Round Rock ISD Turns To Harlingen CISD for Leadership Guidance

Last month Round Rock ISD Trustee Brian Sellers joined that vast club of politicians who have suddenly discovered they "want to spend more time with family," and resigned without fulfilling the elected term of office.  Sellers' abrupt and unexpected resignation gave the existing trustees the power to appoint a replacement without voter input, and this week they chose newcomer Claudio Cruz, who works for Austin ISD.

Some members of the board were very excited about Mr. Cruz since he has experience in passing bonds and, like both the former and current Superintendent, he also hails from Harlingen CISD.  I have been inundated with emails and phone calls asking me if I can shed any light on what the fascination may be with Harlingen, but I'm afraid I've got nothing.  I'm sure Harlingen has a lovely school system, but if the Round Rock folks are looking for a successful program to emulate I'm not sure why they would recruit from a district with student achievement scores some 17 points below ours.  (RRISD received a score of 88; HCISD received a 71)  Maybe this has something to do with it?

It is unclear as to how long Mr. Cruz has been in Round Rock, but surely he knew Superintendent Steve Flores back in Harlingen? 

Next year, the Round Rock board will be trying to convince voters to approve a bond package, so get ready for the so-called "Citizen" bond committee.  And oh, by the way,  this week four of the board members voted against any transparency or 'conflict of interest' policies for the 'citizen' bond committee members, so expect plenty of business as usual.  

New Beginnings for Round Rock ISD?

Well, it looks like the Round Rock ISD may have a new superintendent lined up.  Only one candidate has emerged from the school board's search to replace the highly controversial Jesus Chavez.  Another Harlingen CISD veteran, Dr. Steve Flores, was announced as the lone finalist last Friday. 

Several area news sources reported that Chavez "shocked the community when he announced that he would not be serving out the remaining two and half years on his contract."  The truth is that few were actually "shocked," but many were relieved.  During Chavez' tenure, the district has seen declining ratings, sloppy procedure, and an erosion of fiscal responsibility.  His actions regarding boundaries and construction have pitted the various communities of the ISD against each other, and his political posturing has wreaked havoc with the reputation of the district.  Chavez asserted last year that superintendents do not have to comply with elected school board authority, but the Texas Legislature overwhelmingly rejected that claim and passed legislation stating as much.  Chavez' days were numbered.

Hopefully, if approved, the new Superintendent will focus on making RRISD a solid district again.  With intense growth in Central Texas, the community will need new schools and strong leadership that works for the entire community.  Let's hope Dr. Flores will usher in a new era.