This from Xavier Miranda:
The opportunity to authentically reform the education system of our children in El Paso is quickly approaching. Now that the proposal to close 22 schools in our district has been postponed, thanks largely to a letter issued by our Texas State Delegation, attention is focused on the transition to a democratically-elected school board of trustees.
Issues that need to be asked of school board candidates at upcoming forums should include the following:
Public Facility Corporation
Realizing the likely demise of a School Bond or a Tax Ratification Election (TRE), the current Board of Managers approved the formation of a Public Facility Corporation, circumventing voter approval, to pay for the razing of district offices on Boeing, and subsequent construction in the Northeast, with the amount capped at $29 million.
A suggestion commonly heard among parents and educators, is to move district administrative operations to one of the buildings that the Jacobs Engineering Firm deemed under-capacity.
Another suggestion is to move students from the numerous PORTABLE CLASSROOMS into the aforementioned buildings, and have district officials migrate into the portable units. To quote a parent, “After all, if students and teachers can function in such settings, so can administrators.”
The savings incurred would better be utilized on resources that directly impact our children.
Concerns abound regarding administration of the Public Facility Corporation:
- The financial foresight of current administration is questioned when $25,000 was spent on the remodeling of the superintendent’s office, when they knew that the district office was to be demolished.
- The re-allocation of $57 million from the 2007 School Bond, initially approved by voters for construction of school facilities in the Northeast, remains a point of contention.
- The $29 million bond the Public Facility Corporation is proposing, likely has a higher interest rate, and is to be paid from the General Fund. This is of major concern since the General Fund is the primary source for teacher salaries, and operation and maintenance. Additionally, a design contract has yet to be made available for bid; this omission essentially promotes a blank check to be issued on our behalf.
- The folks in the Dallas Independent School District have similar reservations regarding the implementation of Public Corporations.
- Both, Board of Manager Carmen Candelarria-Arrieta, and Trustee-in-Waiting Susie Byrdunderstand the ramifications of bypassing voter approval. Their former role as El Paso City Chief Financial Officer and City Council Representative, respectively, provides them the experience from the baseball stadium fiasco of disclosing accurate figures and allowing citizens to vote on such matters.
- The following links reference the baseball stadium process of which both served as integral participants:
Lastly, it would be greatly appreciated if Superintendent Juan Cabrera attend public functions associated with community input, such as the Beall Elementary Community meetings on potential closures, or the upcoming visitation of Vilas Elementary in the Sunset Heights neighborhood on March 7. Invitations extended to shadow teachers and students have gone unanswered. As his $320,000+ a year contract stipulates in 2.1 t, and 6.6 m, community outreach and rapport is of essence.
Upcoming emails will convey curriculum issues, El Paso Chamber of Commerce endorsements, and school board candidate forums.
elpasospeak 
Don’t believe, just watch. The minute these questions are asked, you will see a song and dance out this world.
We were misled once, misled twice, three times shame on us.
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Superintendent is still remodeling building on Boeing! I have been told he is putting in a very fancy conference room in the basement.
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