Superintendent Rodney Watson, the son of two longtime educators, enjoys the challenges of leading an urban school district such as Spring ISD.

Those challenges came quickly for Watson. An internal investigation turned up transcript irregularities that affected 600 students in February—six months after he was appointed superintendent.

The transcript irregularities led to staff turnover, but it also allowed SISD to examine its systems of monitoring data, he said. Watson said the district is beginning to bounce back by regaining community’s trust.

“We took [the] opportunity to be transparent and say, ‘This is where we are, this is what we found, but here’s how we’re going to remedy it,’” Watson said.

Watson said the transcript irregularities led to an improved system of communications within SISD in 2015. He now has regular meetings with parents, teachers and administrators where stakeholders are given a venue to have discussions previously held in a parking lot.

Six months into the district’s five-year improvement plan that Watson helped launch in May, the superintendent said SISD will continue working to create a culture that will lower turnover and build trust.

“I don’t want to be a good district for low socioeconomic students or a good district for black and brown students,” Watson said. “I want to be a district that’s known for quality academics.”