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PEÑITAS — If the Texas Education Agency intervenes at La Joya ISD, residents could see a seven member board of managers and a superintendent picked by Commissioner Mike Morath at the district’s helm by the end of October, TEA Deputy Commissioner of Governance Steve Lecholop told locals Monday.
All of that’s predicated on a big if.
La Joya ISD is resisting intervention and is slated to appeal it at a hearing on Aug. 28, after which Morath has 30 days to decide whether to appoint a board.
The agency, however, is wasting no time laying the groundwork for intervention.
It posted applications for the prospective board last week. Lecholop said 22 had applied as of Monday.
He and a bevy of TEA staff attended Monday’s meeting in Peñitas to explain the board of managers process to community members, and were slated to hold another meeting in Sullivan City Tuesday.
The agency has detailed application instructions and qualifications posted on its website, but Lecholop clarified what the agency is looking for Monday.
The agency is not looking for applicants who are politically motivated, current elected politicians, vendors or individuals with financial conflicts with vendors. Current board trustees are ineligible — though they’ll remain in office, potentially in an advisory capacity without any real power.
Most — possibly all — of the board would be district residents.
Lecholop described ideal candidates as student-focused, service-oriented individuals willing to pass a thorough application process and dedicate a fair amount of time to training.
They should also have thick skin.
Attendees at the meeting expressed concern over retaliation and ugly politics.
Lecholop acknowledged that enduring criticism will likely be part of the gig.
“It’s a tough job, but it’s a critical job. Because our children deserve it.” he said.
If the state intervenes, Morath will choose a superintendent to lead the district.
The La Joya school board appointed Beto Gonzalez interim superintendent following the hasty departure of superintendent Gisela Saenz in April.
Lecholop, who noted Gonzalez is welcome to apply, said the agency hopes to start looking at superintendent candidates this week.
“Very similar to our board of managers application, we will have a superintendent application process. We are resolute in maintaining confidentiality in accordance with state law for superintendents who apply, just like a normal superintendent search would,” he said. “And what we really hope to do is to find the best fit superintendent to serve the students of La Joya ISD and to fix some of the systemic issues that were surfaced through the report and recommendation that the investigation team and TEA uncovered.”
The prospect of Morath appointing a new superintendent was met by applause by the majority of the few dozen individuals at Monday’s meeting.
In June, the district solicited applicants for superintendent itself. That application closed in July.
Lecholop said Morath’s appointment would trump either an interim superintendent or superintendent named by the board.
“The commissioner’s appointment would supersede any action that the board takes,” he said. “Now, there are contractual issues that would have to get worked out, certainly, but ultimately the commissioner is going to appoint a superintendent whenever he appoints a board of managers — if that ultimately is the decision that he makes.”
If a board is appointed, Deputy Commissioner of Operations Alejandro Delgado said Monday, the district could see leadership begin to transfer back to local control in about two years, assuming it meets criteria.
Responsibility would gradually transition back to elected control in phases.
The state’s attempt at intervention follows two former board trustees and three former administrators at the district pleading guilty to corruption charges, scandals that preceded a TEA investigation into the district.
Earlier this year, that investigation yielded a recommendation to install a board of managers.
Lecholop emphasized Monday that that sort of misbehavior underlies the prospective intervention.
“This intervention is not about the kids of La Joya — who are beautiful and smart and hard working, and doing amazing despite adult behaviors and adult actions,” he said. “We’re here because of adult behaviors that are impeding the students’ ability to achieve at the highest level that they can.”
