About Us

Socorro ISD Community Services

Location: The Socorro Independent School District is located in the southeastern portion of El Paso County, Texas. It serves Socorro, Horizon City, and the eastern portion of the City of El Paso. The District covers 136 square miles of El Paso County. The District's northern boundary is the Texas/New Mexico line its southern boundary is the Rio Grande River. We are in Texas Education Agency Region XIX.

Community Services Program: The program was created in the fall of 1991 in an effort to meet the varied needs of the Socorro ISD community. Over time, it has evolved to a dynamic and successful program serving over 2,000 participants and employing over 40 individuals. Following are the primary programs of the department.

Adult Basic Education: The Adult Basic Education Program provides instruction in English as a Second Language (ESL) to individuals wishing to learn English or improve their English speaking ability. It also provides basic skills and GED test preparation in both English and Spanish. Participants must be beyond compulsory school age and not have a high school diploma or be non-English speaking. Classes are offered at several sites and are free to participants. Classes are available both during daytime and evening hours.

The Displaced Worker Program serves people in our community who have lost their jobs and havea desire to learn new skills before re-entering the workforce. Workforce students participate in ahigh-intensity English and GED preparation program. Clients are referred by TWC and attend on a contractual basis. Classes are held at the Community Learning Center.

The EL/Civics Project incorporates English language literacy and civics education for immigrants and other limited English proficient populations. The Socorro project has a strong staff development emphasis and focuses on effective ESL instructional methodologies and the integration of technology into the classroom. This project has a website for the dissemination of program information. http://bordercivics.org

Even Start Family Literacy: The Even Start Family Literacy Program is a family-centered educational program that provides literacy training to parents and children. It is a comprehensive program that has four major components:

• Adult Education: focuses on classes in ESL, basic skills and GED preparation for parents.Early Childhood Education: encourages the emergent literacy of children and eases the transition of young children into school.Parenting Classes: enhances the parental skill and knowledge on child rearing practices and focuses on the central role that parents play in the development of their child.
• Parent and Child Together or "PACT" provides intergenerational activities that allow the child and parent an opportunity to learn together. Monthly home visits are also included.

To qualify, a family must reside in Socorro ISD; have a child between newborn and 7 years of age; qualify under ABE guidelines; and be considered "most in need."

Community Education: The Community Education Program offers a wide variety of classes to meet the educational, recreational and personal growth needs of community members of all ages. After school and intersession activities are provided for school-aged children. Classes are both free and fee-paid. Many of these services are provided through a collaborative with the El Paso Center for Children and The Texas Department for Families and Protective Services. The collaborative project: The El Paso Families: Together and Safe Program is a family preservation and family support project implemented by local service providers, and a variety of community representatives. The goal is to increase the ability of families to access resources that will help foster the health and safe development of all family members. The project offers a variety of services including parenting classes aimed at meeting the needs of the entire community. Individual, family counseling is also available on a referral basis.