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Recently, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) informed Superintendent Aquino of the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) that they had closed an investigation into allegations made against him. The agency concluded that the claims were “unsubstantiated,” meaning they found no evidence to support the allegations.
In an email, SAISD’s spokesperson, Short, suggested that the inquiry may have arisen from questions about whether Child Protective Services (CPS) was involved in a reported incident concerning a student. He confirmed that the district had indeed contacted CPS and provided documentation to the TEA to support this.
Aquino took on the role of SAISD’s superintendent in May 2022 and has announced plans to retire in January 2027. His leadership has seen significant changes in the district, but not without controversy.
In a recent board meeting, SAISD’s board appointed Toni Thompson, a long-standing employee in the district, to serve as interim superintendent starting July 1. Thompson is currently the chief of staff and is expected to bring stability during this transitional period.
During his time in office, records show that Aquino traveled across the country at least 36 times on district business, costing the district a total of $36,896. This expenditure has raised eyebrows, particularly given the district’s financial challenges.
Furthermore, the district allocated nearly $500,000 on a single consultant service, while also spending tens of thousands of dollars on legal fees to manage media records requests. This spending has caused concern among community members who want to ensure that funds are used effectively to benefit students and schools.
If you have insights or information regarding SAISD that could be valuable to the public, feel free to reach out to Daniela at dibarra@ksat.com.
