This is your weekly news roundup, which takes a quick look at some developments in government, politics, education, environment and other topics across El Paso.
UTEP’s Fall ’25 Enrollment Breaks 26,000 for First Time
The University of Texas at El Paso enrolled a record 26,297 students this fall – the first time the institution has surpassed the 26,000 mark. That marks a 5% increase over last year when UTEP registered 25,039 students. The university’s previous enrollment high was the pre-pandemic 25,177 in 2019.
The institution noted in a news release that this was the fourth straight year that freshmen enrollment set a record. UTEP said the 4,501 freshmen was almost a 15% increase over last year’s class of 3,918. The university also pointed to sizable enrollment increases in the College of Nursing and the Woody L. Hunt College of Business.
UTEP President Heather Wilson in the news release said the numbers reflected the trust and value students and families put into a UTEP education. Amanda Vasquez-Vicario, vice president for Enrollment Management, said the increased numbers could be the result of additional academic advising, financial aid and increases in experiential learning.
Census Day for the fall 2025 semester at UTEP and El Paso Community College was Sept. 10. Census Day is the official date when institutions determine the final enrollment status for the semester.
EPCC reported a fall 2025 enrollment of 25,612, which is a 2.4% bump from last year when it registered 24,013. It’s peak enrollment was in 2011 when it served 40,798 students. The fall semester for both institutions started Aug. 25.
Texas Tech Health El Paso has several starting dates for its schools of nursing, medicine, dental medicine and biomedical sciences that range from late August to early September. A spokesman said that TTHEP’s Census Day is Oct. 15.
El Paso Reports First West Nile Virus Case of the Year
The Department of Public Health this week confirmed the first case of the West Nile virus in El Paso – a man in his 90s who lives in the 79932 ZIP code in the city’s Westside. The man was hospitalized with a severe form of the virus that has affected his nervous system.
Neuroinvasive West Nile virus is transmitted to humans through bites from infected mosquitoes, which become carriers after feeding on infected birds. Symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, body aches, nausea, vomiting and swollen lymph nodes. Severe cases may progress to West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease, which causes brain inflammation, fever and neurological symptoms.
People older than 60 and those with underlying conditions such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease or a history of organ transplantation are at the greatest risk of serious illness.
As of Monday, mosquitoes in ZIP codes 79932 and 79936 have tested positive for West Nile and St. Louis encephalitis, health officials said in a news release this week.
In 2024, El Paso reported two West Nile cases, one of which resulted in death. The other patient required hospitalization.
To protect yourself, health officials recommend using insect repellents containing DEET, wearing long sleeves and long pants when outdoors, avoiding outdoor activities from dusk to dawn, and eliminating standing water around your home.
Standing water or mosquito breeding sites can be reported by calling 915-212-6000 or dialing 311. For more information, visit EPHealth.com under the Be Climate Ready tab.
Ysleta ISD Approves Tax Rate
Ysleta Independent School District homeowners can expect to see a decrease in the district’s portion of their property tax bill if Texas voters approve a constitutional amendment to increase the state’s homestead exemption.
The YISD board voted unanimously Wednesday to adopt a tax rate of $1.20 per $100 valuation, which is 8 cents less than its voter-approval rate of $1.28 per $100 valuation. The voter-approval rate is the highest that can be adopted without triggering a tax election.
The adopted tax rate is also 14 cents higher than YISD’s no-new-revenue rate of $1.06 per $100 valuation, meaning the district will collect more money from the same tax base than it did last year – considered a tax increase under Truth in Taxation laws even if it’s mostly due to increased home valuations.
If Texas voters approve the increased homestead exemption on the November ballot, YISD homeowners would pay about $288 on the district’s portion of their property tax bill, for the average home worth $205,000, said chief financial officer Lynly Cambern. Last year, they paid $640 on the district’s portion of their property tax on the average-priced home of $190,000 in the district..
The proposed state amendment would increase the homestead exemption for school taxes from $100,000 to $140,000 and increase the exemption for seniors older than 65 and individuals with disabilities from $10,000 to $60,000.
If approved by voters, the homestead exemption will be applied retroactively to the 2025 tax bills, which normally go out in October and are due in January.
Clint ISD Approves Tax Rate, Budget with Deficit
The Clint Independent School District adopted a budget that spends more money than it takes in and approved the highest tax rate possible without triggering an election.
The board voted unanimously Aug. 25 to adopt a tax rate of $1.12 per $100 valuation. The rate is about 16 cents higher than its no-new-revenue rate of 96 cents per $100 valuation, meaning the district will collect more money in property taxes compared with last year – considered a tax increase under Truth in Taxation laws even if it’s mostly due to increased home valuations.
However, homeowners are expected to see a reduction in the school portion of their 2025 tax bill if Texas voters in November approve a constitutional amendment to raise the homestead exemption.
If approved, homeowners in the district will see a $330 reduction per year on the school portion of their property tax bills on the average $202,000 home, said Clint ISD chief financial officer Jessie Cline.
The board also voted unanimously to adopt a $137.4 million budget with a $12.8 million deficit for the current school year. The district’s budget represents a 2% decrease over the last school year’s $140.3 million budget, which included a $21.6 million deficit.
This year’s budget includes $6.8 million for a three-year COVID-19 relief fund “spend down plan,” which will be eliminated after three to four years or made a recurring part of the budget.
Under the approved budget, teachers with three to four years of experience received a $2,500 raise at the start of the school year and those with five or more years received a $5,000 raise. Both raises are required and funded by House Bill 2, a public school funding bill recently approved by the Texas Legislature earlier this year.
Teachers with less than three years of experience, nurses and librarians received a 3.5% raise, although they are not required under HB 2.
The post UTEP sets record enrollment, El Paso confirms first West Nile case appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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