Mineola ISD is reporting record enrollment just a month into the new school year.

The most recent report showed the district with 1,685 students, up from 1,624 at the end of school last May.

Superintendent Cody Mize said that is a testament that Mineola ISD is a good school option in Wood County. He said Quitman and Hawkins are also reporting enrollment increases.

The enrollment breakdown is 469 at primary, 379 at elementary, 344 at middle school and 493 at high school.

Mize said construction of the new primary school is on track for opening in mid-July, and steel should be going up in the next three weeks.

He also noted that the expected release of the new state grades for school districts expected Sept. 28 has been pushed back at least until October.

Mize introduced the yearly district and campus improvement plans, saying the district will continue to target three key benchmarks: reading at grade level by the third grade, success in Algebra I at the 8th-9th grade level and college, career and military readiness for graduates.

The annual English as a Second Language report showed the district with 266 total students including 215 active in programs, which accounts for 15.7% of the district’s students. That is increasing four to eight percent annually. Hispanic students accounted for 32% of the student population last year, and Mize noted that statewide it eclipsed 50% last year.

The board began steps to have the property north of the ball fields that was recently purchased to be annexed into the city.