Edinburg CISD trustees approve CTE renovation contract, several curriculum purchases and multiple hires

Edinburg CISD trustees on June 2 approved a negotiated construction contract for a Career and Technical Education (CTE) expansion at Barrientes Middle School, authorized several curriculum and testing purchases, and confirmed multiple personnel appointments following closed session.

The board approved a negotiated contract for the Barrientes Middle School CTE building improvements and renovations that, according to the superintendent, reduced the original bid to about $7.6 million with a $300,000 contingency. Trustees said the expanded CTE capacity will add seats for students on the district’s waiting list.

In a package of instructional purchases the board approved continued subscriptions and renewals for several curriculum and technology items, including: state‑approved TEKS‑aligned assessments for the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) process (described in the meeting as a TEKS‑Ready/TEA‑approved item bank), reading progress/incentive materials, renewals of classroom software, and student account provisioning through Clever. During discussion a figure of $53,347 was mentioned as a cost for the TEKS‑Ready assessment purchase; the transcript did not name a specific staff member as the purchaser of record for that line item.

On personnel, trustees approved the administration’s recommendations for multiple hires and appointments announced in open session following executive session. The board voted to hire or appoint the following, all as recommended by administration: Eva Ramos (librarian, Montecito Elementary), Margaret Watson (academic counselor, Montecristo Elementary), Tracy Sanchez (academic counselor, Escandon Elementary), Christie de la Gaza (academic counselor, Johnny Economedes High School), Viviana Rendon (academic counselor, Edinburg North High School), Sergio Martinez (assistant principal, Edinburg High School), Marissa Chestnut (diagnostician, Special Education), Bernice Rosales and Ashley Shaw (speech‑language pathologists, Special Education), Daniel Trevino (director of transportation), and Brida(l) Rodriguez (curriculum assistant, Barrientes Middle School). The board chair described the approvals as “subject to assignment for the type and term of contract for each position.”

Trustees considered, but did not pass, a separate motion earlier to create or appoint a chief academic officer (CAO). A motion to approve a CAO appointment failed for lack of a second; later in the meeting the administration presented a package of professional applicants discussed in closed session and the board approved the recommended hires that were presented in open session.

Procedurally the board consolidated consent agenda items A and B before moving through Action Agenda items, and recessed to closed session for personnel under Texas law. For the record, board members later stated no action was taken in executive session; at a subsequent public vote the board authorized the board president and legal counsel to “take action as discussed in closed session.” The meeting minutes show multiple motions carried by voice/hand vote; the transcript records the motions as carried but does not provide individual roll‑call tallies.

Votes at a glance (items discussed and approved in open session): - Consolidated consent agenda (items A & B): motion carried. - Purchase/renewal of CTE print and online resources: approved. - TEKS‑aligned item bank for TIA assessments (TEKS‑Ready/TIA item bank): approved. - Reading progress/incentive materials: approved. - Renewals for classroom software and student account provisioning (including Clever): approved. - Barrientes Middle School CTE renovations (negotiated contract/fee): approved (original bid cited near $8.3M; negotiated to ~$7.6M plus $300,000 contingency). - Competitive proposals and other procurement renewals: approved. - Multiple personnel appointments recommended after closed session: approved (names listed above). - Authorization for board president and legal counsel to take action as discussed in closed session: approved.

Notes and context: trustees and staff said the district has demand for expanded CTE seats and that the negotiated contract reduces the project cost from the original estimate. Board members also discussed streamlining instructional purchases and described ongoing reviews of multiple curriculum and assessment subscriptions. A separate motion to create or appoint a CAO failed for lack of a second, and was not adopted at that time.

Ending: The board completed votes on the action agenda and adjourned after approving the personnel slate. Several trustees and members of the public asked for future briefings and documentation on vendor use and testing choices in upcoming budget and committee work.