San Benito superintendent lands ‘good’ marks on evaluation

S AN BENITO — The school board here is giving Superintendent Fred Perez “good” marks on his job performance while planning to boost student test scores and enrollment as he enters his third year in office, board President Orlando Lopez said Wednesday.

After giving Perez his annual job evaluation last week, trustees are waiting for board Attorney Tony Torres to compile results, Lopez said.

“He’s grown in every area, from curriculum to finance,” Lopez said. “Under Fred’s leadership, the culture of the district has changed tremendously. It’s a very welcoming culture. One of his strongest assets is listening and welcoming everything that benefits the kids and the district. His accessibility is second to none.”

Last year, Perez’s “strong” scores on his evaluation led to a $20,000 pay increase, boosting his salary to $205,000.

So far, board members haven’t discussed a pay increase, Lopez said, adding they’re waiting to compile his evaluation’s scores.

Now, Perez is working with board members to set goals including raising the district’s overall state academic standing while focusing on boosting student grades at three campuses struggling with low state test scores including a school which posted failing marks.

Among his goals is raising student enrollment numbers, which help determine state funding.

This year, the district’s enrollment stands at 8,335, down from about 8,524 last year.

“One of the biggest issues is enrollment,” Lopez said. “We’re focusing on how we can increase enrollment and (average daily attendance.)”

Since taking the job in 2024, Perez has worked to boost students’ state test scores, which determine the district’s overall academic standing.

In August, the Texas Education Agency’s 2026 Accountability Rating System’s annual report card gave the school district a 79 rating, a notch below a “B,” after Perez worked with officials to pull the district up from the “D” it carried through the 2023-2024 school year.

“I like the progress of our district,” Perez said. “We’ve made improvements each year. I think we’ve moved the needle in a lot of areas.”

This year, officials are planning to pull the district into the “B” range, he said.

Among his goals is boosting test scores at three campuses scoring low ratings while a fourth school posted a failing mark.

While the state’s Accountability Rating System’s gave Berta Cabaza Middle School, Riverside Middle School and Fred Booth Global Leadership Academy “D” rankings, Frank Roberts Elementary School took an “F.”

“Obviously, we have a lot of work we need to do,” Perez said.

Last week, the school board approved an improvement plan targeting Frank Roberts Elementary School, aiming to raise its overall student test score to 70.

As part of the plan, officials are conducting an “on-site needs assessment to identify the causes of low performance and limited progress,” a district document shows.

“The campus administrative team met with campus leaders, parents and community members to review the performance rating and gather input on the plan,” the document states.

Now, officials are planning to hold a public hearing into the school’s improvement plan.

“Campus and district leaders as well as instructional coaches will support teachers through lesson internalization,” the document states. “New teachers and teachers needing additional support will receive more frequent coaching, modeling and planning assistance. Support will be adjusted using observation and student learning evidence.”

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