The enrollment decline is the largest single-year change Texas has seen in years. Officials can't find a direct cause.

Declining birth rates remain the top reason why districts are enrolling fewer students, says one expert.

Efficiency doesn't mean austerity or cutting corners. It's about reclaiming and maximizing your time, treasure, and talent.

The problem stems from a 2023 decision by the DFL-controlled Legislature and DFL Gov. Tim Walz to make school meals free to all students. While school leaders cheered the effort, the law led to changes in the way the state calculated what's known as compensatory revenue.