After TEA audit, Brownsville ISD remits $573,571.74 for ESSER I payroll charges; public demands forensic review

The Brownsville Independent School District disclosed that it paid $573,571.74 to the Texas Education Agency in May 2026 to resolve questioned payroll charges from the federal ESSER I grant. Chief Financial Officer Rosario Peña laid out the TEA monitoring timeline at the board meeting and described repeated deadlines and unsuccessful attempts to submit corrective documentation and appeal within TEA timeframes.

"The district complied with TEA's directive and submitted the repayment of $573,571.74 through an ACH payment to the state comptroller's office," CFO Rosario Peña told the board, summarizing the mandatory remittance. She said TEA advised the district that the statutory appeal window had passed and that repayment was required to avoid further enforcement actions such as fiscal sanctions or suspension of federal awards.

Public commenters representing taxpayers and employee unions used the meeting to press for broader transparency and independent review. "BISD taxpayers are tired of the excuses, the lack of transparency, and the continued disregard for how our tax dollars are being handled," said Susan Ruvalcaba during public comment, and she called for a full independent forensic audit and investigation into the ESSER matter.

Administration told the board it had convened a post‑payment meeting with TEA and that the agency stated no additional administrative remedies were available. Trustees asked staff to outline the full paper trail, identify who received the earliest TEA notices, and confirm improvements to internal controls and grant compliance procedures. No board motion ordering a forensic audit was adopted during the meeting; some trustees said they would seek further documentation and possible follow‑up at future meetings.