ECISD Targets Student Recovery as Project Gateway Nears Sept. 26 Deadline, Trustees Call for New Approaches
Arnoldo Mata
EDINBURG, TX – Edinburg CISD officials say more than 500 students who had left the district returned this fall as part of the district’s ongoing Project Gateway recovery initiative, but trustees pressed administrators Monday night to think beyond traditional methods to better connect with students at risk of dropping out.
The report came during last night’s Edinburg CISD Board of Trustees meeting.
Dr. Sonya Rodriguez, assistant superintendent, told trustees the district began the school year searching for 1,178 students who had left during the 2024–25 school year. “Through our efforts, 533 students came back to Edinburg this school year, and 502 of them remain actively enrolled,” Rodriguez said. “We feel like we have a lot to offer in our district, and we want our students to stay with us.”
Freddy Martinez, director for PIEMS and Pupil Accounting, added that many students who left had valid “leaver” reasons such as moving out of state or entering homeschool programs. “All in all, these are good outcomes for accountability,” Martinez said. “But what we’re really focused on is keeping those 502 students who are back with us in school and on track to graduate.”
Rodriguez credited attendance clerks, truancy officers and dropout prevention staff for going door-to-door and removing barriers that keep students out of school. “Sometimes parents tell us they don’t send their child because they don’t have uniforms,” she said. “That’s where we step in to provide support.”
Still, trustees raised concerns that retention requires more than just recovering students. Board member Xavier Salinas, who requested the report, argued that students often leave because they feel disconnected. “Kids come to school also to be entertained, to be part of something,” he said. “If they feel like loners, they leave again. We need safe clubs, mentorships and programs that make them feel like they belong.”
Salinas also pushed for immediate workforce training opportunities. “We need agreements with CDL schools, barber schools, welding schools—programs that give kids certifications right away,” he said. “Not every student is cut out for a four-year college, but they can still be productive citizens with the right training.”
Trustee Letty Garcia echoed support for added social-emotional initiatives, saying, “I believe in second chances. Every student deserves that extra hand, especially after the challenges of COVID-19.”
Board members Dominga Vela and Carmen Gonzalez urged the administration to avoid repeating strategies that have had limited results. “Not all students are the same,” Vela said. “Some will thrive in traditional academics, but others need pathways that fit their strengths. We should show them they can succeed without a college degree.”
Gonzalez added that the district must focus on “what we are doing different, not just what we’ve always done,” in order to lower dropout rates.
Project Gateway runs through Sept. 26, with district leaders aiming to reduce the dropout rate to 1 percent. Last year, ECISD finished at 1.26 percent. Rodriguez said the district is ahead of schedule but acknowledged, “These final students are the toughest ones to find.”
The board is expected to revisit the discussion later this month with an update on whether additional programs, such as workforce training partnerships or new student clubs, will be pursued.