Dear EPISD, 

Last weekend, I had the honor of attending the Region 19 Teacher of the Year Gala, a true showing of excellence in education. Region 19 recognized MacArthur’s Andreana ‘Coach Shuga’ Harkless as the second-runner up for Secondary Teacher of the Year. It was a proud moment for me as a superintendent to stand alongside both ‘Coach Shuga’ and Don Haskin’s Amy Martinez Perez as they represented El Paso ISD.

Meeting Amy and Andreana and listening to them speak about their profession and their students reinforces what I know about teaching. It is so much more than a profession, it’s a calling. Their dedication inspires me. I’m proud of them and all teachers across El Paso ISD who shared their role in student success. 

As you might already know, El Paso ISD received a B or 87 accountability rating from the Texas Education Agency for 2021-2022. Of our 76 campuses, 26 earned an A rating and 39 received a B rating. Overall, 43 campuses increased their ratings from 2019, the last school year TEA rated schools because of the pandemic. A further breakdown of the data shows 23 schools improved by a whole letter grade. Four schools earned every available distinction designation: Wiggs Middle School, El Paso High School, Silva Health Magnet and Transmountain Early College High School. I would like to congratulate those campuses and our A-plus rated schools: Cielo Vista, Hughey, Lamar, Lundy, Milam, Polk and Tippin elementary schools; and Silva Health Magnet and Transmountain Early College High School.

Our students, teachers, staff and parents have worked diligently over the course of last year to earn these distinctions. I’m proud of the work we’ve done but we aren’t finished. The goal is always to be an A-rated school district. This school year, we will be redesigning our curriculum in core content areas to provide more laser-focused instruction in the classroom to reach and maintain that goal.

El Paso ISD will continue to forge the path of education in the region as it has for more than a century. 

It Starts with Us.