Hidalgo County and Region 1 launch 'Reel Them In' dropout recovery partnership

Hidalgo County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Hidalgo County Community Service Agency (CSA) and Region 1 Education Service Center to launch an incentive-based dropout prevention and recovery initiative called "Reel Them In."

The program targets disconnected youth — residents aged roughly 16 to 24 who left school before earning a high school diploma — and pairs county incentives with Region 1’s existing recovery programs and school-district partners. County staff said the program couples financial incentives with wraparound services and pathways to vocational training, industry credentials, or college.

Why it matters: Hidalgo County’s metropolitan area ranks among the nation’s highest in the percentage of young people without a high school diploma; presenters told the court that roughly 18.8% of the local youth cohort lacks a diploma. County leaders framed the initiative as a prevention and economic-development priority: graduates are more likely to be employed, to earn higher incomes, and to participate in postsecondary training.

Program design and roles: Jaime Laguerre, representing the Hidalgo County Community Service Agency, told the court CSA will manage incentives and has already allocated more than $20,000 for the initiative’s initial cohorts. Dr. King, representing Region 1 Education Service Center, described an earlier dropout-recovery high school model and said Region 1 now partners with districts to operate local recovery pathways. Darcy Cuellar and CSA staff were introduced as the program’s on-the-ground coordinators for participating campuses.

Direct quote: "These are disconnected youth between the ages of 16 and 24," Laguerre said during the presentation. "...18.8% of our youth population is at home or somewhere without a high school diploma, without a high school education." Dr. King added that the program approach had produced measurable results in other communities, saying it "makes a huge difference in these young people's life to get their high school diploma, to get some industry credentials or transition to college."

Court action and next steps: The court approved a resolution formally recognizing and supporting the MOU and the program’s launch. The MOU outlines coordination between Region 1 and Hidalgo County CSA, with CSA providing incentives tied to attendance, credential attainment, and re-enrollment milestones. County staff said the program currently operates in three districts, produced more than 100 graduates last year, and plans expansion to additional campuses in the coming school year.

What remains unresolved: The MOU and resolution set the partnership framework; details on long-term funding commitments, specific per-student incentive amounts, and program metrics were described in general terms at the meeting and will be handled by CSA and Region 1 as the program scales.