EPISD Audit Reveals Former CFO's Role in $53 Million Deficit

The El Paso Independent School District (EPISD) has released an internal audit detailing a nearly $53 million budget deficit, attributing significant responsibility to former CFO Martha Aguirre. The audit indicates that critical financial risks were not communicated to Superintendent Brian Lusk or the board of trustees, resulting in a lack of oversight. Aguirre resigned in May amid these financial challenges, and Deputy Superintendent David Bates has since taken over financial operations. In response to the deficit, the district declared financial exigency on June 4 and has since cut over 50 contracted positions, reducing the deficit to approximately $4 million. The full audit report is available on the EPISD website for public review.

Key Details: • Audit reveals a $53 million budget deficit linked to former CFO's actions. • Martha Aguirre resigned in May due to financial pressures. • Financial exigency declared by the district on June 4. • Over 50 contracted positions cut to reduce deficit to around $4 million. • Full audit report available on the EPISD website.