GERONIMO, Texas — July 5, 2026 — During a special meeting held on June 29, 2026, the Navarro Independent School District Board of Trustees completed its annual summative Superintendent Evaluation for Dr. Mandy Epley. With five of the seven trustees in attendance, the Board voted unanimously to extend Dr. Epley’s contract for an additional three years, solidifying stable leadership for the district’s rapid growth and academic progress.

The contract extension follows a strong performance progressing or completing goals established across five major District and Board priority categories.

The evaluation metrics revealed strong achievements under Dr. Epley’s leadership and Board support over the past school year, particularly in staff retention, student performance, and operational readiness:

• Unprecedented Teacher Retention (Goal 1.1): Dr. Epley successfully implemented strategic programs—including a Compensation Task Force and the Teacher Incentive Allotment—to drive teacher turnover down. While the goal was to keep turnover under 15% by August 2026, Navarro ISD achieved an astounding estimated turnover rate of just 6.4% as of June 1.
• Historic Academic & Graduation Metrics (Goals 2.6 & 2.7): The district maintained a flawless 100% graduation rate for the 2025–2026 school year. Additionally, the percentage of graduates meeting College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) criteria skyrocketed from 71% in 2025 to 95% in 2026.
• Surging Student Participation & Recognitions (Goals 3.1, 3.2 & 3.3): Secondary Fine Arts participation grew by 14%, Junior High Career and Technical Education (CTE) participation surged by 45%, and high school students earned 186 Industry-Based Certifications compared to 95 the previous year. Student groups also reached historic post-district heights, including a TECA State Championship for Color Guard and a 16-year milestone for UIL One-Act Play.
• Soaring Employee Satisfaction (Goal 1.4 & 1.5): Driven by localized "Stay Interviews" covering 52% of the workforce, an overwhelming 98% of staff reported being proud to work for Navarro ISD, and 94% would recommend the district to friends. Furthermore, following Board support for recommended compensation increases for all employees and implementation of the Teacher Incentive Allotment for all content teachers, a positive perception regarding fair and competitive pay saw massive 23 and 33 percentage point increases, respectively. 
• Infrastructure & Operations (Goals 4.1, 4.2 & 4.3): Dr. Epley successfully enacted long-term Facilities, Operations, and Capital Asset plans, accelerating the purchase of eight new school buses, adding vital departmental personnel to handle district growth, and executing comprehensive preventative maintenance cycles.

Navarro ISD Board President Melissa Sartain expressed the Board’s unified confidence in Dr. Epley's visionary leadership.

"The Board of Trustees is thrilled to extend Dr. Mandy Epley's contract for another three years," said Board President Melissa Sartain. "Our recent evaluations clearly demonstrate her exceptional commitment to the students, staff, and families of Navarro ISD. From driving teacher turnover down, maintaining a 100% graduation rate and a 95% CCMR rate, Dr. Epley has systematically addressed actions that move us toward meeting or exceeding established goals. Where we have room to refine, Dr. Epley already has shared targeted action plans to continually improve.  She has fostered a culture of student-focused outcomes for their whole Navarro experience. Navarro ISD is thriving under her guidance, and we look forward to continued success and purpose-driven growth in all aspects of student engagement."

In tandem with her local commitments to improving student success and advocacy for public education and all who serve to support student growth and learning, Dr. Epley’s impact is extending throughout Texas, as she has recently secured three major regional and state leadership honors:

• Region 20 Executive RAC Election: Dr. Epley has been elected by her peers to serve as the At-Large representative on the Region 20 Executive Regional Advisory Council (RAC) of Superintendents for the 2026–2027 school year. Following a region-wide ballot sent to all ESC-20 superintendents, Dr. Epley was selected to fill this pivotal vacancy. The Executive RAC serves in a crucial advisory capacity to the Education Service Center and its Board of Directors, evaluating vital programs and services and supporting best practices for school districts. 
• TASA Professional Learning Committee Appointment: Dr. Epley accepted a prestigious two-year appointment to the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) Professional Learning Committee, running from June 1, 2026, to May 31, 2028. She was appointed by TASA President-Elect Dr. Roosevelt Nivens (Lamar ISD), the 2026 National Superintendent of the Year. This fall, Dr. Epley will help guide TASA's annual strategic priorities for the 2026–2027 academic year.
• Superintendent Academy Nomination and Acceptance: In June, Dr. Epley was officially nominated by the ESC Region 20 Director to attend the prestigious 2026–27 Superintendent Academy (Academy XXXIV). Highly regarded by Texas school leaders for cultivating elite leadership through a diverse cohort of outstanding educators, Dr. Epley's nomination and acceptance to the program recognizes her immense dedication to educational excellence and continuous learning to provide expert leadership to serve Navarro ISD. 

While celebrating these sweeping achievements, the Board and Dr. Epley are utilizing recent evaluation data to maintain transparent, ongoing action plans for student academic growth (Goal 2.3). Current results show that the district met or exceeded its aggressive 5% academic growth target in 9 tested areas, with 2 areas still awaiting state release.

To ensure continuous improvement across all campuses, the district is deploying a targeted academic action plan that includes conducting comprehensive data analyses by grade and subject, utilizing formative assessments for timely interventions, and providing focused professional development. Additionally, the district will expand instructional coaching and establish regular data review cycles to evaluate student growth, adjust interventions, and remain aligned as they await upcoming state announcements for the Purple Star and Closing the Gaps distinctions.

With this contract extension, Dr Epley shared, “I am blessed to serve the Panther Family. With the support of our school board and leadership team, I am committed to our mission of collaboratively growing our students, our district, and our community with respect for our history and a passionate drive to continue to expand opportunities for our students, staff, and families. There is no place like the heart of Geronimo!”