Dallas City Wire

A North Texas public school district will once again look for a new superintendent after the sole finalist for the office backed out of the opportunity. 

The Arlington Independent School District (AISD) was in the midst of the state required 21-day waiting period before extending a contract of employment to Dr. Michelle Cavazos when she decided to stay with the Gregory-Portland Independent School District (G-PISD) near Corpus Christi.

Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) NBC affiliate KXAS reported that with just three days before the window ended, Cavazos inked a new five-year contract with G-PISD.

Cavazos was in line to succeed incumbent AISD Superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos, who is set to enter retirement, Dallas City Wire reported.

The two aren’t related though they have the same surname.

The AISD Board of Trustees was under the impression Cavazos would actually take the job, DFW CBS affiliate KTVT reported. 

"We had talked with her, she said that contract negotiations were going fine and then she was excited about taking the leadership role in AISD," board president Melody Fowler said in the report. 

KTVT reported that the trustees learned of Cavazos taking herself out of the running on Monday.

"We didn't get any phone calls or any notification, and then there it was on social media," Fowler told the station. "So it was disappointing. It was disappointing and surprising." 

A breakdown in contract talks opened the door for G-PISD to reach out to Cavazos in another attempt to get her to stay, KTVT reported. 

Cavazos said in a statement to bow out of becoming AISD’s next superintendent “was an incredibly difficult decision.”

She added she didn’t intend to seek the position when the district reached out to her for an interview.

“I am grateful that they expressed confidence in my abilities and extended an incredibly generous offer that I have thoughtfully and carefully considered,” Cavazos said. “In the end, I made the decision to accept a five-year commitment from G-PISD.”