In a year full of financial challenges, KSAT Investigates found San Antonio Independent School District spent nearly a teacher’s salary’s worth on attorneys to review records requests made by news agencies.
The district has been scrutinized for its handling of school closures, heating and air-conditioning systems and finances.
Tough decisions, tight resources
In June 2024, the SAISD board approved a new budget amid what superintendent Jaime Aquino called a “dire financial situation.”
“We are struggling even to offer the most basic services,” Aquino said.
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The plan came after the district shut down more than a dozen schools and struggled with heating system failures.
“I lead with a spirit of transparency,” Aquino told KSAT Investigates earlier this year.
That spirit has been tested and called into question.
Kelley Shannon, executive director of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, explained that almost all government records should be shared as soon as possible.
“They belong to us,“ she said. ”We, the people, the public.”
In Texas, people have the right to access government records. Some agencies hand them over, while others attempt to stall their release.
Shannon explained that there are a few exceptions, like records protected under attorney-client privilege, which could include the sale of land.
“It does raise a red flag when you see a lot of requests having to go to an outside attorney for review,” Shannon said.
Between November 2023 and November 2024, records show the district had outside law firm Escamilla and Poneck review 19 requests made by media outlets, including KSAT. Invoices show the firm charged the district $55,149.50 for their work.
That’s just over $3,000 more than SAISD pays first-time teachers with a bachelor’s degree, according to SAISD’s pay schedule for this school year.
“It’s an abuse of the taxpayer,” said James Quintero, the policy director for the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
He believes the expense is concerning.
“Why are these requests not being handled in-house?” Quintero asked. “Why is the governmental body constantly seeking outside counsel to funnel all of these requests through?”
‘KSAT is asking all the right questions’
Nearly half of the bill came from the district asking the firm to review five requests made by KSAT Investigates.
The most expensive request the district paid for is one of ours. The invoice shows attorneys spent 43 hours working on it, charging the district $13,685.
The law firm’s invoices didn’t provide details on each request they reviewed. KSAT asked the district to clarify, and they directed us to file another records request.
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Over the last year, the district’s attorneys sent KSAT Investigates several letters fighting requests for records concerning Aquino’s personal development coach and performance evaluations.
“I think KSAT is asking all the right questions,” Quintero said. “That’s very clearly indicated by the amount of money the district is spending to prevent the release of various bits of information.”
Shannon said taxpayers should ask questions about how public money is being spent.
“It’s definitely worth scrutinizing the way you guys are doing it,” she said.
KSAT asked SAISD why the district pays an outside law firm to review records requests instead of having public information officers do it.
“We sometimes involve our legal team for complex requests to ensure our response meets legal requirements,” SAISD spokeswoman Laura Short said in an email. She said internal staff reviews and gathers information for all open records requests.
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