History

The Coalition began through the vision of a School Board Trustee and Chamber Board members. Julian Trevino, San Antonio ISD Trustee, focused on developing a mechanism for School Board members to collaborate through professional development and training. He conceived a notion to provide a platform to assemble the school board presidents to provide professional development relative to leading a complex group of individuals to identify an effective governance process to improve the educational welfare of all of the public school students in Bexar County. In parallel, Elaine Mendoza, Chair of the Hispanic Chamber, developed a strategic goal of using the resources of the Hispanic Chamber to help improve School Boards Governance in the San Antonio area.

 

Carrie Baker Wells of The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce brought together Elaine Mendoza and Julian Trevino. This union resulted in the development of the Bexar Presidents Institute. The Hispanic Chamber raised the funds to hold the first Institute conducted by The Center for Reform of School Systems. The First Institute was supported by 11 of the ISDs and was a huge success. The initial participants decided to continue the good will, collaboration and improved Governance training and recommended that a new Coalition be established.