Former TUSD Superintendent Sanchez Lone Finalist For Texas Spot

Former Tucson Unified School superintendent, H.T. Sanchez is the lone finalist for the top spot at Texas school district, Plainview ISD. On Wednesday the district’s school board voted unanimously in favor of Sanchez.

According to sources, Sanchez secured the vote with a little help from his old friend, Mike Moses. According to Myplainview.com, the school board “engaged the law firm of Thompson & Horton LLC to conduct a search for its new superintendent. Helping direct that search was David Thompson, a partner in the firm, as well as Dr. Mike Moses, former Texas commissioner of education.”

In 2013, shortly after taking the Tucson job, Sanchez hired the Center for Reform of School Systems, owned by his good friend, Cathy Mincberg, to develop a “strategic plan.” Mincberg’s company was awarded a contract for $92,500. Moses was part of the package ; offering financial advice to the failing district.

Mincberg worked with Sanchez in Texas on strategic planning before he came to Tucson.

According to an Odessa American article published in February 2014:

An email exchange between former Ector County ISD interim Superintendent H.T. Sanchez and an education consultant paint a promise made in June 2013 that has emerged as a $92,500 contract that was awarded last week by the Tucson district where Sanchez is now superintendent.

The Tucson Unified School District gave the strategic planning contract to a company, Center for Reform of School Systems, headed by Cathy Mincberg, also listed as one of Sanchez’s references.

The emails were obtained by the Odessa American through a Freedom of Information Act request last summer and resurfaced after the Arizona Daily Star published a Sunday story about Mincberg’s new contract with TUSD, calling into question the transparency of such a decision.

According to the Arizona Daily Star, Mincberg’s company of which she is the CEO and president was one of three invited to bid on the contract, though because the value is less than $100,000, TUSD was not required to hold open bidding or get approval by its board of trustees.

Mincberg’s company was the only company to bid among three companies that were invited. The other two companies were from San Francisco and Boston, and each was found in an Internet search according to the TUSD deputy superintendent of operations.

Related article: Attorney General Investigation Of TUSD Consultant Hiring Called For

The ADI reported in 2013, that Sanchez was the sole finalist for the job in Tucson “after he advised the district that if there were other candidates under consideration he would not take the job. Board members Adelita Grijlava, Kristel Foster, and Cam Juarez agreed to his terms. According to District insiders, the lone female candidate, who had comparable experience to Sanchez was not provided an opportunity to meet with District stakeholders in a public forum.”

Related article: TUSD Ordered To Turn Over Superintendent Candidate Names

In February 2017, Sanchez was forced out of the Tucson Unified School District. In return for his resignation, Sanchez was paid $200,000 to leave.

At the time of his resignation, the ADI reported:

Sanchez is alleged to have violated his contract when he reportedly directed principals not to follow the Board approved policy: Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Sanchez’s contract specifically requires him to follow Governing Board policies.

Sanchez allowed Pueblo High Principal Augie Romero to violate State law when Romero changed student’s grades without their teacher’s consent.

Sanchez, who is not a certified educator by the Arizona State Board of Education, is required under the terms of his contract to follow the laws and regulations of the State of Arizona.

Sanchez was contacted on at least two occasions by authorities for failing to report assaults on employees or police as required by Arizona law.

Related article: Sanchez Resigns From TUSD, Terms Unknown [Updated]

Myplainview.com reports that Texas “law requires that Plainview ISD wait at least 21 days before offering him a contract. That means the earliest such action could be taken is May 2.”