North Texas public schools look markedly different than they did a decade ago, with some districts seeing major increases in Asian enrollment, others becoming increasingly Hispanic, and fast-growing communities adding thousands of students along the way.
A review of Texas Education Agency enrollment data for five North Texas districts — Plano, Dallas, McKinney, Celina, and Frisco — shows that the changes are not uniform.
In some districts, racial and ethnic shifts have been substantial, while others have remained comparatively stable.
Frisco Has Seen One of the Largest Shifts
Among the five districts reviewed, Frisco ISD has experienced the most pronounced increase in Asian enrollment.
According to the Texas Education Agency’s student enrollment presented in the Texas Tribune Schools Explorer, Asian students accounted for 44.9% of Frisco ISD enrollment in 2026, up 24 percentage points from 2016. The district currently enrolls 62,713 students across 76 campuses.
That means Asian enrollment has gone from roughly one-fifth of the district’s students a decade ago to nearly half today.
The change is also visible at individual campuses. At Lone Star High School, for example, White students represented 33.4% of enrollment in 2026, down 16.5 percentage points from 2016.
At Wakeland High School, White enrollment was 51.6% in 2026, down 19.9 percentage points from 2016.
The numbers demonstrate an important distinction: district-wide demographics do not necessarily describe every campus. Frisco’s high schools vary substantially in their racial and ethnic composition.
Plano’s Changes Have Been More Mixed
Plano ISD has also changed considerably, although its demographic movement differs from Frisco’s.
The district had 43,979 students in 2026, down 19.4% from 2016, according to the Texas Tribune’s analysis of state enrollment data. At the same time, Hispanic enrollment increased to 30.1%, up 6.3 percentage points from 2016.
Plano’s high schools also illustrate the district’s significant Asian population.
Asian students accounted for 32.8% of enrollment at Plano East Senior High School in 2026, up 5.9 percentage points from 2016. At Plano West Senior High School, Asian enrollment was 29.8%, up 5.5 points over the same period.
Some Plano middle and elementary schools have considerably higher Asian enrollment. Rice Middle, for example, was 63.4% Asian in 2026, although that represented a 2.5-point decline from 2016.
The figures show that demographic change in Plano has not simply been a one-directional increase in one racial group. Hispanic enrollment has increased, Asian enrollment remains substantial, and the district’s overall student population has declined.
McKinney Has Become Less White and More Diverse
McKinney ISD has experienced another significant shift.
The district enrolled 23,823 students in 2026, according to state data analyzed by the Texas Tribune. White students accounted for 38.3% of enrollment, down 12.7 percentage points from 2016.
The change is visible at McKinney’s three comprehensive high schools.
At McKinney High School, White enrollment was 37.6% in 2026, down 10.9 points from 2016. McKinney North High School was 36.1% White, down 13.7 points, while McKinney Boyd High School was 51% White, down 13.4 points.
The differences between the campuses again show why district-wide statistics cannot be treated as a prediction for an individual school.
Celina Is Changing Fastest by Percentage
Celina presents a different picture because its student population is growing at a much faster rate.
Celina ISD had 6,354 students in 2026, an increase of 170% since 2016, according to the Texas Tribune’s analysis of TEA enrollment data. Over the same period, the White share of enrollment fell 26 percentage points, to 40.6%.
Celina High School currently has 1,519 students, and White students account for 52.8% of its enrollment, down 17.2 points from 2016.
The district’s younger grades show how quickly the demographic composition can change as new families move into a rapidly developing community. Celina’s Early Childhood School was 54.3% Asian in 2026, according to the same state enrollment data.
But that figure should not be interpreted as a forecast that Celina High School will eventually have the same composition. Students move between campuses, new housing changes enrollment patterns, and the racial composition of incoming classes can differ from older grades.
Dallas Tells a Different Story
Dallas ISD’s demographic trajectory is substantially different from the suburban districts to its north.
Dallas ISD enrolled 134,308 students in 2026, making it by far the largest district in this comparison. Hispanic students represented 71.2% of enrollment, up only 1.1 percentage points from 2016.
The district’s relatively modest change in its Hispanic share contrasts sharply with the much larger shifts seen in Frisco, Celina, and McKinney.
Individual Dallas campuses can nonetheless look very different from the district average. At W.T. White High School, for example, Hispanic students represented 83.6% of enrollment in 2026, up 6.1 points from 2016.
At Lakewood Elementary, meanwhile, White students represented 74% of enrollment in 2026, down 3.9 points from 2016.
Five Districts, Five Different Demographic Stories
The comparison provides a clearer picture of how much North Texas public schools have changed over the past decade.
| District | 2026 Enrollment | Notable 2016-2026 change |
|---|---|---|
| Frisco ISD | 62,713 | Asian enrollment up 24 percentage points |
| Celina ISD | 6,354 | White enrollment down 26 points |
| Plano ISD | 43,979 | Hispanic enrollment up 6.3 points |
| McKinney ISD | 23,823 | White enrollment down 12.7 points |
| Dallas ISD | 134,308 | Hispanic enrollment up 1.1 points |
The data also demonstrate why the demographic conversation surrounding North Texas schools cannot be reduced to a single trend.
Frisco has seen a dramatic rise in Asian enrollment. Celina has undergone rapid population and enrollment growth while becoming less White. Plano has seen both Hispanic growth and sustained high Asian enrollment. McKinney has become more diverse as its White share has declined. Dallas remains overwhelmingly Hispanic district-wide, with comparatively little change in its overall Hispanic share.
And while the five districts are geographically close, their demographic trajectories are not interchangeable.
For that reason, current enrollment data can establish how schools have changed. They cannot, by themselves, establish what any particular school will look like five years from now.
Provided by Dallas Express
