Monte Alto ISD taps Donna admin as lone finalist for super

Rashad Javed Rana

Monte Alto ISD announced a lone finalist for the superintendent post Wednesday evening, following Isaac Rodriguez’s resignation in September. 

The board of trustees have tapped Rashad Javed Rana for the position, who is currently serving as the assistant superintendent of educational services at Donna ISD, during a meeting on Tuesday.  

“The board is thrilled to welcome Rashad Rana as our lone finalist for Superintendent. His exceptional leadership, innovative vision, and unwavering dedication to student success make him the ideal choice to lead Monte Alto ISD into a new era of excellence,” board President Connie Villanueva said in a news release. “We are confident that his collaborative approach will inspire our educators, students, and community to reach new heights.”

Under Rana’s guidance, he has been a transformative leader in education, the release said, citing Donna ISD’s accountability rating improving from a “C” to a “B.”

He has also spearheaded the development of specialized campuses — which include STEAM programs, T-STEM academies, early college high schools and fine arts pathways — to ensure students have access to innovative and tailored educational opportunities. 

Rana has also created Emergent Bilingual Academies as well as expanded Career and Technical Education, or CTE programs to middle school students, according to the release.

Beyond academic programming, Rana also secured more than $5.8 million in grant funding for district initiatives, including technology integration, mental health awareness, and college and career readiness programs. 

The board now enters the mandatory 21-day waiting period before finalizing Rana’s contract, with the release noting that his “experience, philosophy, and proven leadership make him uniquely suited to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead for Monte Alto ISD.”

“This district has a rich history of academic achievement and community support, and I look forward to working collaboratively with our dedicated staff, students, families, and community partners to build on this strong foundation,” Rana said in the release.

Filomena Leo and Isaac Rodriguez

Since October, Filomena Leo had been serving as interim, as she previously had for multiple school districts across the Rio Grande Valley, including Mercedes, Donna and Weslaco. 

She was appointed to the post during the board’s Sept. 30 meeting, which is also when the district officially opened the position to applicants. Her appointment followed Rodriguez’s resignation to pursue new opportunities. He took the helm in April 2021, following former superintendent Rosie Cobarrubias’ retirement that same year.

The district, who previously said it parted ways with Rodriguez amicably, credited Rodriguez with leading Monte Alto ISD through pivotal changes and improvements in academic performance, student engagement and community partnerships.

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