A year into the state’s takeover of the South San Antonio Independent School District, the Texas Education Agency appointed a new conservator to oversee
the district.
Diana
Sayavedra, the former superintendent of El Paso ISD, has supervised
the district for TEA since February. She retired from the El Paso school system
in June 2025 and remained superintendent emeritus, an honorary title for outgoing superintendents, until the end of January.
She succeeded Abe Saavedra, a former South San superintendent who served as the district’s conservator both before and after the state took over the district. TEA appoints conservators to oversee local district leadership and work alongside state-appointed leaders.
RELATED: One year later: How a TEA takeover has changed South San Antonio ISD
At
an August board meeting, Sayavedra said the district has made “significant progress” toward reaching its exit criteria, which will help the district transition back to local control. The criteria
include improving campus ratings to academically acceptable scores
and the board working collaboratively with district administration.
The TEA released new state accountability scores in mid-August, and South San had nine of its 12 campuses score a C or higher.
“I have read the articles. I’ve seen the data, and the school district is well on the way, you know, to success. But there are several pieces of work that still need to be done,” she said. “If we stay the course and work with the plan, we’re going to meet that exit criteria.”
At El Paso ISD, Sayavedra tackled the district’s $32 million deficit, sold 16 surplus properties and focused on early learning and community engagement, El Paso ISD officials wrote in her June 2025 retirement announcement.
Why did TEA take over South San Antonio ISD?
Decades of school board dysfunction and infighting led TEA to appoint Saavedra as conservator to oversee South San Antonio ISD in 2023. The state agency took over the district in February 2025, replacing the superintendent and board of trustees with appointees.
The state education agency typically appoints
conservators to oversee and direct struggling local district leadership. They have the power to override the decisions of school district leadership.
For districts under takeover with a state-appointed superintendent and board, like South San, conservators serve as a liaison between the district and TEA and assist the appointed superintendent with district management. Saavedra continued overseeing the district’s progress after the takeover.
Superintendent Saul Hinojosa said Saavedra resigned from the role due to an illness in his family, not for reasons related to the job.
“Family always comes first,” Hinojosa said.
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This article originally published at Former El Paso ISD superintendent is South San Antonio ISD’s latest conservator.