The El Paso Independent School District (EPISD) Board of Trustees voted to accept Superintendent Diana Sayavedra’s voluntary separation agreement during a special board meeting on Tuesday night. The vote was four in favor, two against, and one abstained. Board President Leah Hanany, Vice President Dr.
Jack Loveridge, and Trustees Alex Cuellar and Mindy Sutton voted in favor of the agreement. Trustees Valerie Ganelon Beals and Daniel E. Call voted against, while Trustee Robert Osterland abstained.
Before the meeting adjourned, Sayavedra addressed the crowd of community members, parents, and district staff who attended in support of her. “It’s been my greatest honor and privilege to serve this school district, and more importantly, the broader community of El Paso,” Sayavedra stated. “We’ve accomplished a lot of great work together, and I believe the school district is well positioned to thrive in the future.
We’ve built solid foundations, systems, structures, and conditions for our students to thrive, and for this community and school district to continue to move forward.”
Sayavedra’s words brought several people to tears as they were saddened by her decision to voluntarily separate and retire early. However, her time with EPISD is not over yet.
Board appoints interim superintendent
Hanany stated that Sayavedra will remain as a resource for the district until January 30th, 2026. At the end of the meeting, EPISD’s Board of Trustees also voted to appoint the district’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Martha Aguirre, as interim superintendent. “I’m humbled and honored to have been appointed to the role of Interim Superintendent for the El Paso Independent School District.
I am a product of EPISD as well as my family, and so I am very proud of my district. I take this role very seriously,” Aguirre stated. Aguirre is expected to take on the role beginning June 16.
The meeting follows the board’s two-week discussion of Sayavedra’s future, and after they reversed a decision to close Lamar Elementary, one of eight schools initially slated for closure as part of a cost-saving plan aimed at addressing a multi-million-dollar budget deficit. Sayavedra has been leading the district since 2022, becoming the first Latina to hold the superintendent position. She recently signed a contract in January, which was supposed to end in January 2029.
The contract did not stipulate any payout if the superintendent is terminated or if the contract isn’t renewed. However, it stated that termination or resignation would follow the Texas Education Code, which allows the superintendent to leave the district’s employment at the end of the school year by filing a written resignation with the board no later than the 45th day before the first day of school of the following year.
