EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14/CBS4) — The Ysleta Independent School District Board of Trustees conducted its annual performance evaluation of Superintendent Dr. Xavier De La Torre during a special board meeting on Wednesday.
The evaluation gave positive feedback regarding Dr. De La Torre’s leadership as the district embarks on a new five-year plan aimed at improving student outcomes, employee satisfaction, community engagement, and fiscal stability.
Additionally, during Wednesday’s board meeting, Dr. De La Torre declined a pay increase or contract extension due to ongoing budget challenges, opting to delay any salary adjustments until the district’s budget can support more substantial pay raises for employees.
“I want to commend Dr. De La Torre for his thoughtful and successful leadership at Ysleta ISD, and for his awareness of the difficult economic realities our district and community are facing,” Board President Charlie Bustillos said. “We’re grateful for the exceptional job he’s done in supporting students and staff, and his steady guidance in transforming the district into one of the top 14% in the state.”
Dr. De La Torre, who has been with Ysleta ISD since 2014, is the district’s second-longest serving superintendent, surpassing the median tenure of three years for superintendents in Texas.
His tenure is second only to Dr. J.M. Hanks, who served as the district’s first superintendent for 51 years until his retirement in 1980.
“I want to focus on the hard work that lies ahead in maintaining our standing as the No. 1 district in El Paso, with the most ‘A’-rated schools, and the highest college & career readiness scores when compared to other local districts,” Dr. De La Torre said.
He also emphasized the importance of the district’s faculty, staff, and administrators, stating, “The success of our schools is due in great part to the exceptional faculty, staff, and administrators who work hard every day to serve our families – and given the sensitive financial state of the district, I always want to ensure our employees are taken care of first.”
The budget challenges come after the Board of Trustees approved the Vision 2030 Strategic Action Plan in November, a comprehensive five-year plan that outlines goals for student achievement, stakeholder engagement, and district finances, operations, and safety.
The plan includes strategies to build on successful initiatives and best practices, with a focus on continual progress-monitoring.
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