Conservator to Oversee Lancaster ISD After TEA Says Board Violated Texas Education Code

The Texas Education Agency is assigning a conservator to oversee the Lancaster Independent School District over actions taken by the school board that the district admits violated Texas Education Code and the Texas Constitution.

TEA Commissioner Mike Morath informed the district of the appointment of Dr. Carol Francois as the conservator in a letter dated Feb. 2 that was obtained by NBC 5 on Friday.

The TEA said the appointment of a conservator to oversee the district "is necessary to prevent substantial or imminent harm to the welfare of the district’s students or to the public interest."

In a statement posted online to district employees, families and the community, the Lancaster ISD addressed the appointment of a conservator and said they'd received the agency's final report and recommendations coming from the agency's special investigation.

Lancaster ISD said the investigation centered around two allegations of actions taken by the board of trustees beginning on Oct. 29, 2020. The first, the district said, "is that the Lancaster ISD Board of Trustees approved a new contract for the superintendent of schools, Dr. Elijah Granger, and 11 days later approved a separation agreement with the superintendent."

The district said the second allegation was found to be unsubstantiated.

Former Superintendent Granger signed a new contract in 2020, and days later the board offered him a nearly $2 million buyout. It prompted intervention from a judge who blocked the payout.

Former board president Ellen Clark, who voted for the buyout, is no longer on the board and runs a realty office where she now works with Granger.

"I have never done anything wrong. I want to go away and live my life. I am 82 years old," said Clark.

As conservator, Francois will oversee the district and board actions; facilitate a needs assessment of district and campus systems to support the development of a corrective action plan; request or conduct onsite inspections during the period of the placement; monitor and support the implementation of a corrective action plan; and participate in and report to the TEA on the progress toward completing the corrective action plan and all governance activities of the district.

"This appointment will ensure district compliance and assist the current Lancaster ISD Board of Trustees in working as a team and in the best interest of Lancaster ISD students," the district said in their letter. "In addition, since the main subject of the investigation centers around board actions, the conservator will report back to TEA on the board's development of a corrective action plan to address the non-compliance issues discovered during the investigation."

The TEA said the appointment of a conservator does not relieve the district and the board of their responsibility to operate the district in compliance with all applicable statutes and rules. The district will also be required to pay $85 per hour for the conservator's services plus any travel expenses up to the state per diem rate.

The district was given until Feb. 17 to appeal the TEA's decision and appointment but did not file an appeal.

"For the past two years, we've worked diligently toward positive and sustainable change. We thank the Texas Education Agency for doing their due diligence in conducting a thorough investigation, and we take the appointment of a conservator seriously," Lancaster ISD Board President Marion Hamilton expressed. "As a collective board, we are committed to working with the conservator and developing a comprehensive corrective action plan to prevent our district from returning to a non-compliance status. As elected officials, we must do what is best for our students and staff of Lancaster ISD. They will continue to be our driving force as we work toward a compliant status, rebuilding trust and focusing on the future of our district."

A spokeswoman for the district insisted the conservatorship had everything to do with the 2020 incident and nothing with the current board.

A public meeting scheduled for Feb. 21 to notify the public of the investigation and next steps was canceled by the district due to an internet outage and connectivity issues. The district said they will advise when and if the meeting is rescheduled.

TEA has reported that such a meeting is not required, but the district plans to hold one to address the investigation.

"The information shared will focus on the district's insufficient performance, which started in October 2020, and the improvement expected by TEA related to the special investigation, which began in December 2020."

Anyone with questions or concerns is invited by the district to email schoolboard@Lancasterisd.org. To review the TEA Special Investigation Final Investigative Report, click here.