learn from this experience? ... I think we have this opportunity to really re-envision public education in a sense, and get really good at [specific] things, rather than trying to do it all,” Maika said. Craft said declining enrollment in public schools is a statewide trend that’s exacerbated by school choice. “At one time, [NISD was] hovering around 106,000 students, about four or five years ago ... and now we’re projected to be just slightly under 100,000 students for next year,” Craft said.

Student enrollment trends

As demographics change and school choices expand, NEISD and NISD have seen a steady decline in student enrollment.

Northside ISD

North East ISD

12K

12K

56,420

9K

9K

6K

6K

100,208

3K

3K

0

0

SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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