EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — El Paso’s three largest school districts are expected to receive $147.3 million for a two-year period (biennium) in additional state funding through House Bill 2, according to a news release from state Rep. Vince Perez, D-El Paso, on Thursday afternoon, June 19.
According to the news release, El Paso Independent School District, Ysleta Independent School District, and Socorro Independent School District would receive a combined $147.3 million in additional funding for the 2026-2027 biennium.
“As we’ve seen here in El Paso, our school districts are confronting difficult realities—declining student enrollment, budget shortfalls, and painful school closures and teacher layoffs,” Perez said. “This additional funding is badly needed and comes at a critical moment. Our local districts haven’t seen a meaningful increase in basic per-student funding since 2019, even as costs have continued to climb. While I strongly support these new investments, the challenges won’t disappear overnight. Without major shifts in our economic growth and population base, declining enrollment is a long-term trend in El Paso, and our schools will continue to face financial pressure. The future of our region depends on a thriving public school system—and we must continue fighting to ensure it is funded accordingly.”
El Paso ISD is slated to receive $54.6 million, Socorro ISD would receive $50.5 million, and Ysleta ISD would receive $42.4 million, according to the news release.
Below is a rough breakdown of funding, according to the news release:
El Paso ISD
- Total funding amount: $54.6 million
- $31 million used for compensation increases
- $6.6 million for school safety allotment
- $10 million to help offset utilities and insurance
- $3.2 million to support special education evaluations
Socorro ISD
- Total funding amount: $50.5 million
- $26.7 million used for compensation increases
- $5 million for school safety allotment
- $9.7 million to help offset utilities and insurance
- $3.1 million to support special education evaluations
Ysleta ISD
- Total funding amount: $42.2 million
- $23.1 million used for compensation increases
- $4.4 million for school safety allotment
- $7.1 million to help offset utilities and insurance
- $3 million to support special education evaluations
Additionally, another $1.6 million will be distributed across the three school districts to support early literacy interventions, the news release read.
According to the news release, House Bill 2 is a legislative bill that passed $8.5 billion in funding for Texas public schools.
“Major statewide allocations include $4 billion for raises, $1.2 billion to ease operational costs, and over $830 million to bolster special education. The bill also invests $187 million in teacher preparation and certification, $448 million in early literacy initiatives, and $153 million to expand career and technical education programs,” the news release read.
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