After a "separation agreement" was reached between the Canutillo Independent School District board and superintendent Damon Murphy, trustees and parents said they are ready to move forward. Parents do not want any future plans and school projects to be placed on hold during this transition.

On Dec. 27 trustees will discuss the appointment of an interim superintendent from within the school district and they will also address the selection process of a new superintendent. 

"We will be looking at who we would like to appoint as the interim superintendent. The other option is what process the board would like to use in going out to search for a superintendent -- [utilizing] a search  firm or a consultant,"said Armando Rodriguez, CISD's board president.

Parents said they want a leader whom they can trust and who cares about the school district.

Murphy is at the center of an internal audit involving alleged violations of state standardized testing. The audit reveals that Murphy gave the directive to administrators to move a group of 10th-graders to the 11th grade to avoid taking an accountability test.

The board approved the audit at its last board meeting in early December. The district agreed to buy out the superintendent's final month remaining on his contract for about $41,000.

Some parents expressed sadness over Murphy's departure.

"Honesty, I really liked him. I think he did a lot of good for our district. I don't know, maybe he is guilty. Maybe he is not. But I don't think that he should be let go," said Olga Berumen, a CISD parent.

The board is cooperating with the Texas Education Agency, who is still in the process of reviewing the district's internal audit.