LAREDO, Texas (KGNS) – The recent school board elections drew attention as voters made their choices about the future of education in Laredo.

The United ISD board had four positions on the ballot, including District’s. One, Two, Four and Seven seats.

Each race had an incumbent running for re-election, but only two were able to retain their positions.

New faces elected to the UISD board include Danielle “Daniely” Martinez, who will take over the Seventh District seat.

Martinez told KGNS he hopes to bring transparency to the district and create new programs, among other things.

“Bus safety is a dangerous plan to ensure that all of our children living in dangerous areas have bus transportation to and from school,” Martinez said. “And we still ensure that our teachers, staff and community earn the trust of the district.”

The UISD board also has a new trustee for the Second District, and that person is former City Councilman Rudy Gonzalez Jr. will be.

Gonzalez said he aims to improve safety for everyone and wants to review employee pay rates while creating new initiatives for the region.

“What kind of projects can we bring, what new ideas can we bring to the region, what new programs can we bring for our students and families, most importantly, be there for everyone who cares about us,” Gonzalez said.

The remaining trustee is Gilberto Aguilar Jr., District One. was. He was appointed to this position in 2023 after the death of then-Board Member Ricardo Molina Senior.

Aguilar said we will continue to work to make UISD the best district for all its students.

“Support our teachers, support our campuses and support our staff with that building, that beautiful environment,” Aguilar said. “I think that will carry over to our children and everyone.”

Meanwhile, the Laredo ISD School Board races presented a different picture. Many voters may have noticed that some LISD positions were not on the ballot, but as LISD Board President Juan Ramirez explained, this was a decision made to save on expenses.

“At least three counties were not on the ballot because there were no competitors, so there was no one who put their name on the ballot. “Every choice made has a cost, so this was a savings in a way.”

The only LISD Board of Trustees position on the ballot was for the Fourth District, as three candidates vied for the seat.

Ultimately, Alfredo “Gus” Perez was elected with 59% of the votes.

Trustees selected for both the UISD and LISD boards are expected to be sworn in in late November.

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