EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14/CBS4) — Parents across the El Paso Independent School District (EPISD) are raising alarms over a significant lapse in student safety measures.
Months into the school year, many students have yet to receive their required identification cards, a situation that has left parents concerned about campus security and communication from the district.
Michelle Valencia, an EPISD parent, emphasized the importance of identification, saying, “That’s a big red flag given for, you know, you go to work and you expect to have a badge the same here for school. You know, identification is very important.”
Sandra Jenkins, an EPISD grandparent, echoed these concerns, stating, “Anybody that’s going to be in the campus has to have an ID so they can get on and people know that they’re here and they’re safe.”
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The issue appears widespread, parents have posted online of several schools, including Chapin, Coronado, Andress High, and the Young Woman’s Academy.
Some parents have been informed that the machines used to produce the IDs are malfunctioning.
Jenkins expressed her worry, noting that her granddaughter, who started her first year at EPISD, still hasn’t received an ID card despite it being December.
According to state law, House Bill 4197 mandates that school districts issue every high school student an ID card featuring their name, photo, and birth month and year.
Front of EPISD student ID. (Credit: KFOX14/CBS4)
The typical EPISD ID card includes a photo, student name, ID number, barcode, and school, with a statement on the back declaring it district property and official student identification.
Back of EPISD student ID. (Credit: KFOX14/CBS4)
In response to the concerns, the district released a statement acknowledging the issue:
El Paso ISD is aware of concerns regarding identification cards at certain campuses and is actively working to ensure all students receive IDs. Student safety remains intact. EPISD campuses maintain multiple layers of security, with student ID cards serving as one part of a comprehensive safety framework. Schools continue to follow established procedures, including staff supervision, controlled access points, and visitor sign-in protocols that require valid government-issued identification when applicable.
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However, with some campuses still unable to issue IDs, parents’ concerns continue to grow.
Jenkins warned, “That anybody can walk in with a weapon and then what happens? And this is a very open campus. So it’s a big, big safety issue.”
The district has not specified which campuses are affected, the cause of the delay, or when the issue will be resolved.
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