Introduction to Brian Lusk, the New Superintendent of El Paso ISD
Brian Lusk, Dallas ISD’s deputy superintendent of schools and academics, will be El Paso ISD’s next superintendent after the school board there approved his selection Tuesday night. The veteran educator leaves DISD after three decades. He started his education career as an elementary school teacher in South Dallas and held multiple teacher, principal and administrative roles in the district, including chief of strategic initiatives. In recent years, Lusk spearheaded the expansion of DISD’s ambitious career preparation and college readiness programs.
“I love the opportunity I had in Dallas to work in an urban setting, and I think there are so many things that align to the work that is being done here in El Paso,” Lusk said. “I feel like the experience that I’ve had and the leadership I’ve been able to engage in has prepared me for this.”
In his new role, Lusk will lead the largest district in El Paso, which serves over 48,000 students. His first day is Dec. 10.
Background and Experience
EPISD’s board of trustees selected Lusk as the sole finalist in November, months after former superintendent Diana Sayavedra suddenly resigned in June. Board members highlighted his track record in achieving student outcomes in a large, urban school district similar to El Paso. Nearly 35,000 students in El Paso, about 73%, are economically disadvantaged, compared with 90% of DISD’s 140,000 students.
El Paso made significant academic gains over the past year and received a B in this year’s state accountability ratings. Like other districts across Texas, EPISD is facing declining enrollment, campus closures and a $6 million budget shortfall.
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“Dr. Lusk has spent his entire career serving students and school communities, and that commitment resonates deeply with who we are as a district,” Board President Leah Hanany said in a release. “We warmly welcome both him and his wife to El Paso and look forward to the exciting work ahead.”
Education and Career
Lusk, who grew up in Pennsylvania, said he knew he wanted to be an educator when he was 10 years old and coached younger kids in soccer. He holds a degree in elementary education, a master’s degree in educational administration and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy from the University of Texas at Austin.
He said he was drawn to the El Paso district because of its board’s high expectations and the investments the district has made in career and technical education and early childhood education.
DISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde said Lusk’s work in Dallas to expand those types of programs, as well as his efforts to help significantly reduce the number of D- and F-rated schools, prepared him to lead EPISD.
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Leadership Style and Initiatives
“I think what El Paso is going to see is that he’s going to be able to come around and bring people into a united vision around the things they value,” Elizalde said. “He’s going to get them to continue to stay focused on kids, but at a new level.”
As deputy superintendent at DISD, Lusk oversaw 228 schools and led the district’s academics, college and career readiness, counseling services, innovation and athletics. Under his leadership, the district opened two new career institutes, which provide high schoolers hands-on training in areas such as health science, manufacturing and aviation, which may not be available on their home campus.
The district has taken a multipronged approach to readying students for life after high school, recognizing that, while many will thrive in college, others want to enter directly into the workforce and earn a livable wage.
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Impact and Achievements
“There were a lot of kids who weren’t really connected to school, and we weren’t meeting the needs of them, and so we’ve done a much better job of meeting the needs of all of our learners,” Lusk said of the career institutes.
He has said he believes DISD needs to be the “economic engine for the city” and align programs and pathways with the local job market.
Children born in Dallas County have a 2 in 3 chance of not earning a living wage when they grow up, according to the Commit Partnership.
The numbers show DISD’s approach is getting students on track. Under Lusk’s leadership, roughly 91% of graduates were deemed ready for college, a career or the military based on state standards last year. Before the pandemic, that figure sat at roughly half.
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Conclusion
Over 900 juniors and seniors held internships this year, which helps students realize that careers after high school or college are possible, Lusk said. Hundreds of students earn associate’s degrees each year when
