EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Longtime Canutillo ISD Trustee Armando “Mando” Rodriguez is making a little bit of history at the statewide level.
Rodriguez was sworn in as president of the president of the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) during a special ceremony in Dallas earlier this month.
Rodriguez, a fifth-term trustee in CISD and a longtime public servant in Canutillo, is
the first El Pasoan to be selected to lead TASB in more than 25 years. Only three
other El Paso County trustees have ever served as TASB presidents: David Sublasky from Fabens ISD (1997); Ross Borrett from Ysleta ISD (1975); and Ted Andress from El Paso ISD (1958).
“It’s an honor and privilege to serve in this role, and to represent not just Canutillo,
but the entire El Paso community at the state level,” Rodriguez said. “I hope to bring
a different perspective to the table by guaranteeing that all students — regardless of
the community in which they live, the language they speak or the cultural background
of their family – have access to high quality educational services.”
In his role, he will help lead an organization that provides its more than 7,000
members with governance resources and sets an agenda for public-education
advocacy. TASB is widely recognized as one of the most influential education
organizations in the state, according to a news release sent out by Canutillo ISD.
Canutillo ISD Board President Patricia Mendoza said having Rodriguez serve in this
capacity at the state level will be beneficial to Canutillo ISD and El Paso as a whole.
“Already, Mando has been a transformative figure in public education for our region.
His advocacy at the state and national level has helped bring about changes that
have benefited students and their families,” she said. “Now, with a bigger
megaphone, he will be a better cheerleader for the border and the students that go
to our public schools. He is going to do a great job.”
Rodriguez will serve as president for a year and then serve an additional year as immediate past president.
During his presidency, Rodriguez “hopes to advocate for equitable funding for public
schools and to develop better systems that will help elected school board members
improve governance and accountability. He also plans to further advocate against
school vouchers and other initiatives aimed at attacking school districts,” according to the news release.
“Public schools remain the best option for Texas students and we must continue to
do everything we can to guarantee that our teachers and school systems have the
resources they need to continue doing the good work they have been doing,” he
said.
Rodriguez has served on the TASB Board of Directors for several years. He is a
2012 alum of the Leadership TASB Program, which earned him the title of Master
Trustee.
Rodriguez’s previous leadership positions include serving on the National School
Board Association Board of Directors as chair of the National Hispanic Council and
as secretary of the National School Boards Action Center. He also has served as
president of the Mexican American School Boards Association and the Far West
Texas School Boards Association.
Read: Read More