The Grand Prairie ISD board of trustees approved a separation agreement with Superintendent Jorge Arredondo this week.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas — About two months after the Grand Prairie ISD board of trustees voted to remove Jorge Arredondo from his post as the district’s superintendent, Arredondo has officially resigned.
Arredondo was placed on paid administrative leave in September amid an investigation into an alleged policy violation, about two months into his role as superintendent. He then sued the district, alleging the board of trustees didn’t have good cause to terminate his contract. It’s unclear where that stands now.
The school board voted 4-3 this week to approve a voluntary separation agreement with Arredondo and unanimously approved posting the job to begin a search for a new superintendent.
“An agreement has been reached which allows Dr. Arredondo the ability to pursue other interests and permits the Board to pursue hiring another Superintendent,” a joint statement from the Grand Prairie ISD board of trustees and Arredondo reads. “The Board and Dr. Arredondo have entered into the Agreement believing it is in their respective best interests and in the best interests of the District.”
Board secretary Emily Liles, who voted against the agreement, argued it would prevent the release of the report into the investigation, transparency and due process for Arredondo.
She said the district doesn’t have an issue releasing the report with names redacted, but Arredondo requested those remain sealed.
“Due process for the superintendent doesn’t happen and the financial details of the settlement agreement will remain hidden from the community,” Liles argued. “This goes against everything this board has worked for and everything that I stand for.”
Former State Rep. Rodney Anderson shared similar sentiments in public comments.
“This third-party report based on 40-plus witness interviews and two-plus hour interview with the former superintendent had findings so serious that five members of this board voted to place him on leave. If those votes have changed, the public deserves to know why and at what cost,” Anderson said.
