SAN ANTONIO – Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath notified the South San Independent School District’s Board of Trustees Thursday that he is beginning the process of identifying potential members of a board of managers to take control of the school district.
Earlier in November, the conservator overseeing the South San ISD Board of Trustees wrote a letter to Morath and recommended a board of managers be put in place to govern the district.
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Morath has directed his staff to “gauge the level of interest within the community in serving on a prospective Board of Managers.”
In his letter to the district, Morath invited trustees to meet with him to discuss Dr. Abelardo Saavedra’s recommendations for the district.
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Saavedra was appointed conservator for the district by the Texas Education Agency in September 2023. He served as superintendent of the South San ISD from 2014 to 2019.
In his letter, Saavedra said that a board of managers would “facilitate a clean break from the governance failures that have persisted in South San Antonio ISD and facilitate an opportunity for the district to be governed by community members who can implement best practices and provide wise oversight and strong governance.”
Saavedra mentioned in the letter that the board failed to meet specific benchmarks set by the Texas Education Agency for the South San ISD School Board. Saavedra wrote that the board “has not yet completed any exit criteria.”
Saavedra wrote in the letter that board members did not complete the training required by the state. He added that the reason why it has not been completed is because at least one member of the board has been absent for training.
“This blatant disregard for Texas law and lack of initiative in seeking growth opportunities gives me serious concerns about whether this board has the appropriate mindset or ability to govern the district effectively,” Saavedra wrote.
As far as governing the district, Saavedra wrote that the board has dedicated about 30% of its meeting time to student outcomes, which is about half of what the TEA expects from school boards. He also referenced the discord among board members and the lack of board members' attendance at meetings.
“This lack of commitment during such a critical time for the board gives me serious concerns about their willingness to govern the district moving forward,” Saavedra wrote.
Saavedra also cited specific incidents between board members to illustrate the board‘s lack of willingness to collaborate with Superintendent Henry Yzaguirre and communicate with staff and the public. Saavedra cited several meetings where the board “struggled to maintain proper decorum.” He even mentioned the arrest of board member Abel Martinez in October 2023 for an incident during that month’s meeting. Those charges were later dismissed, according to Saavedra.
Saavedra added that the board does not communicate or engage with its constituents or the community. Saavedra wrote that he recommended to the board president that the board host a series of meetings with the public to educate potential school board candidates, but those meetings never occurred. Saavedra said that, as a result, the November election was canceled because each race had only one candidate.
In a statement to KSAT, South San ISD Director of Communications Alexis LaFosse said:
“This morning, the TEA appointed conservator overseeing South San Antonio Independent School District made a recommendation to the TEA Commissioner to replace our current Board of Trustees with a state-appointed Board of Managers. At this time, we have not received any formal communication from TEA regarding a final decision on this recommendation. We understand the importance of this decision and want to assure our students, staff, and families that we remain committed to doing what is in the best interest of the SSAISD community. Our focus will continue to be on providing a high-quality education and supporting our students, employees, and families throughout this process.”