BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – East Central ISD will open two new campuses next week as the district works to keep up with rapid growth that officials say is expected to continue for years.
Victory Elementary STEM Academy in Elmendorf and Valor College Prep Middle School in the St. Hedwig area will welcome students Monday.
The new campuses are part of a long-term plan that district leaders have been developing for nearly a decade as enrollment continues to climb.
“It’s very exciting. Our kiddos deserve it. Our community deserves it,” said Margarita Lozano, principal of Victory Elementary STEM Academy.
Victory Elementary STEM Academy will be East Central ISD’s ninth elementary school. Lozano said about 500 students are expected on the school’s first day.
“Elmendorf is growing very dramatically. Within the last six years, they’ve grown 60% of their population,” she shared.
East Central ISD had about 13,000 students last school year. By 2033, the district expects enrollment to exceed 25,600 students.
On the other side of the district, Valor College Prep Middle School will become East Central ISD’s third middle school. Principal Kasey Beckett said the campus is preparing to welcome about 750 students.
“So while other districts unfortunately are having to close and downsize, we’re having the opposite problem, where we’re outgrowing our schools,” she stated.
District officials have pointed to East Central ISD’s tax rate as one factor contributing to the area’s growth.
According to district figures from 2025, East Central ISD’s tax rate is 0.9319 per $100 valuation. That is lower than Alamo Heights ISD’s rate of 0.9572 and North East ISD’s rate of 0.9822, but higher than Floresville ISD’s rate of 0.8548.
The new schools are not the end of the district’s expansion plans. East Central ISD is already planning to open its 10th elementary school next fall, followed by a long-awaited second high school campus the year after.
District leaders also say another middle school is in the works as East Central ISD continues planning for future enrollment growth.
More Back to School coverage on KSAT: