EPISD board members Daniel Call and Valerie Beals announce resignations

By Robert Moore

Two members of the El Paso Independent School District Board of Trustees announced their resignations Friday, a day after the board voted to declare financial exigency and make unprecedented cuts to the district’s budget.

Daniel Call and Valerie Ganelon Beals, who both represent areas of West El Paso, told El Paso Matters they were resigning. Beals said she is moving to help her mother-in-law deal with stage 4 colon cancer; Call said he will issue a statement next week.

“At the end of the day, I have to take care of my family first. I have been so blessed to have learned so much from the board and I never regret my decision to serve. My job isn’t over yet. I will still be supporting our students and community, and will pray for EPISD,” Beals said.

Call, 40, who was first elected in 2019, is the longest-tenured member of the EPISD school board. He represents District 7, which primarily includes the Coronado High School feeder pattern.

Beals, 37, was elected in 2023 to represent District 6, which primarily covers the Franklin High School feeder pattern.

The remaining five board members have two options for filling the vacancies: calling a special election, or appointing trustees to represent the two districts until 2027, when the next election is scheduled.

“Earlier today, Trustee Valerie Beals and Trustee Daniel Call submitted their resignations. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we thank them for their years of service and wish them well,” board President Leah Hanany said in a statement.

This is a developing story and will be updated.