Edinburg CISD trustees discuss cancer awareness event, mental health services, community advisory committee and negative enrollment trends
Editor’s Note: The Jan. 13, 2026 meeting of the ECISD School Board covered a large number of topics with many details. We have opted to write multiple stories about the meeting in order to provide as much detail and information as possible to our readers. Other stories will appear later in the day.
Arnoldo Mata
Edinburg TX — Student enrollment in Edinburg CISD schools continued to drop in December compared to last year, Board of Trustees members learned during their meeting this week. Board members also heard reports about mental health support programs and a major cancer awareness event. Trustees also discussed the appointment to members to a community advisory committee
Enrollment update: down 1,025
In the final portion of the superintendent’s report, administrators presented an enrollment update dated Jan. 9, 2026. Total district enrollment stood at 32,399 students, representing a decrease of 1,025 students compared with the same instructional day last year.
Elementary enrollment was reported at 16,192 students, down 536; middle school enrollment at 6,494 students, down 146; and high school enrollment at 9,713 students, down 343.
Administrators also reported 71 mid-year graduates, noting many were students who did not graduate with their original cohorts and have since completed requirements. Officials said staff continue efforts to reengage students who withdrew earlier and are monitoring reporting deadlines that affect accountability measures.
Hope in All Colors cancer awareness event
District officials announced Edinburg CISD will host its first districtwide cancer awareness event, Hope in All Colors, on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, at Richard R. Flores Stadium. The event is designed to bring together students, families, staff and community members for what presenters described as an uplifting and educational evening focused on awareness, early detection, remembrance and unity.
Doors will open at 4:30 p.m., with pre-show performances beginning at 5 p.m., including a white dove release and student performances leading into the main program at 6:20 p.m. Fine arts students from across the district will perform throughout the evening, with organizers saying the performances are intended to guide the emotional flow of the program and highlight how the arts can help communities process and heal.
Storytelling will be a central feature of the event. Video testimonials will include Edinburg CISD staff members and an elementary student currently battling cancer, staff members who have survived cancer, and family members sharing stories of loss and resilience. Some board members are also expected to share personal experiences related to cancer.
Education and prevention will also be emphasized, with a former mayor and medical professionals scheduled to speak about cancer screenings, early detection and informed health decisions.
The event will conclude with a community reflection moment on the football field. Football players and cheerleaders will escort community members as they surround large cancer awareness ribbons representing different cancer types. The 26-foot ribbons were designed, built and painted by the district’s career and technical education students and will be placed along the field with shelving for tea lights to honor loved ones affected by cancer.
An accompanying art initiative included a districtwide contest at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Four high school winners and one grand champion were selected. The four winners will each receive $1,000, while the grand champion will receive $1,500, with the winning artwork featured in future promotional materials and a Hope in All Colors calendar.
District officials emphasized the event is fully sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield, resulting in no cost to the district. Board members publicly thanked the sponsor during the meeting.
Community advisory committee discussion
Trustees also discussed plans to establish a community advisory committee as part of the district’s Lone Star Governance framework. Board leaders stressed the committee would be advisory only, with no voting authority, and intended to provide structured feedback from community members on district operations, programs and concerns.
Several trustees raised questions about clarifying the committee’s purpose, roles and expectations, noting some parents involved in existing parent organizations had expressed concern or confusion about how the new advisory group would fit alongside current committees.
Legal counsel told trustees he is drafting proposed roles and responsibilities for the committee and plans to share them with the full board for review before bringing them back for formal approval. Once approved, the guidelines would be posted publicly to ensure transparency.
Board members described the committee as an opportunity to broaden community input, particularly during a year marked by new policies, operational challenges and campus issues such as flooding concerns. Trustees said the goal is to improve communication and ensure community voices help inform district decision-making without replacing existing parent involvement structures.
Mental health services overview
The board then received a detailed presentation on student and staff mental health services provided across Edinburg CISD. District officials outlined counseling services available at every campus, including school counselors, licensed social workers, licensed professional counselors and telehealth services through a university partnership.
Officials said the district employs one counselor at each elementary campus and a total of 56 counselors at secondary campuses, along with 22 social workers currently on staff, with two vacancies expected to be filled. Social workers provide crisis intervention, counseling, home visits, referrals to outside agencies and advocacy for students’ social and emotional needs.
The presentation also highlighted the district’s use of licensed professional counselors for both students and employees, telehealth counseling services, anonymous reporting tools for bullying and mental health concerns, and behavioral threat assessment protocols required under state guidance.
Trustees asked for additional data on service usage and requested future reports detailing counselor schedules by campus level to better understand workload concerns. Administrators reported that, so far this school year, 1,824 students have been served through social work services, with more than 7,400 individual service logs recorded.
District officials also reviewed ongoing staff training requirements, including Youth Mental Health First Aid, trauma-informed practices and mandated online training modules.
The superintendent thanked staff for their work and encouraged continued efforts to support students academically and emotionally as the school year progresses.
Editor’s Note: The Jan. 13, 2026 meeting of the ECISD School Board covered a large number of topics with many details. We have opted to write multiple stories about the meeting in order to provide as much detail and information as possible to our readers. Other stories will appear later in the day.