Jaime Aquino meets with parents at a now-shuttered SAISD elementary school campus. Credit: Sanford Nowlin
San Antonio ISD Superintendent Jaime Aquino on Friday abruptly announced his retirement, saying he’ll end his tenure in January 2027 after 40 years in public education.
“This was not an easy decision,” Aquino said in a statement the district distributed just before its spring break. “I look forward to spending more time with my family, whom I have, for many years, unintentionally placed second to the demands of this work.”
Aquino, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, took SAISD’s top post after his predecessor, Pedro Martinez, departed to lead Chicago’s public school system. Before landing in the Alamo City, Aquino served in districts including New York City, Los Angeles and Denver.
During his time running SAISD, Aquino oversaw the district’s controversial efforts to close underutilized campuses as it grappled with budget deficits and declining enrollment — a process he referred to as “rightsizing.”
SAISD’s Board of Trustees will reveal details about its superintendent search in the coming weeks, according to the announcement.
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Sanford Nowlin is editor-in-chief of the San Antonio Current. He holds degrees from Trinity University and the University of Texas at San Antonio, and his work has been featured in Salon, Alternet, Creative…
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