ROUND ROCK, Texas — After months of board meetings on the subject, the Round Rock ISD school board voted Thursday night to reinstate Superintendent Hafedh Azaiez.
He will be officially reinstated effective 8 a.m. on Friday, March 25.
Azaiez was placed on administrative leave in early January 2022 after the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in December 2021 recommended an investigation into a protective order filed against him. That order has since expired.
After being placed on leave, the board voted in late January to launch an investigation into allegations against the superintendent based on the TEA recommendation. According to a report, the board received the final investigation report earlier this month.
"So, according to this document that we had right here, it said the assistant district attorney assured me that the case was closed and in a separate conversation with a Travis County Sheriff's Office detective, she assured me that the case was closed and no criminal charges would be filed against Dr. Hafed Azaiez," RRISD Board Trustee Tiffanie Harrison said at the board meeting.
Also in March, the board voted against a proposed separation agreement with Azaiez with a vote of 5-4.
“I am very pleased with the Board‘s decision to allow me to return to serve the students, staff and parents in the Round Rock community as the Superintendent of the Round Rock ISD," Azaiez said in a statement issued by his attorney. "I am looking forward to working with all stakeholders to make sure that we focus on improving our student outcomes and supporting our teachers and staff.”
Azaiez was named the superintendent of the school district in June 2021. While on administrative leave, the RRISD board appointed Dr. Daniel Presley to serve as acting superintendent, a position he served in prior to Azaiez's arrival.
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