By BARBARA GREEN
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Enrollment for the new school year, a budget workshop and a notice of the Bowie Independent School District possibly facing state “recapture” in regard to local revenue were a few of the other topics from Monday night’s board meeting.
Superintendent Blake Enlow reported total enrollment is 1,575, compared to 1,604 at this time last year. By campus there are 503 at the high school (147 freshmen, 121 sophomores, 122 juniors and 113 seniors); 354 at the junior high (122 eighth, 117 seventh and 115 sixth); 344 at the intermediate (123 fifth, 113 fourth and 108 third) and elementary is at 374 (119 second, 93 first, 95 kindergarten and 67 early childhood, Head Start and pre-K).
He pointed to a much smaller kindergarten class this year and a much larger senior class graduating last year as big changes.
Recapture
In July BISD was informed it was on the verge of going into recapture mode where the local revenue level is in excess of entitlement for school year 2023-24. At the last meeting, Enlow told the board the district has been on the verge in recent years and now is close.
Per the letter from the Texas Education Agency, districts subject to recapture are based on estimates of enrollment for the new school year and estimated property values for tax year 2023. Because the agency has not yet received final state-certified property values it is using 2022 values increased by 4.43%.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.