Salado students returned to class Aug. 18 and Salado ISD preliminary enrollment numbers show a 5% increase this year over fall of 2020. As of Aug. 16, Salado ISD has 2,215 students enrolled, an increase of 112 students over last October’s snapshot.
Enrollment typically increases after Labor Day each year. In the past decade, Salado ISD has increased its enrollment by almost 800 students. For 2012-13, Salado ISD had 1,348 students enrolled.
Thomas Arnold Elementary, which houses students from Early Education through the fifth grade across three connected campuses, has the highest number of students with 997. Salado Middle School, which houses students in sixth through eighth grade, has 539 students enrolled, but has the largest class, sixth grade, with 196 students. Salado High School has 679 students enrolled.
“Templeton Demographics completed ten year enrollment projections for our district five years ago and their projections have been very close the past five years,” Dr. Michael Novotny said. “Based on the number of residential developments planned, I anticipate that we will be exceeding those projections the next few years.”
Salado ISD administrators estimate that there could be more than 4,000 new homes in the school district in the next decade. There are plans for more than 520 multi-family residences to be built in the school district in the next five years. The Sanctuary could house 500 of those multi-family residences within the Village of Salado, part of its multi-use development on about 300 acres on the southern end of the Village.
Within the Village of Salado, there are three developments that could build out almost 720 homes, in the next five years. The Sanctuary already has approval for more than 180 lots off of Royal St. Across the street, Drake’s Landing is expected to have 154 lots. Eagle Heights off of Williams and West Village has 174 homes plotted.
Other developments that could add students to the school district include these: Windmill Estates, off of Spotted Horse Lane, 120 lots; Atkins off of Armstrong Loop, 70 lots; Armstrong Ranch off of Armstrong Loop, 140 lots; Monteith, off of Brewer, 100 lots; Sage Hill at Amity, 30 lots; Stinnett Mill Estates, 82 lots; Turley development off of Gooseneck Rd, 900 lots; a possible development at Hackberry and Gooseneck, 300 lots and a possible development off of Florence Road, up to 1,500 lots.