Softball field named after beloved Lady Coyotes coach
La Joya ISD dedicated the softball field at the Leo Garza Jr. Complex to the late Coach Carlos “Charlie” Rodriguez Jr. The newly named Coach Rod Field will have a specially designed archway and a billboard behind the dugout with the team’s accolades under Rodriguez’s leadership. The beloved coach spent 40 years with the La…
Read MorePotential SISD initiatives for 2025-26
With the budget planning process still underway at Sharyland ISD, the administrative team has been looking at new initiatives they want to implement for the upcoming school year. During the last budget workshop, the central office staff presented various programs they would like to bring to SISD, depending on the budget. At the time, everything…
Read MoreAudit reveals LJISD prematurely placed kids in special ed
A comprehensive audit of La Joya ISD’s special education program revealed a slew of problem areas that triggered the district to create a multi-year approach to correct all the issues. Bellwether Education Partners conducted a deep audit of the last four years of LJISD’s special ed program. In addition to examining data and paperwork, the…
Read MoreOfficers remain in position on Sharyland school board
In a rather uncommon turn of events, the Sharyland Board of Trustees voted to keep its officers the same as they have been for the last year. Maritza Venecia remains president, Hector Rivera remains vice president and David Keith and Meagan Sullivan continue as secretary and assistant secretary, respectively. The board initially voted the members…
Read MoreSISD school board approves pay raises under current law
This article ran in the May 30, 2025 issue of the Progress Times. The Sharyland ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved a 2% pay increase for employees based on budget projections under current Texas law. A 2% pay raise means the starting salary for new teachers at SISD will be $55,570 for the 2025-26 school…
Read MoreSISD discusses employee raises for 2025-2026
Sharyland ISD is in the throes of building the budget for the next school year, and that means discussing employee compensation. Administration and the board of trustees debated three pay increase scenarios from 1-3% at a recent budget workshop. A 1% raise for all employees would cost the district $726,549, a 2% raise would cost…
Read MoreFinancial audit shows LJISD overpaid vendors
The firm conducting the audit of La Joya ISD’s financial practices reported poor accountability, a lack of long-term planning and inefficient staffing through 2023 and 2024. Superintendent Dr. Marcey Sorensen and her cabinet joined La Joya ISD in 2024 after the Texas Education Agency took over the district due to fraud and conflicts of interest…
Read MoreSharyland ISD lays out new staffing plan
The Sharyland administration has been busy cooking up ways to maximize district funds for next year and beyond. Superintendent Dr. Elaine Howard and Director of Employee Relations Azucena Garza gave a detailed presentation to the board of trustees regarding the staffing vision for the district, which they plan to roll out over the next two…
Read MoreLa Joya ISD to restructure several jobs ahead of next year
The La Joya ISD administration continues to shake things up in the name of improving student outcomes. After months of community engagement, strategic planning and internal examination, the chief staff used data to restructure 75 current positions into 60 reimagined ones for the next school year. The new roles will be similar to their predecessors…
Read MoreMission CISD dodges questions about facilities
Mission CISD has neglected to respond to questions regarding the state of district facilities, and it’s unclear why. Progress Times (PT) sent MCISD multiple interview requests and email correspondence inquiring about the state of district facilities following an assessment and the March 27 storm. However, the administrative staff has remained evasive or completely unresponsive. In…
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