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The Texas Education Agency has initiated a state takeover of Beaumont ISD, appointing Andrew Kim as conservator.

BEAUMONT, Texas — The Texas Education Agency has denied Beaumont Independent School District’s appeal and will move forward with a state takeover of the district, with Andrew Kim appointed as the new conservator.

Kim said his focus will be on strengthening the district in partnership with local leadership.

“I have spent my entire career focused on strengthening public schools and supporting the incredible educators who teach our kids every day,” Kim said. “As I step into this role, I am committed to working closely with district leadership and the community to establish strong systems that work for the students, staff and families of Beaumont ISD.”

According to the TEA, Kim will have authority under state law to oversee and direct actions of district leadership, report to the agency on governance and academic progress, and attend board meetings, including executive sessions.

A letter from the TEA outlines Kim’s compensation, which includes $250 per hour, $50 per hour for travel time, and reimbursement for other travel-related expenses. Kim is expected to leave Socorro Independent School District in far West Texas next month, where he has been serving as a conservator.

Kim was appointed by the TEA in April 2024 to oversee Socorro ISD following an investigation that found leadership issues and improper graduation practices within the district.

Currently, Kim serves as a TEA co-conservator in Socorro ISD and has worked closely with the superintendent and board of trustees to address longstanding financial challenges. He previously served as superintendent of Comal ISD from 2012 to 2022 and Manor ISD from 2005 to 2012. Kim is also the director of research and development at the Texas Behavioral Science and Policy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin.

In addition, Kim has been appointed chair of the Texas Commission on Next Generation Assessments and Accountability and has served on the Texas School Safety Center and the State Board for Educator Certification.

Kim was selected from a pool of approximately 70 individuals that are in the TEA's Monitor & Conservator Pool, according to the TEA.

Under the TEA’s order, a board of managers will eventually replace the district’s elected board of trustees, whose powers will be suspended during the intervention. TEA Commissioner Mike Morath said appointments for the board of managers and a new superintendent will be announced at a later date.

As of Jan. 9, they've received approximately 40 applications for the Board of Managers, the TEA told 12News.

Until those appointments are made, the current board of trustees and Superintendent Dr. Shannon Allen will continue to operate as usual.

This marks the second time state-appointed oversight has replaced locally elected leadership in Beaumont ISD. The TEA first took control of the district in 2014 following investigations into special education services, financial practices, and district governance.

The Texas Education Agency will retake control of Beaumont ISD, marking a new chapter in its history of state intervention due to ongoing performance issues.

BEAUMONT, Texas — The Texas Education Agency will take over the Beaumont Independent School District, a move confirmed Thursday by both the district and BISD school board member Joe Evans, who told 12News that “the entire district will be taken over.” The confirmation came the same day TEA Commissioner Mike Morath issued a formal letter ordering the installation of a board of managers and a conservator to govern the district.

In the December 11, 2025 letter addressed to Superintendent Dr. Shannon Allen and all seven trustees, Morath said state intervention is required because two BISD campuses—ML King Middle School and Fehl-Price Elementary—earned a fifth consecutive unacceptable academic accountability rating. State law under TEC §39A.111 mandates the appointment of a board of managers or the closure of any campus that fails for five straight years.

Morath wrote that ML King Middle School received its fifth consecutive unacceptable rating with the 2023–24 school year, marking 11 years since it last earned an acceptable rating. Fehl-Price Elementary reached the same threshold with the 2024–25 ratings; according to the letter, it has never met an acceptable academic standard since opening in 2011–12. Both campuses received “F” ratings in their most recent review.

The commissioner described the district’s challenges as a “fundamental failure,” citing chronic academic deficiencies and a long-standing inability to support student success. Only 30% of BISD students are meeting grade level—20 percentage points below the state average, he wrote—calling the intervention compulsory rather than discretionary.

According to 12News file reporting, this marks the second time in just over a decade that state-appointed oversight will replace locally elected leadership. The TEA first confirmed a takeover on April 14, 2014, when then-Commissioner Michael Williams removed the elected board following investigations into special education, finance, and governance. Williams cited the “magnitude of the findings,” “systemic operating deficiencies,” and the need to prevent “further harm to students.” Some trustees objected at the time, arguing the action disenfranchised voters.

Local control was restored in 2020 after years under a board of managers. Morath informed Superintendent Allen and the board of the transition, and Board President Thomas Sigee said the decision restored trust in the voters who elected district leaders.

But renewed state scrutiny intensified after BISD received a “D” accountability rating and seven failing campuses in the prior school year. During a September 2025 visit, Morath toured Fehl-Price, Pietzsch-MacArthur and Vincent Middle School, noting he saw both “great practices” and “very problematic practices.”

In his new order, Morath said the incoming board of managers will be focused on “comprehensive academic changes” to eliminate multi-year D or F campuses. A conservator will have full authority under Texas law to ensure BISD supports low-performing campuses and follows required turnaround plans. TEA has begun identifying prospective Beaumont community members to serve on the board.

The district is entitled to due process. An informal review is scheduled for December 17, 2025, in Austin, with required documentation due by December 15. The review will be closed to the public and media. If Morath proceeds after the review, the district may file a petition for review with the State Office of Administrative Hearings.

Until the process concludes, Morath wrote that the superintendent and trustees must continue operating under state law and in the best interest of students.

Superintendent Allen has previously expressed appreciation for the commissioner’s opportunity to “see the context in which we operate” and said any changes “would not take immediate effect,” signaling a transition period as BISD prepares for state-appointed leadership once again.

Region 5 Education Service Center Executive Director Dr. Byron Terrier gave a statement to 12News which you can read in full below:

Region 5 Education Service Center remains positioned to support Beaumont ISD students, staff, administration, and community in improving student outcomes across all campuses and the district. We have a long standing relationship with Beaumont ISD and are fully committed to assisting with improving student learning outcomes.

This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.