SISD seeks state certification waiver to name interim chief James Vasquez as superintendent
by Claudia Lorena SilvaJuly 24, 2025
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The Socorro Independent School District, which is seeking to appoint James Vasquez as its permanent superintendent, must first obtain a certification waiver from the state before finalizing an employment contract.
After meeting behind closed doors for several hours Wednesday, the SISD Board of Trustees unanimously voted to apply for the waiver that would allow Vasquez to serve as superintendent without first taking the required course or exam.
In Texas, superintendents must have a master’s degree, hold a principal certification or a managerial experience certificate, successfully complete a superintendent preparation program and pass an exam, according to the Texas Education Agency.
Vasquez, who now serves as interim superintendent, holds a principal certification, and two elementary school teaching certifications, State Board of Educator Certification records show.
If a prospective superintendent does not have the proper certification, state law allows school districts to request a waiver from the Texas commissioner of education. The candidate cannot be appointed to the position until the waiver is approved.
SISD attorney Steve Blanco said the documents needed for the waiver application are already being gathered.
“We cannot finalize the agreement until that is done,” Blanco added.
The SISD board on Wednesday deliberated the proposed terms and conditions for Vasquez’s contract, which Blanco said had a few items that needed to be finalized “between lawyers.”
Vasquez, who did not comment after the meeting, will continue to serve under the title of interim superintendent until the waiver is approved and the board formally appoints him as the permanent leader.
The board voted unanimously in late June to name Vasquez as the lone finalist for superintendent. Under his current contract, he’s paid an annual salary of $230,000. This includes a $199 daily stipend for his duties as interim superintendent, on top of his regular daily pay rate as deputy superintendent overseeing district operations.
As superintendent, Vasquez will manage and oversee the district’s operations, including an annual budget of $454.2 million, 5,700 employees and over 46,600 students. The district has faced several budget challenges, and in spring laid off about 25 teachers.
SISD has been under the oversight of two state conservators since April 2024.
The SISD board appointed Vasquez interim leader in April 2024, after former Superintendent Nate Carman was placed on paid leave following an audit that found he awarded contracts to a company he had previously done business with before joining the district. Carman denied wrongdoing and filed a grievance challenging the board’s action to place him on leave.
The attorney who handled the grievance, Robert Blumenfeld, said the board acted within its authority. He said Carman’s actions helped the company in question receive contracts, but that didn’t mean he “violated procurement law or did anything wrong” in the contract award.
Carman signed on with the district in March 2022 under a three-year contract with an annual salary of $335,000.
Throughout the latest superintendent search process, attendees at community meetings said they wanted someone from El Paso to serve as the district’s next leader.
Vasquez started his career in education as a teacher in 1995 at SISD’s Hueco Elementary School and has served as a principal at the Ysleta and El Paso school districts.
11:35 a.m. Thursday, July 24: This story has been updated to include information on a grievance former Superintendent Nate Carman filed against Socorro Independent School District.
Claudia Lorena Silva
Claudia Silva was born and raised in El Paso and studied journalism at New Mexico State University. She's covered a number of topics, from education to arts and culture, in both Texas and New Mexico. More by Claudia Lorena Silva
