Mysterious misconduct allegations and mid-year moves are spurring a flurry of superintendent shake-ups within Texas school districts.
At any given time, dozens of the state’s independent school districts are searching for new superintendents.
Lake Travis ISD is the latest district to place its top administrator on paid administrative leave due to allegations of misconduct.
During a special meeting Tuesday night, trustees voted unanimously to put Superintendent Paul Norton on leave effective immediately. Assistant Superintendent Pam Sanchez was named acting superintendent.
Norton has held the superintendent position since 2020. Some residents have accused him and other administrators of financial misconduct and said they provided documentation in a grievance submitted to the district in January.
But Lake Travis ISD officials are keeping mum about the details of the allegations against Norton, which Board President Erin Archer described as “new information” presented to trustees in a report they reviewed during a closed session.
Also on Tuesday, Norton announced that the district’s police chief is leaving to take a new job starting next month.
In other superintendent shake-ups across the state:
Granbury ISD trustees announced Tuesday that Courtney Morawski is their lone finalist for superintendent.
By law, a 21-day waiting period is required from the time districts announce a candidate until the finalist is officially hired and a contract is signed. Other applicants’ names are not revealed, as many are currently working in other districts.
Granbury ISD’s previous superintendent, Jeremy Glenn, left in August to take the top administrative spot in Carroll ISD.
Grand Prairie ISD voted in December to fire Superintendent Jorge Arredondo after just five months on the job. He started in July and was placed on paid administrative leave in September over allegations of discrimination against district employees. Following a secretive investigation, trustees voted 5-2 to fire Arredondo on December 2—but not before he filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the district.
Deputy Superintendent of Business Operations Tracy Ray is serving as acting superintendent.
Bonham ISD trustees placed Superintendent Joy Wilson on administrative leave on November 26—just seven months after they hired her for the job in April—due to undisclosed concerns about her performance.
During a December 9 meeting, trustees voted unanimously to voluntarily separate with Wilson and announced new hire Keith Boles will take over as interim superintendent starting January 6.
Mart ISD Superintendent Betsy Burnett was placed on leave on November 25, pending termination of her contract. No specific reasons were made public, but a statement from the district said trustees had worked “since early this year to improve the joint leadership between the Board and Superintendent.”
Burnett issued a statement saying she “engaged legal counsel to address the matter.”
On December 5, trustees voted to appoint Len Williams as acting superintendent. Williams was Mart ISD’s superintendent before Burnett took the job in 2019.
Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD trustees chose Waxahachie ISD Superintendent Jerry Hollingsworth to replace their retiring superintendent on November 4.
Waxahachie ISD then named Associate Superintendent David Averett as interim superintendent. Averrett caused a stir with a social media post describing local Republican Party members as “a group of bobble-headed knuckle draggers.”
Harlingen CISD trustees agreed in September to let Superintendent J.A. Gonzalez resign and “pursue other interests” after just one year on the job, citing “serious issues” related to district finances. Again, no details were disclosed.
Gonzalez took the job in July 2023 after eight years as McAllen ISD’s superintendent. Harlingen CISD trustees voted in April to give Gonzalez a $10,000 raise, to $310,000, and extended his contract.
Fort Worth ISD trustees agreed in September to accept the resignation of Superintendent Angelica Ramsey after two years on the job. They also agreed to a million-dollar buyout of her contract.
Trustees chose Deputy Superintendent Karen Molinar to serve as interim superintendent while the troubled district searches for another top administrator.
Elected school board trustees are tasked with hiring—and firing—district superintendents and setting their salaries and other contract terms.
Texas has more than 1,000 independent school districts and almost 5.5 million students enrolled in government-run public schools.
A handful of law firms specialize in conducting superintendent searches. The Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) also offers executive search services, as do some of the state’s regional Education Service Centers. Districts can also conduct their own recruiting.
TexasISD.com, which tracks superintendent job searches, shows dozens of vacancies statewide.
