Toni Lopez, Superintendent, Pasadena Independent School District (ISD)

Invest: spoke with Toni Lopez, superintendent of the Pasadena ISD, about the district’s priorities for the coming year, including student achievement, attendance, workforce readiness, early childhood education, and fiscal responsibility. “As we make decisions, we focus on protecting students and ensuring they continue receiving the opportunities they deserve,” Lopez said.

What have you learned during your first year leading the Pasadena ISD, and what are your top priorities for the district this year?

I´ve learned a lot in one year. I’ve learned that it goes fast. I feel like I just got into this role yesterday, and now all of a sudden we’re one year in.

I’ve also learned how important partnerships are. Building strong relationships with families, community members, and workforce partners is critical because those partnerships ultimately benefit our students.

Last year, we launched our strategic plan, which is organized around three areas: excellence, experience, and opportunity.

Excellence focuses on student achievement. This year, we’re placing a particular emphasis on math achievement because we know our local workforce is heavily connected to the Port of Houston and the chemical industry. Those opportunities are rooted in STEM fields, so we want students to have a strong foundation. We know math is one of those gateways that we have to provide for our students. That does not mean we’re taking our focus away from reading, language arts, science, or history, but math is an area where we know we need to be intentional.

The second area is experience. We want students to come to school every day with a strong sense of belonging. One challenge we’ve seen since COVID is attendance. Attendance is not where we want it to be, so we are going to focus heavily on improving it. If students are in school, they are learning.

The third area is opportunity. We pride ourselves on providing opportunities that go beyond expectations. That includes our career and technical education programs, where we’ve been recognized as a CTE District of Distinction in Texas.

We also know that students who are ready for kindergarten have a greater chance of success throughout their academic journey. For years, Pasadena ISD invested in full-day pre-K at every elementary campus, even before the state fully funded it. This year, we’re piloting Pre-K 3 programs at three elementary schools. Community interest has been so strong that we already have a waiting list.

Another priority is maintaining fiscal health. Like many school districts across Texas, we are experiencing declining enrollment, and we must ensure our resources are aligned appropriately while continuing to serve students effectively.

How are enrollment shifts, budget pressures, and changing demographics affecting the district, and how are you adapting to those changes?

We have to keep a pulse on what our community needs and wants. That’s why partnerships are so important. We also need to recognize the financial realities. In Texas, school funding is tied to enrollment. We cannot continue operating with the same staffing structure we had 10 years ago, when we had approximately 10,000 more students than we do today. That means we have to continuously evaluate our staffing model and adapt accordingly.

We also review our programs every year to ensure they are meeting student needs and aligning with workforce expectations. Our focus is not simply on graduation. The real question is what students do after high school. Are they successful? Can they earn a livable wage? Have we provided them with the tools they need to succeed, whether they choose college, military service, or a skilled trade? That’s what guides our decisions.

How is Pasadena ISD helping students connect with workforce opportunities and preparing them for future careers?

We are proud that 92% of our students are college, career, or military ready. We monitor every student and develop personalized pathways to help them reach that goal.

Our career and technical education program plays a major role in that effort. We have a dedicated staff member whose primary responsibility is building industry partnerships and understanding what employers need from graduates.

Several years ago, the welding industry told us there was a shortage of welders. In response, we expanded welding programs throughout the district. Today, those programs are full, and students are graduating with skills that allow them to earn strong wages immediately after high school.

It’s important that students can see themselves in those careers. The same is true for students pursuing college pathways.

Our partnership with San Jacinto College is especially important. We operate one of the state’s most successful early college high school programs. One in 10 students graduates with an associate degree before receiving a high school diploma. Many of those students are first-generation college students, which can change the trajectory of an entire family.

We also work closely with the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership, local chambers of commerce, and municipal partners. Those relationships help us understand workforce needs and connect students with meaningful opportunities.

How should K-12 education respond to rapid advances in technology and artificial intelligence?

Technology is a powerful tool, but it is not a replacement for great teaching. There is no substitute for the relationships, guidance, and expertise that teachers bring to the classroom every day. Our goal is to ensure students have access to the tools and experiences that will help them succeed while keeping high-quality instruction and meaningful teacher-student interactions at the center of learning.

Pasadena ISD has always embraced innovation and technology. We have an innovation and development department that evaluates future workforce needs and the skills students will need to succeed. When it comes to artificial intelligence, we chose to embrace it rather than avoid it. We established a task force made up of diverse stakeholders, including students, to help us understand what AI should look like in our schools.

We want students to understand AI, know how to use it appropriately, and develop the skills necessary to navigate a constantly changing technological landscape. We also continue to seek student input because this field evolves rapidly.

This approach allows us to prepare students for the future while ensuring that exceptional teachers remain at the heart of the educational experience.

What has been most effective in attracting, developing, and retaining educators?

Nothing can replace the impact of a teacher in the classroom. No technology and no artificial intelligence can take the place of a great teacher. The teacher remains the most important factor in student success.

Because of that, we work hard to create a culture where teachers and staff feel connected to something meaningful. Even though we’re a large district, we strive to maintain a family atmosphere and a strong sense of belonging.

We want every employee to understand the role they play in student success. When students graduate, that achievement belongs to every educator who supported them along the way.

We also invest heavily in professional development. If teachers want to learn new skills or grow professionally, we want to provide those opportunities.

In addition, we believe strongly in leadership development. We want employees to know there are opportunities to grow within Pasadena ISD, and we are committed to helping them pursue those pathways.

As you balance budgets and resources, how do you determine where investments will have the greatest impact?

Those are difficult decisions, and they require input from stakeholders across the district.

My philosophy is to make reductions and adjustments as far away from students as possible so we can preserve the opportunities and services that directly impact their success. 

We also believe it’s important to involve our community in the process and understand the broader funding landscape in Texas. As we make decisions, we focus on protecting students and ensuring they continue receiving the opportunities they deserve.

Is there anything else you would like to highlight?

One topic I always want to emphasize is safety. Safety is our top priority, and it must remain at the forefront of everything we do. If students or staff do not feel safe, none of the other initiatives we’ve discussed can succeed.

We continue to invest resources in safety because it is fundamental to learning and growth. Pasadena ISD has its own police department, and we employ a director of safety who continuously audits our campuses to identify areas where we can improve.

We also have retired police officers assigned to our elementary schools. That provides an additional layer of support and reassurance for families, students, and employees.

Safety may not be the most glamorous topic in education, but it is one of the most important. We must continue investing in it because it creates the foundation that allows all other opportunities to exist.