The El Paso ISD Board of Trustees passed a resolution directing administration to evaluate the implications of removing the district's District of Innovation (DOI) exemption from the 90% attendance rule in Texas Education Code §25.092.

The motion, which carried 5–0, tasks the interim superintendent with producing a comprehensive report and recommendation by Nov. 30, 2025. The board's requested evaluation must include current use and implementation of the exemption, data on attendance, course credit denials and recovery, related academic outcomes, stakeholder input, and the legal and procedural steps required to amend the DOI plan.

Trustees said the resolution is a starting point to determine whether DOI flexibility that exempts the district from the 90% per‑class attendance credit rule should continue. Trustee Leverage noted the district loses state funding when attendance declines and argued that improving attendance could have both financial and academic benefits. The board also discussed how the exclusion interacts with local practice and the timeline for any DOI renewal, which is typically considered in the year before a DOI plan expires.

Administrators explained the 90% rule and its practical effect: a student must attend at least 90% of the days a class is offered (per class) to receive credit without additional remediation requirements. Administration and trustees discussed that some attendance‑policy options could be pursued while the district still holds the DOI exemption, and trustees said they want data to guide any future policy recommendation.

The resolution reads in part: the board "directs the interim superintendent to evaluate the implications of removing the district of innovation exemption from the 90% attendance rule for forthcoming application cycles" and requires a comprehensive report no later than Nov. 30, 2025. The motion was made by Trustee Osterlund and seconded by Trustee Sutton; it passed unanimously.

Public comment preceding the vote emphasized attendance's link to academic outcomes and funding. Norma De la Rosa, president of the El Paso Teachers Association, told trustees chronic absenteeism is a strong predictor of dropout and urged the board to ensure the district's attendance policy has effective consequences, consistent communication and campus follow‑through.

The board asked staff to include comparative research and options, to identify what changes other districts have made, and to present recommendations and necessary legal steps in the November report so trustees can weigh policy changes before a DOI renewal cycle.