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The El Paso Independent School District (or EPISD) is the largest
school district A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public primary and secondary schools in various nations. North America United States In the U.S, most K–12 public schools function as units of local school districts, wh ...
serving
El Paso El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the seat of El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the 23rd-largest city in the U.S., the ...
,
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
(
USA The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
). Originally organized in 1883, it is currently the largest district in the
Texas Education Agency The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is the branch of the government of Texas responsible for public education in Texas in the United States.
's Educational Service Center (ESC) Region 19, as well as the largest district within the city of El Paso and El Paso County. The EPISD also provides public education to the children of
U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...
soldiers stationed at
Fort Bliss Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in New Mexico and Texas, with its headquarters in El Paso, Texas. Named in honor of LTC William Bliss (1815–1853), a mathematics professor who was the son-in-law of President Zachary Taylor, Ft. Bli ...
. The district headquarters are located in El Paso. In 2009, the school district was rated " academically acceptable" by the
Texas Education Agency The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is the branch of the government of Texas responsible for public education in Texas in the United States.
.


Board of Trustees

The EPISD is managed by a school board (called the Board of Trustees) composed of seven publicly
elected Elected may refer to: * "Elected" (song), by Alice Cooper, 1973 * ''Elected'' (EP), by Ayreon, 2008 *The Elected, an American indie rock band See also *Election An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a populatio ...
school board
trustee Trustee (or the holding of a trusteeship) is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, is a synonym for anyone in a position of trust and so can refer to any individual who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility to ...
s and a single
superintendent Superintendent may refer to: *Superintendent (police), Superintendent of Police (SP), or Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), a police rank *Prison warden or Superintendent, a prison administrator *Superintendent (ecclesiastical), a church exec ...
. Each trustee represents one of the seven districts in the EPISD.


Statistics

* More than 63,000 students. * 92 campuses. * With more than 9,000 employees, it is the largest employer in
El Paso El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the seat of El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the 23rd-largest city in the U.S., the ...
. * Covers more than . * Estimated annual operating budget is $403-million. * Twelfth largest
school district A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public primary and secondary schools in various nations. North America United States In the U.S, most K–12 public schools function as units of local school districts, wh ...
in
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
(as of 2016-2017) * 57th largest
school district A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public primary and secondary schools in various nations. North America United States In the U.S, most K–12 public schools function as units of local school districts, wh ...
in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
.


History

* In 1882, El Paso Independent School District was established, with Joseph Magoffin, Samuel Freudenthal and Edward Pew as the founding trustees and Calvin W. Esterly as the first superintendent. * In 1889, the first
kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...
ever established in
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
was established at Alamo Elementary School in the EPISD. * In 1916, the first high school in the EPISD was established: El Paso High School. * In 1927, Bowie High School was established to reduce overcrowding at El Paso High School by converting a grammar school built in 1923 in Central El Paso. * In 1930, Austin High School was established as the third high school in the EPISD, admitting its first students following its construction in 1929. *In 1949, Jefferson High School was established in Central El Paso * In 1955, Burges High School was established in East El Paso. * In 1959, Irvin High School was established in Northeast El Paso. * In 1961, Andress High School was established in Northeast El Paso. * In 1962, Coronado High School was established in
Northwest El Paso Northwest El Paso (better known as West El Paso or the West Side) is an area of El Paso, Texas El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the county seat, seat of El Paso County, Texas, El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Te ...
. * In 1993, Franklin High School was established in
Northwest El Paso Northwest El Paso (better known as West El Paso or the West Side) is an area of El Paso, Texas El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the county seat, seat of El Paso County, Texas, El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Te ...
. * In 1999, the district's oldest operating school, Alamo Elementary School, celebrated its 100th birthday. * In 2000, Chapin High School was established in Northeast El Paso. * In 2011, the district's superintendent Lorenzo Garcia was arrested by the FBI. He later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud- he stole money from the district and also had high school principals illegally kick students out of school and illegally change 10th graders to being listed as members of other grades, in order to cheat on the state's standardized tests. * In 2012, the district's board of trustees were stripped of power by the Texas Education Agency, and oversight of the district was given to a TEA-appointed board of managers, because the trustees failed to stop Garcia's wrongdoing and failed to fire his co-conspirators after he was arrested.


List of schools


High schools

*Located in Central El Paso ** Austin High School *Located in East El Paso ** Burges High School *Located in Northeast El Paso ** Andress High School ** Chapin High School ** Irvin High School ** Transmountain Early College High School *Located in South Central El Paso ** Bowie High School ** Jefferson High School ** Silva Health Magnet High School ***2003, 2011, 2017
National Blue Ribbon School The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...
*Located in West El Paso ** Coronado High School ** Franklin High School *Located in West Central El Paso ** El Paso High School


Middle schools

*Located in Central El Paso ** Armendariz Middle School ** Bassett Middle School ** Ross Middle School *Located in East El Paso ** MacArthur Elementary-Intermediate School *Located in Northeast El Paso ** Canyon Hills Middle School ** Charles Middle School ** Magoffin Middle School ** Richardson Middle School ** Terrace Hills Middle School *Located in South Central El Paso ** Guillen Middle School ** Henderson Middle School *Located in West El Paso ** Brown Middle School ** Haskins Elementary-Intermediate School ** Hornedo Middle School ** Morehead Middle School *Located in West Central El Paso ** Wiggs Middle School


Elementary schools

*Located in Central El Paso ** Clendenin Elementary School ** Coldwell Elementary School ** Crockett Elementary School ***1985-86
National Blue Ribbon School The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...
** Hillside Elementary School ***2000-01
National Blue Ribbon School The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...
** Hughey Elementary School ** Moreno Elementary School ** Rusk Elementary School ** Travis Elementary School *Located in East El Paso ** Cielo Vista Elementary School *Located on
Fort Bliss Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in New Mexico and Texas, with its headquarters in El Paso, Texas. Named in honor of LTC William Bliss (1815–1853), a mathematics professor who was the son-in-law of President Zachary Taylor, Ft. Bli ...
** Bliss Elementary School ** Logan Elementary School ** Milam Elementary School ** Powell Elementary School *Located in Northeast El Paso ** Barron Elementary School ** Collins Elementary School ** Moye Elementary School ** Newman Elementary School ** Nixon Elementary School ** Park Elementary School ** Stanton Elementary School ** Sunrise Mountain Elementary School (formerly Lee Elementary School; renamed in 2020) ** Tom Lea Elementary School ** Torres Elementary School ** Whitaker Elementary School *Located in West El Paso ** Green Elementary School ** Guerrero Elementary School ** Herrera Elementary School ** Johnson Elementary School ** Kohlberg Elementary School ** Lundy Elementary School ** Polk Elementary School ** Putnam Elementary School ** Rivera Elementary School ** Tippin Elementary School ** Western Hills Elementary School ** White Elementary School *Located in South Central El Paso ** Aoy Elementary School ** Clardy Elementary School ** Cooley Elementary School ** Douglass Elementary School ** Hart Elementary School ** Hawkins Elementary School ** Zavala Elementary School *Located in West Central El Paso ** Lamar Elementary School ** Mesita Elementary School


Special campuses

* College Career and Technology Academy (formerly Sunset High School and School Age Parent Center) *Delta Academy (alternative campus for juvenile detention center inmates) *Occupational Center *Regional Day School For The Deaf *San Jacinto Adult Learning Center *Telles Academy (disciplinary campus) *Young Women's STEAM Research & Preparatory Academy


Former campuses

* Alamo Elementary School (in South-Central El Paso; closed 2005; initially slated to reopen following renovations, but consolidated with Hart Elementary School in 2011) * Alta Vista Elementary School (in East-Central El Paso; closed in 2019 due to declining enrollment) * Beall Elementary School (in South-Central El Paso; closed in 2019 due to declining enrollment) * Bond Elementary School (in West El Paso; consolidated with Roberts Elementary and Lincoln Middle to form Haskins Elementary-Intermediate School in 2021) * Bonham Elementary School (in East El Paso; closed in 2021 and consolidated with MacArthur Elementary-Intermediate) * Bradley Elementary School (in Northeast El Paso;closed in 2021, consolidated with Fannin Elementary School at Torres Elementary School) * Burleson Elementary School (in South-Central El Paso; closed in 2019 due to declining enrollment) * Burnet Elementary School (in Northeast El Paso; closed in 2018 due to declining enrollment) * Crosby Elementary School (in Northeast El Paso; consolidated with Dowell Elementary and Schuster Elementary to form Duran Elementary in 2021) * Dowell Elementary School (in Northeast El Paso; consolidated with Crosby Elementary and Schuster Elementary to form Duran Elementary in 2021) * Dudley Elementary School (in West-Central El Paso; replaced by Mesita Elementary School in 1948) * Fannin Elementary School (in Northeast El Paso;closed in 2021, consolidated with Bradley Elementary School at Torres Elementary School) * Highland Elementary School (replaced by Moreno Elementary School in 2000) * Houston Elementary School (in East-Central El Paso; closed in 2010 due to declining enrollment, now the Houston School of Choice, a continuation high school) * Jones Elementary School (in West-Central El Paso; closed and razed in 1972 along with the Smeltertown neighborhood it served and in which it was located) * Lincoln Elementary School (in South-Central El Paso; moved and reconfigured to form Lincoln Middle School) * Lincoln Middle School (in West El Paso; consolidated with Bond Elementary and Roberts Elementary to form Haskins Elementary-Intermediate School in 2021) * Navarro Elementary School (in Ciudad Juarez since 1963 because it was located on land ceded to Mexico under the terms of the Chamizal Treaty. It is now part of the Autonomous University of Ciudad Juarez ACJ. * Roberts Elementary School (in West El Paso; consolidated with Bond Elementary and Lincoln Middle in 2021 to form Haskins Elementary-Intermediate) * Roosevelt Elementary School (in South-Central El Paso; closed in 2006, consolidated with Aoy Elementary School) * San Jacinto Elementary School (closed in 1976, now San Jacinto Adult Learning Center) * Schuster Elementary School (in Northeast El Paso;closed in 2019 due to declining enrollment) * Vilas Elementary School (in West-Central El Paso; closed in 2016, now a satellite campus of Mesita Elementary School, Mesita Early Childhood Development Center at Vilas, which serves prekindergarten to first grade)


Dormant campuses

* Wainwright Elementary School (in Northeast El Paso; mothballed since 2005; currently used as a science resource center)


Administrative offices

Its current headquarters are in
Downtown El Paso Downtown El Paso is the central business district of El Paso, Texas. Historical downtown James Day, an El Paso historian, said that downtown's main business area was originally centered between Second Street and San Francisco Street. At a later ...
. It includes two buildings: an , eight story building that was acquired and a newly built , three story building. The district began leasing a property on the grounds of
El Paso International Airport El Paso International Airport (EPIA, , es, Aeropuerto Internacional de El Paso) is four miles (6 km) northeast of downtown El Paso, in El Paso County, Texas, United States. It is the largest civil airport in West Texas. It handled 3,516,91 ...
in 1963 to house its administrative headquarters. By the 2010s the City of El Paso desired the use of the property for airport expansion, but chose to defer the original 2014 expiration of the lease to at least December 31, 2019 so EPISD had time to find a new headquarters location. In 2021 the current EPISD headquarters opened. The district spent $3.2 million to buy the land and the building on it for the downtown headquarters.


Notable EPISD alumni

* F. Murray Abraham, an award-winning
actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lit ...
, is a graduate of El Paso High School. * Alan Culpepper, a two-time Olympian (2000, 2004) and three-time US Cross-Country Champion, is a graduate of Coronado High School. *
Sam Donaldson Samuel Andrew Donaldson Jr. (born March 11, 1934) is an American former reporter and news anchor, serving with ABC News from 1967 to 2009. He is best known as the network's White House Correspondent (1977–1989 and 1998–99) and as a panelist ...
, a famous television journalist, is a graduate of El Paso High School. *
Eddie Guerrero Eduardo Gory Guerrero Llanes (October 9, 1967 – November 13, 2005) was an American professional wrestler. He was a prominent member of the Guerrero wrestling family, being the son of first-generation wrestler Gory Guerrero. Eddie Guerrero is ...
, a former professional wrestler for
World Wrestling Entertainment World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vari ...
(WWE) who was
WWE Champion The WWE Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, representing the Raw brand division. It is one of two world titles on WWE's main roster, alongside SmackDown ...
, two-time
WWE Intercontinental Champion The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, currently defended on the SmackDown brand division. It is one of two secondary championships for WWE's main ros ...
and member of the
WWE Hall of Fame The WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame which honors professional wrestlers and professional wrestling personalities maintained by WWE. Originally known as the "WWF Hall of Fame", it was created in 1993 when André the Giant was posthumously i ...
, was a graduate of Jefferson High School. * Emcee N.I.C.E.(Aulsondro "Novelist" Hamilton) is a Multi-Platinum musician,
actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lit ...
was a part of
Lighter Shade of Brown A Lighter Shade of Brown (LSOB) was an American hip hop duo from Riverside, California best known for their 1990 hit single "On a Sunday Afternoon", a success in the U.S., written by songwriters and musicians David Dunson and Micah Carson. His ...
the first
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
Rap group in the history. Produced iconic musicians such as
Tupac Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...
, Nas, Aaron Hall & more. He is also associated with The
78th Academy Awards The 78th Academy Awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), took place on March 5, 2006, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:00 p.m. PST / 8:00 p.m. EST. The ceremony was s ...
winning film
Crash (2004 film) ''Crash'' is a 2004 crime drama film produced, directed, and co-written by Paul Haggis. A self-described "passion piece" for Haggis, the film features racial and social tensions in Los Angeles and was inspired by a real-life incident in which ...
Soundtrack along with 7 more notable soundtracks and over 30 records recorded as a member of KansasCali. He attended Travis Elementary, Bassett Junior High School, Canyon Hills Junior High & Irvin High School before moving to Kansas * Shoshana Johnson, a famed
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, is a graduate of Andress High School. * Tom Lea, famed author and painter, was a graduate of El Paso High School. * Tom Moore, a cartoonist best known for the "Archie" comic books series, is a 1946 graduate of Austin High School. * John Moyer, the current bassist for the rock band Disturbed, is a graduate of Coronado High School . *
Sandra Day O'Connor Sandra Day O'Connor (born March 26, 1930) is an American retired attorney and politician who served as the first female associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1981 to 2006. She was both the first woman nominated and th ...
, a former
U.S. Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
Associate Justice, is a graduate of Austin High School. * John D. Olivas, a NASA astronaut, is a graduate of Burges High School. *
Lupe Ontiveros Guadalupe Ontiveros ( Moreno; September 17, 1942 – July 26, 2012) was an American actress best known for portraying Rosalita in ''The Goonies'', and Yolanda Saldívar in the film ''Selena''. She acted in numerous films and television shows, ...
, a veteran actress, was a graduate of El Paso High School. * Nolan Richardson, a nationally recognized basketball coach, graduated from Bowie High School. *
Rubén Salazar Ruben Salazar (March 3, 1928 – August 29, 1970) was a civil rights activist and a reporter for the ''Los Angeles Times,'' the first Mexican-American journalist from mainstream media to cover the Chicano community. Salazar was killed during the ...
, a noted Mexican-American journalist, was a graduate of El Paso High School.


Other notables who have attended EPISD schools

*
Richard Ramirez Ricardo "Richard" Leyva Muñoz Ramirez (; February 29, 1960 – June 7, 2013), dubbed the Night Stalker, the Valley Intruder (as his attacks were first clustered in the San Gabriel Valley), and the Walk-in Killer was an American serial kill ...
, known as The Night Stalker, a serial killer who died of natural causes while awaiting execution in California, attended Jefferson High School but dropped out. *
Debbie Reynolds Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer, and businesswoman. Her career spanned almost 70 years. She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer for her portra ...
attended Houston and Crockett Elementary Schools before her family moved to California. *
Sharon Tate Sharon Marie Tate Polanski (January 24, 1943 – August 9, 1969) was an American actress and model. During the 1960s, she played small television roles before appearing in films and was regularly featured in fashion magazines as a model and cover ...
, actress and Manson Family murder victim, attended Irvin High School briefly in 1959 and 1960.


See also

*
List of school districts in Texas This is a list of school districts in Texas, sorted by Region and County. Geographical school districts in Texas are (with one exception, the Stafford Municipal School District) completely independent from city or county jurisdiction. Texas s ...


References


External links

* {{Authority control School districts in El Paso, Texas Education in El Paso, Texas School districts established in 1883