The El Paso Independent School District Board of Trustees could soon decide how – or whether – to fill the two seats left vacant after two Westside trustees resigned late last week.
Daniel Call and Valerie Ganelon Beals told El Paso Matters they were leaving their seats effective June 5, a day after the board voted to declare financial exigency and make historic budget cuts that could impact hundreds of jobs. Beals was absent and Call cast the lone vote against the declaration.
Beals, 37, represents District 6, which includes the Franklin High School feeder pattern. She was elected to the board in May 2023.
Call, 40, represents District 7, which encompasses the Coronado High School feeder pattern. He was elected in 2019 and was the longest-tenured member of the EPISD school board.
Their departure comes as the district is preparing to call for a November bond election to improve schools and upgrade inefficient air conditioning systems. The board would have to vote by September whether to take the bond to district voters.
EPISD Board President Leah Hanany said the board will discuss and potentially vote on the district’s next steps regarding the vacancies during its Tuesday, June 16 meeting.
What happens when a school trustee resigns?
Under Texas law, a school board must replace trustees within 180 days of their resignation if there is more than a year left in the term. If the term expires in less than a year, the board can leave the seat vacant until it is up for election.
With 11 months left in the two seats, the board can call for a special election, appoint a replacement or wait until the May 2027 school board election to fill the seats.
In 2024, district officials estimated it would cost between $46,000 and $95,000 to hold a special election when former trustee Josh Acevedo resigned after being elected to the El Paso City Council.
If the board chooses to wait until May, the two trustee seats would be vacant for nearly a year, leaving much of West El Paso without representation during a pivotal time for the district.
If trustees are appointed, they would need to run in the May election for a chance to remain on the board.
Who can serve on the school board?
Candidates for a school board election or appointment must be U.S. citizens who are at least 18-years-old, have lived in Texas for the last year and in the territory they plan to represent for six months, according to the Texas Election Code. They must also be registered to vote in the area they plan to represent.
Anyone who has been determined to be mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote, or has been convicted of a felony, is not eligible to serve on a school board.
What do trustees do?
School board trustees play a part in major district decisions, which could include closing schools, giving employees pay raises and approving layoffs, among others.
They are responsible for setting goals and policies for the school district.
In the summer, trustees adopt a budget and set a tax rate for the district, and are also responsible for approving changes to the budget throughout the year.
School board trustees are also responsible for hiring and evaluating the district’s superintendent.
Are school trustees paid? How long do they serve?
School board trustees are not paid. They serve voluntarily as representatives for parents, students and taxpayers in their communities. Trustees serve staggered four-year terms. There are no term limits.
The EPISD board comprises seven trustees elected by voters in each of their areas of representation.
What happened the last time there was a vacancy on the EPISD board?
A month after Acevedo’s resignation in 2024, the board voted to replace him by appointment and began taking applications. At the time, the district required applications to be notarized and include a sworn statement signature.
The board then chose three finalists and held a candidate forum in April where they answered questions and talked with the public about their perspectives and priorities for the district.
Jack Loveridge was appointed to the board in April 2024.
The post El Paso ISD has 2 school board vacancies. What happens next? appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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