Harlingen CISD parents react to financial hardships, superintendent resignation

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District said in a statement on Wednesday that the board has created a new Finance and Planning Committee to assist the District in its financial challenges.

The committee has had two meetings so far, and former Harlingen CISD superintendent Jose A. Gonzalez was in attendance during the first meeting on Aug. 27. He resigned from his position as superintendent just days later.

ValleyCentral spoke to parents in the district who showed concern over Gonzalez's departure.

"I think the teachers should be getting a little cut of that severance package that he's getting," Ivan Gonzalez, the father of a senior at HCISD said. "Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars is too much for just quitting, and if you're quitting, you're quitting for a reason."

Gonzalez received a lump sum of $250,780.08 as part of his voluntary resignation and release agreement. The agreement states that Gonzalez will not receive the remaining two years of his three-year contract, a sum that would have totaled a million dollars.

The agreement also states that Gonzalez and the Board of Trustees have agreed not to make any negative or disparaging remarks concerning each other and Gonzalez's departure.

Erika Shaw, a Harlingen Consolidated School District parent, said the district's financial struggles make her concerned for the teachers.

"I feel sorry for the teachers because I have friends that are teachers and apparently none of them got any type of raise, so I feel like they just need to review that and be fair with everybody and be transparent about everyone’s salary," Shaw said.

The district said the Finance and Planning Committee will allow for the Board and Administration to focus on the budget for the 2025-26 school year.