Robstown ISD superintendent to step down for top role in another district

Robstown ISD Superintendent Jose Moreno has announced he is leaving the district.

Moreno, who has led Robstown ISD since 2018, has been named the lone finalist for the superintendent position in Somerset ISD, south of San Antonio.

Robstown ISD has not yet named an interim superintendent. In addition to a temporary leader, the district will hire a search firm to help find a permanent replacement. Moreno said he will stay with the district for a couple more weeks but plans to be at Somerset by the end of the month.

Moreno said Thursday that his departure from Robstown was primarily for family reasons. Moreno lives in San Antonio with his family and has been commuting to Robstown during his time with the district.

"I'm taking a step closer to home, mainly for my family — they're the main driver," Moreno said. "If not, I would have stayed here another couple of years for sure because I really enjoy it here."

Moreno was the Education Service Center, Region 2 Superintendent of the Year in 2022.

"The biggest challenge when I first stepped in was to set us in a position as a public school system where we were going to be seen in a competitive light," Moreno said.

Moreno said that a supportive and student-focused school board has allowed the district to change the way it's viewed in the region. He also touted the district's elementary school academies and investments in new and expanded programs in welding, robotics and health services.

Over the past few years, the district has improved its rating in the state's accountability system. In 2017-18, Robstown ISD was a C-rated district. It scored an 83 the following year. The state did not release ratings for the next two years due to the pandemic, but in 2021-22, Robstown ISD scored an 85.

Going forward, Moreno said challenges the district will face include enrollment.

"In a community that doesn't have a lot of new housing, that poses a challenge because then you start to have an aging community with not as many little ones coming in," Moreno said. "We want to make sure we are in a competitive position to be able to even attract students from other school districts to come to us because of the types of programs that we offer. ... Whoever is chosen as the new leader, he or she will have to have that mindset of innovation and a strong instructional background to be able to continue to lead the momentum."

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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Robstown ISD superintendent to step down for role in another district