Austin ISD superintendent to step down August 31, says school board

AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin ISD Board of Trustees has accepted the resignation of the district's superintendent.

The board accepted Dr. Paul Cruz's resignation on April 27 and says he will be stepping down effective August 31 and will serve as superintendent emeritus until December 31.

The board president called Cruz's departure bittersweet in a statement on behalf of the board.

"We appreciate Dr. Cruz’s leadership throughout the years, and especially over the past seven weeks through the COVID-19 pandemic," the statement reads. "He has led our District in mitigating risks during this unprecedented time with a focus on the safety, learning, and social and emotional needs of our students, families and our community."

RELATED: Austin ISD superintendent Paul Cruz resigns to take position with UT Austin

In a letter on Feb. 19, Cruz said he had accepted a position with The University of Texas at Austin. Cruz has been the superintendent of Austin ISD for six years.

"I love Austin ISD! Thank you for embracing my family, for educating my children, and for entrusting me with leading our strategic efforts," says Cruz in the letter. "It has truly been an honor to serve as superintendent of Austin's dynamic and high-performing school district."

RELATED: Austin ISD board president releases statement on superintendent resigning

"While it will be hard to see him go, we are nevertheless very proud of his accomplishments here in the District and we are eager to see him thrive at the University of Texas," the board's statement reads. "Dr. Cruz has been and continues to be our collaborative partner in the governance of the District."

The board says that they expect to complete the search for a new superintendent no later than August 31. The board says people can continue to expect transparency and communication during the process and that they expect people's input and advocacy in the search.

READ THE FULL STATEMENT BELOW:

The Austin ISD Board of Trustees on April 27, 2020, accepted the resignation of our superintendent, Dr. Paul Cruz. Dr. Cruz will be stepping down from the role of superintendent effective Aug. 31, 2020, and he will serve as superintendent emeritus until Dec. 31, 2020. 

We appreciate Dr. Cruz’s leadership throughout the years, and especially over the past seven weeks through the COVID-19 pandemic. He has led our District in mitigating risks during this unprecedented time with a focus on the safety, learning, and social and emotional needs of our students, families and our community.

His departure is bittersweet. While it will be hard to see him go, we are nevertheless very proud of his accomplishments here in the District and we are eager to see him thrive at the University of Texas. Dr. Cruz has been and continues to be our collaborative partner in the governance of the District. We congratulate him as he embarks on his next professional challenge and we are glad he and his family will continue to live in Austin. 

In terms of the Austin ISD superintendent search, we expect to complete the process no later than Aug. 31, 2020. While so much has changed and continues to change in our daily lives as a result of the pandemic, our fundamental AISD mission, vision and values remain the same. 

You can continue to expect transparency and communication in this process, and in turn, we expect your input and advocacy on what is going well with the District and what qualities you would like to see in the next superintendent. With your help, we will succeed in our goal to find the best possible leader for our District.