The Texas Education Agency appointed a conservator for the La Joya Independent School District, according to a letter obtained by Channel 5 News.

The letter was sent Monday to La Joya ISD Superintendent Marcey Sorensen, and La Joya ISD School Board President Julian Alvarez. 

READ THE LETTER HERE

The letter named Diana Barrera Ugarte as conservator to the district. According to the letter from the TEA, Ugarte’s duties include overseeing and directing any action of the district, conducting onsite inspections, and reporting to the TEA on the progress of the district and its governance team.

Ugarte will be paid at a fee of $125 per hour, plus travel expenses, which will be covered by the district. 

A TEA spokesperson told Channel 5 News a conservator was always going to be placed as part of the appointment of the district’s board of managers.

READ MORE: TEA appoints board of managers and new superintendent at La Joya ISD

“This was an expected appointment, there are no new issues and this is not an elevation of the intervention,” TEA spokesperson Jake Kobersky said. “To put it plainly, it’s still business as usual for LJISD”

In February, the TEA appointed a new board of managers and superintendent following an investigation into the district. The investigation found former school board members and employees engaged in fraud and broke several conflicts of interest laws.

RELATED STORY: TEA report recommends La Joya school board be replaced by board of managers

“The appointment of the conservator does not relieve the district and its governing board of the responsibility to operate in compliance with all applicable statutes and rules,” the letter states.