As Mother's Day recedes into the week's rearview mirror, a trend emerges: women across the nation, including El Paso County, famed for its easy-on-the-wallet real estate, are putting off motherhood. An Economics Professor at The University of Texas at El Paso, Tom Fullerton, attributes this delay to a mix of escalating living costs and the pursuit of higher education.
Fullerton notes that despite the county's reputation for affordability, the local demographic is having fewer kids. "Higher paying jobs and higher education requirements are some of the contributors to why women are prolonging motherhood potentially leading to lower birthrates," he explained, according to FOX San Antonio. Yet, it’s not just the cost of living affecting family decisions, as health insurance and educational expenses have also soared.
With the Texas Department of State Health Services data indicating an uptick in higher education rates among women up to 2020, this delay in family starts is directly impacting school enrollments. As young families migrate to growing housing markets in outer districts, the historic and once-crowded school zones are feeling the pinch. If inner-city housing issues aren’t addressed, Fullerton warns, declining enrollments will persist.
The El Paso Independent School District (EPISD), meanwhile, has reported a victory: a dramatic drop in chronically absent students. According to KFOX14, the number has reduced from 18,181 in 2022 to 10,295. This matters, because, Texas funds schools based on daily attendance. "That's less money that comes into the district, that's less money that is made available to buy resources and equipment and things for teachers to use in their classroom," pointed out Norma De La Rosa, president of the El Paso Teacher's Association.
Union leaders express concern about the effects of absenteeism on student performance and by extension on district reputation, with potential implications including intervention by the Texas Education Agency. EPISD is actively trying to combat the issue, with EPISD’s Director of Student Retention, Iris Jimenez, remarking they've implemented a 45-day action plan and outreach for families needing help with food, daycare, or other hurdles. This proactive approach aims to curb what Jimenez deems a "national crisis", ensuring students are present and engaged in their education.
