EPISD Promoted Pamela Bernal to Teaching Position Before Certification Completion Raises Questions About District Hiring Oversight

EAGLE PASS, Texas — Public records released under the Texas Public Information Act show that Pamela Bernal, a former instructional aide at Benavides Elementary School, was promoted to a full-time teaching position before completing her state certification. The promotion was later finalized under the administration led by Deputy Superintendent Ismael Mijares and Superintendent Samuel Mijares, raising public questions about how the district applies its emergency-hiring authority.

Bernal began working for the Eagle Pass Independent School District on November 29, 2021, as a Bilingual Instructional Aide earning $22,030 per year on a 183-day contract at Pay Grade 3. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from Sul Ross State University and completed student teaching in 2024 while continuing to work for the district.

Read: San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo Uvalde Qualifier Returns November 17–22

Teaching Under an Emergency Permit

On March 3, 2025, Bernal submitted a letter of intent requesting a bilingual teaching position. Soon afterward, the district issued her a Non-Renewable Emergency Permit that allowed her to begin teaching in an elementary classroom while finishing the final requirements for state certification. The permit was approved by Human Resources Director Jesus Arturo Costilla and documented in her personnel file.

Texas Administrative Code § 230.501 authorizes districts to employ candidates on one-year emergency permits when certification requirements are nearly complete. The rule aims to prevent classroom vacancies, but it also places discretion in district administrators to decide who receives early teaching authority.

Read: Eagle Pass Border Patrol Agent Indicted for Federal Wire Fraud

Certification and Promotion

The State Board for Educator Certification granted Bernal her Texas Educator Certificate for Core Subjects (EC–6) on September 29, 2025, valid through September 29, 2026. Three days later, the district’s Human Resources Office issued a promotion letter naming her a Teacher at Benavides Elementary, effective the same date as her certification.

The letter set her annual salary at $60,100, Pay Grade 7, on a 187-day contract. This change raised her yearly compensation by $38,070 compared with her prior aide position.

Administrative Oversight and Public Accountability

Her promotion was processed through the district’s internal approval chain, including Executive Director for Human Resources Jesus Arturo Costilla, Deputy Superintendent Ismael Mijares, and Superintendent Samuel Mijares. Her file also contains a Nepotism Statement affirming that she has no family relationship with board members or the superintendent.

District officials have the legal authority to approve emergency teaching permits. The public has a legitimate interest in knowing how often such exceptions occur and whether they align with state standards and local policy.

The Texas Public Information Act request that produced Bernal’s records sought compensation and promotion data for several EPISD employees from 2020 through 2025. Her case stands out for the timing of her appointment and the scale of her pay increase.

Read: Eagle Pass Police Charge Ivan Rodriguez After Shooting at Mall de las Aguilas

While her advancement illustrates career mobility within the district, it also underscores the discretion held by top administrators to grant early teaching roles under emergency authority. Community advocates and taxpayers have expressed growing concern that such decisions be transparent and subject to board oversight to maintain fairness and compliance.

Pamela Bernal’s promotion from aide to certified teacher represents a success story for professional growth within EPISD, but her employment record confirms that she began teaching under an emergency permit. The permit and subsequent promotion were both approved through the district’s upper administration.

The timing of those approvals and the rapid salary increase continue to draw public interest as residents and educators call for greater accountability in the district’s hiring and certification processes.

Read: Uvalde Withholds Records in Regina Santos-Aviles Death Investigation

About The Author