UPDATE: Public Hearing Rescheduled
The Lancaster ISD Board of Trustees will host a public hearing Monday, March 6, 2023, at 5:30 pm to notify the public of the TEA Special Investigation's findings and conservator appointment. If you have any questions or concerns, please email schoolboard@Lancasterisd.org.
UPDATE: Public Hearing Canceled
Today our district has experienced an internet outage. That issue has caused connectivity challenges throughout our district and administration building. Due to the ongoing technical difficulties, we are canceling tonight’s public hearing scheduled for today at 6 pm. When a new meeting date is scheduled, we will share that information with you.
Thank you,
Lancaster ISD
Lancaster ISD Employees, Families, and Community,
We must always be open, accountable, and honest with district stakeholders. This is done by proactive communication and keeping our community informed and abreast of pertinent information. Therefore, in keeping with our commitment to transparency, we want to share that our district received a final report and recommendations for sanctions from a Special Investigation conducted by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
The TEA Special Investigation centers around board actions beginning on October 29, 2020, and identifies two main allegations. The first allegation is that the Lancaster ISD Board of Trustees approved a new contract for the superintendent of schools, Dr. Elijah Granger, and 11 days later approved a separation agreement with the superintendent. The second allegation is that possible conflicts of interest existed regarding the former board president, Ellen Clark, simultaneously serving as Lancaster ISD Board President and the Lancaster Education Foundation President. The TEA investigation found allegation one to be substantiated and a violation of Texas Education code 45.105 and Texas Constitution Article III § 51. Allegation two was unsubstantiated.
Furthermore, due to the findings in the investigation, TEA has appointed a conservator to work with Lancaster ISD. This appointment will ensure district compliance and assist the current Lancaster ISD Board of Trustees in working as a team and in the best interest of Lancaster ISD students. In addition, since the main subject of the investigation centers around board actions, the conservator will report back to TEA on the board's development of a corrective action plan to address the non-compliance issues discovered during the investigation.
"For the past two years, we've worked diligently toward positive and sustainable change. We thank the Texas Education Agency for doing their due diligence in conducting a thorough investigation, and we take the appointment of a conservator seriously," Lancaster ISD Board President Marion Hamilton expressed. "As a collective board, we are committed to working with the conservator and developing a comprehensive corrective action plan to prevent our district from returning to a non-compliance status. As elected officials, we must do what is best for our students and staff of Lancaster ISD. They will continue to be our driving force as we work toward a compliant status, rebuilding trust and focusing on the future of our district."
The Lancaster ISD Board of Trustees will host a public hearing Tuesday, February 21, 2023, at 6 pm to notify the public of the TEA Special Investigation's findings and next steps. The information shared will focus on the district's insufficient performance, which started in October 2020, and the improvement expected by TEA related to the Special Investigation, which began in December 2020. If you have any questions or concerns, please email schoolboard@Lancasterisd.org.
To review the TEA Special Investigation Final Investigative Report, please click here.
Thank you,
Lancaster ISD