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Investigators with the Texas Education Agency are recommending the Education Commissioner place the North East Independent School District under the oversight of a state-appointed conservator with the power to overrule decisions made by the elected school board and district leadership.
The recommendation follows an investigation into North East ISD’s implementation of a state law requiring schools bar students use personal electronics during the school day.
“The evidence gathered during this special investigation establishes that the North East ISD Board of Trustees’ conduct reflects knowing and intentional noncompliance,” TEA investigators said in their final report provided to TPR on Friday.
TEA opened an investigation into the NEISD’s policy in September after the agency learned the district defined the school day as instructional time, leaving students with the ability to use their phones during lunch and the passing periods between classes.
District leadership maintained that the law did not explicitly define the school day, but the education agency issued a corrective action plan directing NEISD change its policy to bar cell phones from the start of the school day until dismissal, known as “bell-to-bell.”
The NEISD board voted in January to maintain their current phone policy despite the directive.
At the time, Trustee Diane Sciba Villarreal said it was "illogical to tak(e) away the ability for parents to communicate with their children,” especially when state lawmakers say they support parent rights.
“Board members and the superintendent repeatedly asserted that the district could define statutory terms in a way that effectively nullifies legislative requirements,” the TEA final report said. “This reflects a misunderstanding of statutory authority, disregard for compliance obligations, and a need for external oversight.”
NEISD’s attorney, Ricardo Lopez, warned trustees in January that TEA could implement sanctions, including the appointment of a conservator or board of managers, if trustees didn’t change the district’s policy.
Lopez told the board litigation to fight the sanctions could cost the district $50,000 to $100,000.
In TEA’s final report investigators said they decided a conservator with the power to override board votes was needed because the NEISD board had failed to comply with the corrective action plan.
“While the board’s conduct could justify the more severe intervention of a Board of Managers, TEA recommends a Conservator as an appropriate intermediate intervention because the deficiencies, while intentional, center on statutory interpretation and governance compliance, rather than systemic instructional issues.”
“A conservator provides effective oversight while allowing the elected board to remain in place under state supervision,” the investigators said. “This intervention preserves local governance but ensures enforceable state authority to direct immediate compliance.”
NEISD officials said Friday that the board needed time to review the final report and “discuss next steps.”
