Round Rock superintendent Chavez to retire

ROUND ROCK (KXAN) - The superintendent of Round Rock ISD announced Wednesday his plans to retire effective Dec. 31.

Dr. Jesus H. Chavez has served as the superintendent since February 2006 and spent 35 years working in the Texas school system. He started his career in 1979 as a third grade teacher with Brownsville ISD.

Chavez first started with Round Rock ISD in 1985 as a central office administrator, director and assistant superintendent. He also served as superintendent for Harlingen CISD and Corpus Christi ISD before accepting the same role in Round Rock.

In December 2011, the Round Rock school board cut Chavez's bonus saying there concerns he wasn't meeting all of the goals laid out by the board over the previous year.

At the time, the board said it evaluates the superintendent twice a year. Bonuses typically reflect the evaluations. Chavez received a $5,600 bonus for his work at the time. He could have received $10,000 but the board felt TAKS test scores are not meeting the goals they had set forth for Chavez.

His contract was set to expire in March 2014.

Roughly 45,000 students attend the district's five high schools, ten middle schools, 33 elementary schools, and two alternative learning centers. Enrollment in Round Rock schools continues to grow by more than 1,200 students per year, according to the district.

According to a press release, the Round Rock ISD Board of Trustees will meet in the coming weeks to begin the process of selecting a new leader for the district.