I heard a theory the other day about the 1,000 + student decline at EPISD each year.
The district tells us that the drop is the result of urban sprawl–there are fewer kids living within the district. It would be interesting to see the numbers.
The lady suggested that El Paso has many families transfer in from out of town (twin plant staff, military) and that they have had experience with schools in other cities.
Her suggestion was that some of these parents don’t like what they see at the district and take their kids somewhere else.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
And yet just noticed my Tax Statement. EPISD increased TAXES AGAIN. Less students, MORE money?? Apparently the :BoRD
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And yet just noticed my Tax Statement. EPISD increased TAXES AGAIN. Less students, more money?? Apparently the “Board” is planning for Cabrera’s NEXT pay INCREASE.
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Cabrera’s raise will be automatic if teachers get a step raise. If they get a percent raise he will get that also. 3% raise for teachers equals about $1,500. 3% for Cabrera equals over $10,000. Such a Deal!
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Your tax increase is to pay for the bond. EPISD taxes will continue to go up. Those who voted for the bond issue had no idea what they were voting for.
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And that is because the EPISD spent over $250,000 illegally to a PR company to make the district look good to the few voters that voted. Also, all the builders wanted the bond money. They even told the public that the students would learn better and get into college easier with the new buildings. Its for the Kids! NOT!
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Some people, including the former queen bee city rep, send their kids out of town to boarding schools.
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If I had kids in school, the bilingual programs they announced a few years ago would have me looking elsewhere. I worked in Mexico and one of the things we saw was that people tended to need to study core concepts in the language they had originally learned them in. I had a Mexican boss (with 3 degrees from Stanford) who had studied high school math and physics in English in Chihuahua because he knew he wanted to go to college in the US. When we were having difficulty teaching the ERP system to fully bilingual Mexican purchasing personnel using English materials, he remembered that in spite of being a native Spanish speaker he had difficulty studying math and physics in Spanish because he learned the concepts in English and we switched the training to Spanish and solved th comprehension issues. EPSID is building its system around its perceived needs of the majority Hispanic community. If you aren’t Hispanic, see your move here as temporary and you don’t think your kid needs to be immersed in Spanish language educational options while learning core concepts, I can see why you’d look elsewhere. In this town, Mexico is the center of the universe and that doesn’t resonate well with folks who have seen more of the world. I recognize that statement will bring out trolls, but it is what is. El Paso has its culture and those of us from elsewhere have ours and sometimes those differing perceptions don’t blend well. We are seeing that play out in school choice.
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Look, from an insider…do not send you kids to EPISD. In just three years Cabrera has taken Coronado from first to seventh in the district, then promoted the Principal for doing his work. Things are not looking up for your kids. Just wait to see this year’s STARR exam results! Not looking good…
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Almost a BILLION$$$ Bond scam, THOUSANDS in salary INCREASES for Cabrera, THOUSANDS in tax INCREASES for home owners, AGAIN. Reduced student numbers to soak up OUR money and STILL “Juan, Suzie” can’t read, Write, speak English or do math. Well guess just got to INCREASE taxes AGAIN, give Cabrera a pay raise AGAIN Buy some new buildings, new furniture for EPISD, hire MORE “Advisors, Consultants”, buy more Ipads, computers that get lost, broken, stolen. It’s only MONEY and after all, “It’s for the children”.
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When will Juan Cabrera leave?
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Concerned Taxpayer, Like all truly corrupt officials, he will leave when his very own personal gravy train (aka EPISD) is no longer profitable for him.
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Exactly. When the BOARD decides to fire him and of course the contract THEY gave him, says they owe him a small fortune. Just another out of town carpet bagger leaving town with suit cases full of OUR money.
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Minor correction, Anonymous… The contract they gave him says they owe him a rather LARGE fortune.
True, to Mr. Cabrera, it might be a “small” fortune. But to anyone who teaches or works in support of this school district, his contractual deal (both what he is paid now and what is owed him when he decides to cast EPISD aside) is best described by terms such as: large, huge, or gargantuan.
It might also be accurately described by words / phrases such as: obscene, wasteful, morally and ethically wrong, or perhaps even evil.
No matter what descriptors you decide to use, nothing about the money he receives or the money he flushes down the toilet in the name of “educational reform” is in any way “small”!
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The EPISD needs another FBI “Cleaning”. 10-20 EPISD minions indicted, going to jail. It will all happen again just like the Lorenzo Garcia era. The School Board, Board President, all his “Assistants” knew nuthin. The D.A., local “Authorities” didn’t know nuthin, didn’t see nuthin, didn’t do nuthin, didn’t even suspect nuthin. just like the other politicians, Public Officials in El Taxo. Just one big Society of Corruption. The FBI is the ONLY hope that TAXPAYERS have here.
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The district will never be on top and will continue to lose students for several reasons. 1. They waste money on contracting out jobs/positions teachers could be employed to do and call them innovative programs being brought to the community. These consultants, and there are more than I can track, aren’t bringing anything new that good solid teachers don’t already do in class. 2. Technology resources and money is seriously wasted. Many companies donate items to districts for free through grants but we didn’t pursue that as an option. We could get programs through grants too. EPISD seems to like to pay. Then equipment goes sitting in classrooms inoperable due to mismatched software or uninstalled equipment. It’s a huge waste. 3. Dual Language Program should not be built at every school K-12. Not every teacher is bi-lingual and neither are all children. This isn’t the best way for transfer student to have to suddenly try to learn all subject matter. They will suffer in comparison to peers going to standard schools. 4. Special education department has a lack of knowledge and experience to make the right decisions for students and place them in appropriate programs.
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“EPSID is building its system around its perceived needs of the majority Hispanic community. If you aren’t Hispanic, see your move here as temporary and you don’t think your kid needs to be immersed in Spanish language educational options while learning core concepts, I can see why you’d look elsewhere. In this town, Mexico is the center of the universe and that doesn’t resonate well with folks who have seen more of the world. I recognize that statement will bring out trolls, but it is what is. El Paso has its culture and those of us from elsewhere have ours and sometimes those differing perceptions don’t blend well.”
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