Spring ISD Superintendent Lupita Hinojosa announced Tuesday that she would be resigning from her position with the district north of Houston.
Hinojosa made the announcement during the district’s school board meeting after a lengthy executive session. The board voted 6-0 to approve her resignation, which is set to take effect June 30.
The board did not disclose any details regarding the reason for her resignation, and the district did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
“You all know, I think, this district is my district,” Hinojosa said during the meeting. “We make all decisions in the best interest of our students — my students. So, I’m extremely proud of the work that this team has done, a team of eight, in very difficult times coming out of the pandemic. … This team is a strong team. Our senior leadership team is a strong team.”
Hinojosa became the first Hispanic woman to serve as superintendent for Spring ISD in 2022. She first joined the district — which now serves nearly 34,000 students — in 2014 as the chief schools officer.
Her resignation comes as the district continues to grapple with a more than $12 million budget deficit. Last November, the district’s proposed tax rate increase was rejected by voters.
In light of the funding shortfall, the district has begun discussions of possibly closing some campuses, according to the Houston Landing.
Other school districts in the Houston area have had to take similar actions recently, including Aldine ISD, which decided to close six more schools in February due to its deficit and enrollment decline.
Several Spring ISD board members expressed their gratitude for Hinojosa’s time with the district, including board president Justine Durant.
“We’d like to thank you for your dedication and your service to the district,” Durant said. “We really appreciate your hard work, your commitment to our students and the tenure that you have been here.”