EPISD board votes to hire search firm to help find superintendent
UPDATE, Jan. 12: The EPISD voted 4 to 3 on Tuesday to seek proposals from search firms to assist the board in hiring a new superintendent for El Paso's largest school district.
Those board trustees voting yes were Al Velarde, Daniel Call, Freddy Khlayel-Avalos and Bob Geske. Voting no were Diane Dye, Josh Acevedo and Chuck Taylor.
ORIGINAL REPORT, Jan. 5: EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The El Paso Independent School District Board of Trustees met Tuesday to discuss the search for the district’s next superintendent.
The meeting came after the board voted to part ways with former EPISD superintendent Juan Cabrera in the fall. The decision was made after a lawsuit filed in California alleged wrongdoing by Cabrera while consulting for a charter school company in east Texas.
Josh Acevedo, an EPISD Board of Trustees member, is advocating against the use of a search firm to fill the spot. Rather, he said he hopes to involve the El Paso community and suggested the formation of an advisory committee made up of community members.
Acevedo said his ideal candidate would have a background in education and a rich understanding of the El Paso community.
“I want this next person to be from El Paso, that they're going to have an understanding of where the community is, especially after this Covid-19 pandemic,” Acevedo said. “The person needs to get to work immediately and know our students, our population, know the issues that affect us.”
One of the issues he cited was the district’s decline in enrollment.
Acevedo said he hopes the board can fill the superintendent position by early on in the next school year.
The board didn't make a decision Tuesday on the method they’ll use to fill the superintendent's post, which is now expected at their next meeting set for Jan. 19.
