Four superintendents from San Antonio’s southern school districts will join in a panel discussion Tuesday night as part of a Rivard Report event focused on education south of U.S. Highway 90.
The district leaders from Edgewood, Harlandale, South San Antonio, and Southwest ISDs will speak on a panel starting at 6 p.m. Rivard Report Education Reporter Emily Donaldson will ask the superintendents about the unique challenges their students face and the opportunities their districts offer.
The panelists are Edgewood Superintendent Eduardo Hernandez, Harlandale interim Superintendent Samantha Gallegos, South San Superintendent Alexandro Flores, and Southwest Superintendent Lloyd Verstufyt. Collectively, the four superintendents oversee districts that serve more than 45,000 students, most of whom are economically disadvantaged.
“The pursuit of socio-economic equity and access to a high-quality education has been a perennial struggle for countless generations of students” on the South Side, Flores said.
“We want to keep the momentum going by continuing the conversation and keep the spotlight burning even brighter on the issue because every student should be given the proper support and tools necessary to succeed regardless of the side of a city they may reside in,” he continued.
The event will take place two days before State accountability scores are released for districts and campuses across Texas. Superintendents will have an opportunity to offer context for the grades before they are released and explain what parents and families should look for on Aug. 15.
They’ll also have a chance to reflect on what it means to have quality governance in a school district, at a time when the Texas Education Agency has focused its attention on South Bexar County districts through investigations and intervention.
“It’s important for us to host a conversation focused on education on San Antonio’s South Side,” Rivard Report Chief Operating Officer Jenna Mallette said. “We often hear from education leaders elsewhere in the city, but we wanted to make a point of focusing this discussion south.”
“Challenges and Opportunities: Educating Kids on the South Side” will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Edgewood Theater of Performing Arts, 402 Lance St. The event is free and open to the public and will end with 15 minutes of audience questions.
Guests can RSVP for the event here.
