DALLAS — It's a critical week for the Dallas Independent School District, one that could see Superintendent Michael Hinojosa leaving for Las Vegas.
News 8 has learned that two trustees from the Clark County, Nevada school district — Dr. Linda Young and Deanna Wright — arrived in Dallas on Sunday night. They will meet with Dallas community leaders on Monday.
Clark County is expected to make its decision on Wednesday, when Dr. Hinojosa could be offered — and could accept — the Nevada job. He is one of two finalists for the position.
Their itinerary has not been released, but News 8 has learned that Young and Wright will be meeting with at least three Dallas ISD board members at 11 a.m. Monday.
The firm in charge of the superintendent search coordinated the visit.
"They wanted to have the opportunity to talk to people who are on the ground there," said Clark County School District board president Terri Janison.
News 8 has learned that Lew Blackburn and former board member Ron Price are on the list.
Trustees Jack Lowe and Edwin Flores are also expected to attend. Last week, both said they want to keep Hinojosa on the job at DISD.
"I'm competing for him," Price said. "I talked to one of the board members out there [in Las Vegas] — you are getting a heck of a guy, and I am going to try to keep him here. So they are trying to get him, and we are trying to get him."
Flores also had words of praise for Hinojosa. "He's a rock star; a superstar," he said.
Trustees Bruce Parrott and Bernadette Nutall were not invited to the meeting with Clark County representatives.
The teachers' unions, NEA Dallas and AFT Alliance, had not been contacted, either.
Last week, DISD's board decided to extend Hinojosa's contract until 2015, but without a raise; the vote was 5-4.
Carla Ranger, who is not attending the meeting with the Las Vegas emissaries, voiced her concerns about the extension last week. "It would be unwise today for us to make the decision to extend the contract of a person who has shown in every way that he wants to leave," she said.
Hinojosa has said it's too early for him to make a decision if he gets the offer.
On Monday night, the Clark County fact-finders will travel to Colorado, where the other finalist is state commissioner of education.
E-mail mdiaz@wfaa.com
