Dr. De La Torre named 2020 President of the Texas Association of Latino Administrators & Superintendents
Already serving as the current Chair of the Texas Urban Council (TUC) of Superintendents, Ysleta ISD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Xavier De La Torre has agreed to continue his statewide leadership role for the next several years with the Texas Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (TALAS).
In 2020, Dr. De La Torre will be inducted as Vice President of TALAS for two years, officials said. Once his term is complete in 2022, he will be inducted as President of TALAS.
These TALAS appointments, as well as his current role as TUC Chair, will provide Dr. De La Torre with the opportunity to advocate for minority students, particularly those in high poverty, through legislative representation and public support for students.
“It is a great honor to have been chosen once again to serve in such an esteemed role,” said Dr. De La Torre, who has led Ysleta ISD as superintendent since March 2014. “The leadership of our elected officials was critical in making students a priority in the state’s legislative session earlier this year, resulting in multimillion-dollar revenue increases that made it possible for districts to offer generous pay raises to employees, especially teachers, librarians, counselors, and nurses.
“I am greatly encouraged by the Legislature’s commitment to public education, and I am committed in both of my roles with TUC and TALAS to ensuring we do all we can to proudly serve our Texas students and families.”
TALAS was founded as a statewide association for the identification, recruitment, development, and advancement of Latino school administrators in order to improve public education in general for all students, with an emphasis on improving the educational and career opportunities of Latino youth.
In Texas, 50% of school-aged children are Latino – and addressing the needs of this fastest-growing community is vital to the interest of not only Texas, but the United States, TALAS officials say.
De La Torre has a 32-year history of dedicated service to large, diverse student populations, and a career chronicled by recognized achievements and awards, including an El Pasoan of the Year nomination (2016); two Broad Prize Award finalist nominations (2009, 2010); and the Edgar L. Morphet Award for the nation’s most outstanding dissertation aimed at educational issues (2005).
During De La Torre’s tenure at YISD, the district’s most vulnerable student groups have seen increased achievement under the state of Texas’ STAAR/EOC accountability system. English Language Learners and Special Education students have routinely outperformed their peers in the region and across the state, while student achievement on the state’s End of Course exams has led the region and the state when considering comparable school districts and demographics.