AUSTIN, Texas – September 23, 2026 – The Texas Education Agency (TEA) today announced the removal of the agency’s conservators in the Socorro Independent School District (SISD) following the district’s successful completion of established exit criteria and sustained implementation of corrective actions.  

On March 7, 2024, SISD entered an agreed order with TEA for the appointment of conservators after an agency investigation substantiated findings related to academic non-compliance and significant governance, financial and operational concerns. The agency appointed two conservators, Andrew Kim and Dr. Michael Hinojosa, to guide and support the district during this period.  

Through close collaboration with the conservators, Socorro ISD has stabilized district leadership and rectified identified issues. The district selected a permanent superintendent and established clearly defined leadership responsibilities, while SISD’s Board of Trustees successfully demonstrated effective governance practices that support improved oversight, accountability and student academic outcomes.   

SISD’s work with TEA’s conservators also resulted in:

• Restoration of a balanced budget and resolution of a $42 million deficit;
  • Stronger budgeting, operational planning, and accountability systems are now in place. 
  • Compensation plan processes were corrected to ensure expenditures and stipends receive proper authorization.  
  • Implementation of enhanced internal controls and monitoring systems related to budgeting, procurement, compensation practices, and operational oversight.  
  • Establishment of oversight systems designed to prevent recurrence of unauthorized expenditures. 

• Implementation of stronger controls and monitoring systems to address academic compliance concerns;
  • Strengthening of graduation credit review processes.
  • Improvement of attendance monitoring, loss-of-credit procedures, transcript analysis and ADA reporting.
  • Implementation of comprehensive graduation verification procedures and controls to ensure students meet all state and local requirements before graduation certification.  
  • Establishment of stronger monitoring of attendance, loss-of-credit processes, transcript accuracy, PEIMS reporting and Academic Achievement Record compliance.  
  • Development and implementation of systems to address longstanding monitoring deficiencies identified in prior audits and reaffirmed in the TEA investigation.  
  • Correction of deficiencies related to graduation certification, academic records, and accountability reporting that led to the conservator appointment. 

• Improved transparency and community engagement practices that support public trust and accountability;
  • Expansion of community engagement through advisory committees, budget processes, facilities planning efforts, surveys and public updates.  
  • Public meeting environments have stabilized and reflect improved governance and communication practices. 

“I appreciate our partnership and collaboration with Socorro ISD’s Board of Trustees and staff in addressing longstanding challenges and the district’s commitment to sustained compliance moving forward. Through newly established systems in budgeting, procurement and governance, Socorro ISD will be able to restore public confidence and better support its mission of serving students, families and its community,” said TEA conservator Andrew Kim.  

For more information about how TEA conservators support Texas public school systems, visit the agency’s Monitors and Conservators webpage.  

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