Overview
- The board voted 6-1 at a special meeting Wednesday to approve Superintendent Eduardo Hernández’s voluntary retirement, naming Feb. 1, 2027, as his final day and designating him superintendent emeritus until then.
- District leaders said they will release the buyout amount by the end of the week while noting Hernández’s reported annual salary of $335,193 and a $26,815 retirement supplement.
- Many parents and community members urged trustees to delay the agreement until three newly elected board members are sworn in on Nov. 17, and some attendees turned their backs during the meeting to signal protest.
- Trustee Michael Valdez cast the lone dissenting vote and said he was upset about the financial figures in the deal, reflecting broader concerns about transparency and use of public dollars.
- The exit comes as Edgewood faces falling enrollment, a $3.7 million budget gap and a D state rating for 2025–26, and the board's move could shape an interim hire, the district’s budget decisions, and how the incoming trustees press for changes.