Educational Opportunities Committee Meeting – April 21, 2026
Educational Opportunities Committee Meeting – April 21, 2026
The Educational Opportunities Committee of the San Antonio City Council met on April 21, 2026, at 10:09 a.m. to receive briefings on the Bear County Continuum of Care Project, youth mental health initiatives, and a prototype for visualizing educational outcomes data. The meeting included public testimony and discussion among council members. No votes were taken aside from approving the minutes of the previous meeting.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the last meeting were approved unanimously by a voice vote. No corrections were noted.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Jessica Weaver, Communities and Schools: Spoke in strong support of the city's continued investment in youth mental health. She reported that through its partnership with the city, the organization has supported 92 students this school year, completing more than 1,000 clinical sessions and providing comprehensive case management for 425 family members. She shared a story of a mother of five fleeing a 12-year abusive relationship to illustrate the impact of school-based services, stating “there is no separation between the work of the city and the quality of our schools.”
Discussion Items
- Item 2: Bear County Continuum of Care Project (Erica Crawford, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute) : Crawford presented an 18-month planning process funded by an OJJDP grant aimed at reducing justice involvement for youth. Key data showed that Black youth, especially Black males, are referred, arrested, and detained at higher rates than their peers; top referral offenses are assault with bodily injury, family violence, and vaping; and school districts are the highest source of referrals to juvenile probation. The community-driven plan identified seven priorities, including expanding school-based supports, reducing penalties for adolescent behavior, and investing in workforce development. A comprehensive report will be released in late summer or early fall after OJJDP approval. Committee members asked about root causes of racial disparities, potential data overlays, and how to leverage city funds for implementation.
- Item 3: Overview Update on Youth Mental Health Initiatives (Jessica Higgins, Chief Mental Health Officer) : Higgins provided a timeline of mental health efforts since 2021. City ARPA-funded youth mental health contracts totaling $15.75 million (20 contracts) ended in 2025, serving more than 6,000 youth; of those with four or more sessions, 52% saw decreased symptoms and 44% saw increased well-being. Current general fund contracts with Communities and Schools and the Mobile Mental Health Collaborative serve 100 youth and 550 students, staff, and families respectively. The second annual Bexar Area School Safety and Mental Health Summit was held in November 2025 with over 150 attendees, and the third summit is scheduled for October 30, 2026. Higgins also discussed the impact of Senate Bill 12 (effective September 1, 2025) on school-based mental health services, noting decreased utilization and increased hospitalizations. The city is working on a school funding blueprint and continues legislative advocacy. Committee members asked about data on service overlaps, the T-Chat program, and funding barriers for school districts.
- Item 4: Debriefing Educational Outcomes Data Visualization Prototypes (Alex, Office of the City Manager) : Staff presented prototype interactive maps for three milestones—kindergarten readiness, third grade reading proficiency, and opportunity youth—by overlaying city program data (library story times, Ready to Work, Next Level Center) onto base maps. The maps highlighted geographic disparities in service access and outcomes. Committee members praised the work and suggested adding school district boundaries, refining data collection, and using the tool to inform resource allocation. The prototype is intended to be further refined based on committee feedback.
Key Outcomes
- No formal votes or motions were taken except the approval of the minutes.
- The committee directed staff to continue refining the data visualization prototype with additional layers and to coordinate with departments for more granular data.
- The third annual Teen Mental Health Survey is open until May 10, 2026, and all council offices will promote the flyer.
- Staff will explore opportunities to align city funding (e.g., delegate agency process, hotspot policing phase three) with priorities from the Continuum of Care plan and mental health initiatives.
- The committee expressed support for advocacy at the state level for school mental health funding and for the Raise Your Hand Texas campaign to access the Rainy Day Fund.
- Chair Galvan requested future briefings on pre-arrest diversion for youth and service density maps to better understand resource gaps.
Meeting Transcript
All right. At 1009 a.m. on this Tuesday, April 21st and 26th, we will call the Educational Opportunities Committee meeting to order. Medical Clerk will please call the roll. Councilmember Corps. Council Member McKee Rodriguez is here virtually. Councilmember Mungia. Councilmember Castillo. Chair Galvan. Here. Sir, we have a quorum. Thank you so much. First item of the agenda's approval of the minutes of the last meeting. Are there any corrections to the minutes? Can I get a motion to approve? And a second. Thank you. No, you're good. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Great. All right. We'll move to public comment. We have one person signed up to speak. We have Jessica Weaver from Communities and Schools. Thank you. Oh, sorry. No, I'm sorry. Oh, you're gonna put that down. Thank you so much. Um you got three minutes to speak. Go ahead. All right. Uh thank you for the opportunity to speak in support of your continued investment in youth mental health. Uh, we are deeply grateful for the partnership with the City of San Antonio to support students and families who are experiencing traumatic events. Through this partnership, our clinicians have become a trusted resource for school districts, particularly in moments following a handle with care call when a family may need immediate compassionate support. While not every family requires intensive services, our shared goal is to ensure accessible, responsive supports are available when they are needed, and that school districts have a clear, reliable pathway to connect families to help. This school year alone, we have supported 92 students, completing more than a thousand clinical sessions along with comprehensive case management for 425 family members. I want to briefly share one example that highlights the impact of this work. A mother of five recently fled a 12-year abusive relationship, leaving behind all of their belongings to start over in a safe home. With extremely limited resources, the family only had a sofa bed and an inflatable mattress. All six family members were sleeping together in the living room seeking safety but lacking stability. Our case manager and clinician conducted immediate needs assessment, identified safe sleeping arrangements as an urgent priority. Through community partnerships, we secured donations to in beds, full-size bed, bedding, and connected the family to clothing resources as well. Once the beds were delivered and assembled, the children were able to sleep in their own rooms for the first time. This intervention didn't just improve physical comfort, it provided dignity, root routine, and a meeting meaningful step forward toward emotional healing. These were five school-age students.
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