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Superintendent says TEA action rests on two campuses the district did not operate; informal review set Friday
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Lori Allen told trustees the Texas Education Agency’s decision to install a board of managers and a conservator was based on the performance of two campuses that Beaumont ISD had not operated since 2019; an informal review with the commissioner is scheduled Friday at 11:45.
Beaumont Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Lori Allen said Tuesday that the Texas Education Agency’s decision to place a board of managers and a conservator over the district was driven by test performance at two campuses the district has not run since 2019.
“We were held accountable for a performance of two campuses, Phil Price and Veil King,” Dr. Allen told the board, saying those campuses had operated under partnership agreements since 2019 and were not under district control. She described receiving the commissioner’s call about the action as a shock and said she spent time praying and crying before meeting with her staff. “I prayed and I cried and I cried again and prayed more,” she said.
The matter is scheduled for an informal review with the commissioner on Friday at 11:45, Dr. Allen said. The review, she explained, is the district’s opportunity to present legal arguments or additional facts that could persuade the commissioner to alter his decision.
Why it matters: Installation of a board of managers and a conservator is a state intervention that can replace locally elected trustees and change district governance. Allen framed the decision as directed at outcomes at the two campuses named by the commissioner and emphasized that the district has worked to improve systemwide performance and supports for students.
Dr. Allen also reviewed the district’s recent one‑time stipend program. She said 2,472 employees received a one‑time stipend distributed in early December, with amounts ranging from $200 to $1,000; just over 2,300 employees received the top amount of $1,000, and the district’s total investment was $2,439,282.
Board members expressed frustration with the TEA action but pledged their support for district staff and students. Several trustees said they plan to continue serving until the state acts and urged staff to keep working on initiatives intended to improve outcomes.
Next steps: The district will present materials and legal arguments at the informal review on Friday; the commissioner will then decide whether to maintain his action. The board did not take a formal vote on the intervention during the meeting.
