Additional Information

First elected to the Texas House in 2018. Current term expires January 2025.

Endorsed in the 2022 general election by Texas Parent PAC, a pro-public education organization that advocates for adequate and equitable funding of public schools, local control, teacher quality, and the prevention of private school vouchers. He also received the group's endorsement in the 2020 and 2018 elections.

Endorsed by the editorial board of the Austin American-Statesman in the 2022 general election. He also received their endorsement in the 2020 general election.

In the 2018 election, he was recommended favorably by Texans for Public Education, a grassroots educators' group that researched and rated candidates in the 2018 election based on their stances toward public schools.

Related Blog Posts

05/03/2023 Curriculum bill HB 1605 passed by Texas House

• House Vote #1 - 2023: PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS

  Voted for a budget amendment to prohibit state funds from being spent on private school vouchers. ATPE supported the amendment.

  House Floor Amendment 45 by Rep. Abel Herrero (D–Robstown) to House Bill 1 by Rep. Greg Bonnen (R–Friendswood), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. During its April 6, 2023, debate on the budget bill, the House passed this ATPE-supported amendment banning use of state funds for a private school voucher. (Record vote #111. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.) The amendment passed but was later stripped out of the final budget bill.

• House Vote #2 - 2023: CURRICULUM

  Voted for a bill that incentivized school districts to require educators to teach from prepackaged statewide curriculum designed by the Texas Education Agency.

  House Bill 1605 by Rep. Brad Buckley (R–Salado), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill incentivizes school districts to require certain educators to teach from prepackaged statewide curriculum designed by the Texas Education Agency. Read more about the bill here. On May 3, 2023, the House voted to pass the bill on third reading. (Record vote #914. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.) The Legislature ultimately passed a Senate version of the bill.

• House Vote #3 - 2023: PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS

  Voted against a motion to allow the House Public Education Committee to meet for the purpose of voting on a new version of a private school voucher bill that had not been publicly vetted. The House refused to grant permission for the meeting.

  This vote taken May 10, 2023, prevented the House Public Education Committee from holding a previously unscheduled meeting to rush through a last-minute vote on a controversial voucher bill that had not been publicly vetted. Committee Chairman Brad Buckley (R–Salado) requested permission for his committee to meet while the full House was still in a floor session. Rep. Ernest Bailes (R–Shepherd) objected to the motion and called for a record vote. The vote denying permission for the committee to meet was a pivotal point in stopping the push for vouchers during the regular session. Read more about the vote here. (House Record vote #1464. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)

• House Vote #4 - 2023: SCHOOL FUNDING

  Voted for a bill to change funding formulas for school districts and the minimum salary schedule.

  House Bill 100 by Rep. Ken King (R–Canadian), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill intended to make funding formulas enrollment-based rather than attendance-based. It also called for condensing the minimum salary schedule to a three-tiered schedule covering 10 years, which ATPE opposed. On April 27, 2023, the House voted to pass the bill on third reading. (Record vote #595. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.) The Senate later added a private school voucher provision to the bill, which resulted in HB 100’s failure to pass.

• House Vote #5 - 2023: SCHOOL FUNDING

  Voted for an amendment to raise the Basic Allotment to $6,500. ATPE supported the amendment.

  House Floor Amendment 7 by Rep. Trey Martinez-Fischer (D–San Antonio) to House Bill 100 by Rep. Ken King (R–Canadian), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. The amendment would have increased the Basic Allotment from $6,250 to $6,500. On April 26, 2023, the House voted to reject the Martinez-Fischer amendment. (Record vote #564. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)

• House Vote #6 - 2023: TEACHER PIPELINE

  Voted for an omnibus bill that proposed several regulatory changes and a one-time stipend of $2,000 for teachers. ATPE opposed the bill as insufficient in terms of providing a meaningful increase in educator compensation or enhancement of teachers' rights.

  Senate Bill 9 by Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe), sponsored in the House by Rep. Harold Dutton (D–Houston), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. Marketed as a “Teacher Bill of Rights,” SB 9 proposed a one-time stipend of $2,000 for teachers and several regulatory changes affecting the education profession. Read more about the bill and ATPE’s opposition to it here. On May 23, 2023, the House voted to pass the bill on second reading. (Record vote #2021. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.) The bill ultimately died in the House when it was withdrawn from consideration on third reading.

• House Vote #7 - 2023: TEACHER RECRUITMENT/RETENTION

  Voted for a bill to address teacher recruitment and retention through increased funding for incentive pay and other initiatives.

  House Bill 11 by Rep. Harold Dutton (D–Houston), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. This bill aimed to improve teacher recruitment and retention through increased funding for incentive pay and other initiatives. Read more about the bill and ATPE’s position on it here. On April 26, 2023, the House voted to pass the bill on second reading. (Record vote #563. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.) The bill later died in the Senate.

• House Vote #8 - 2023: SCHOOL SAFETY

  Voted against an omnibus school safety bill that provides funding to help schools comply with safety requirements. ATPE supported the bill.

  House Bill 3 by Rep. Dustin Burrows (R–Lubbock), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. This omnibus school safety bill provides $1.3 billion in school safety funding, calls for mental health training for school district employees, requires an armed officer at every campus, and allows the state to appoint a conservator to help school districts achieve compliance. The bill includes ATPE-recommended language limiting the scope of the conservator’s authority. On May 28, 2023, the House adopted the Conference Committee Report on HB 3, approving final passage of the bill. (Record vote #2229. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)

• House Vote #9 - 2023: SCHOOL COUNSELORS

  Was absent for the vote on a bill that removed the requirement for school counselors to have prior experience as a classroom teacher. ATPE opposed the bill.

  Senate Bill 798 by Sen. Mayes Middleton (R–Galveston), sponsored in the House by Rep. Brad Buckley (R–Salado), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill removed the requirement for school counselors to have prior experience as a classroom teacher. On May 16, 2023, the House voted to pass the bill on second reading. (Record vote #1750. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.) The bill was finally passed the next day and ultimately became law.

• House Vote #10 - 2023: SCHOOL CHAPLAINS

  Voted against a bill that allows school districts to employ paid or volunteer chaplains for student counseling and support and requires school boards to adopt a policy on whether to use chaplains. ATPE opposes allowing chaplains not certified as school counselors to provide counseling services to students.

  Senate Bill 763 by Mayes Middleton (R–Galveston), sponsored in the House by Rep. Cole Hefner (R–Mount Pleasant), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill allows school districts to employ paid or volunteer chaplains to support students without requiring them to be certified or trained as school counselors. SB 763 also requires each school board to vote on whether to adopt a policy authorizing the district’s use of chaplains. On May 8, 2023, the House voted to pass its version of the bill on second reading. (Record vote #1280. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.) The Legislature ultimately passed a compromise version of the bill.

• House Vote #11 - 2023: RETIREMENT

  Voted for a bill that provided a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and 13th check for retired educators. ATPE supported the bill.

  Senate Bill 10 by Sen. Joan Huffman (R–Houston), sponsored in the House by Rep. Greg Bonnen (R–Friendswood), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill provides a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and 13th check for retired educators. On May 28, 2023, the House voted to adopt the conference committee report on SB 10, approving final passage of the bill. (Record vote #2210. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)

• House Vote #12 - 2023: ACCELERATED INSTRUCTION

  Voted for a bill that modified the requirements for accelerated instruction to make them less burdensome for teachers and schools. ATPE supported the bill.

  House Bill 1416 by Rep. Keith Bell (R–Forney), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill was a clean-up for 2021’s House Bill 4545 (87-R), which required accelerated instruction for students who failed a STAAR exam. Based on feedback from teachers and school districts, HB 1416 reduced the hours of accelerated instruction required per subject and raised the teacher-student ratio to make it more manageable. On May 19, 2023, the House voted to concur in the Senate amendments to HB 1416, approving final passage of the bill. (Record vote #1873. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)

• House Vote #13 - 2023: LIBRARY BOOKS

  Voted against a bill establishing a rating system for and restricting certain content in school library materials.

  House Bill 900 by Rep. Jared Patterson (R–Frisco), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill requires book vendors to rate books based on sexual content and the development of additional state standards. The bill also prohibits certain materials from public school libraries and requires parental notification and consent for student access to certain other library materials. Read ATPE’s written testimony on the bill here. On April 19, 2023, the House voted to pass HB 900 on second reading. (Record Vote #334. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.) The bill was ultimately approved by both the House and Senate and became law.

• House Vote #14 - 2023: PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS

  Voted for the Raney amendment that stripped voucher language from an omnibus education bill, thereby stopping the last attempt to pass vouchers through the Texas Legislature in 2023. ATPE supported the amendment.

  House Floor Amendment 2 by Rep. John Raney (R–Bryan) to House Bill 1 by Rep. Brad Buckley (R–Salado), 88th Legislature, fourth called Special Session. The amendment removed voucher provisions from an omnibus education bill, effectively stopping the last attempt to pass vouchers during the 2023 legislative sessions. Read more about the amendment here. On Nov. 17, 2023, the House voted to adopt the Raney amendment. (Record vote #56. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)

• (Historical) House Vote #1 - 2021: VOUCHERS

  Voted for a budget amendment to prohibit state funds from being spent on private school vouchers. ATPE supported the amendment.

  House Floor Amendment #84 by Rep. Abel Herrero (D-Robstown) to Senate Bill 1 by Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound), 87th Legislature, Regular Session. The House passed the ATPE-supported amendment during its debate on the budget bill, April 22, 2021. (Record vote #410. View an official record of the vote in the House Journal.)

• (Historical) House Vote #2 - 2021: SPECIAL EDUCATION

  Voted against a bill creating the "Supplemental Special Education Services" grant, which allows parents of eligible students in special education to apply for a grant of up to $1,500 for the purchase of supplemental educational services and materials.

  Senate Bill 1716 by Sen. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), sponsored in the House by Rep. Greg Bonnen (R-Friendswood), 87th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill as passed by the Senate would have created a special education voucher program, which ATPE opposed, but the House removed the voucher language. On May 26, 2021, the House voted to pass its version of the bill on third reading, sending SB 1716 to the governor without objection from ATPE. (Record vote #1516. View an official record of the vote in the House Journal.)

• (Historical) House Vote #3 - 2021: COMPENSATION

  Voted for an amendment that would have ensured teachers could keep pay raises they had received as a result of 2019 school finance legislation. ATPE supported the amendment.

  House Floor Amendment #14 by Rep. Chris Turner (D-Arlington) to House Bill 1525 by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Kingsville), 87th Legislature, Regular Session. On April 21, 2021, the House passed the ATPE-supported amendment during its floor debate on a school finance clean-up bill. (Record vote #387. View an official record of the vote in the House Journal.)

• (Historical) House Vote #4 - 2021: CIVICS AND CURRICULUM

  Voted against a bill that mandated changes to social studies curriculum standards, sought to ban the teaching of concepts that have been associated with "critical race theory," limited students' access to course credit for activities related to legislation, and restricted educators' discussions of controversial topics and current events in the classroom. ATPE opposed the bill.

  House Bill 3979 by Rep. Steve Toth (R-The Woodlands), 87th Legislature, Regular Session. On May 11, 2021, the House voted to pass the ATPE-opposed bill on third reading. (Record vote #982. View an official record of the vote in the House Journal.) Read more about the bill here.

• (Historical) House Vote #5 - 2021: CIVICS AND CURRICULUM

  Voted against a bill passed during the second special session that replaced HB 3979 passed during the regular session. The bill requires the State Board of Education to change social studies curriculum standards and seeks to ban the teaching of concepts that have been associated with "critical race theory." SB 3 mandates a civics training academy for certain teachers and requires that teachers address controversial topics in an objective manner free from political bias. ATPE opposed the bill overall but supported House floor amendments that made the bill better than its predecessor, HB 3979.

  Senate Bill 3 by Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola), sponsored in the House by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Kingwood), 87th Legislature, Second Called Session. On Sept. 2, 2021, the House amended and then voted to approve the bill on third reading. (Record vote #150. View an official record of the vote in the House Journal). Read more about SB 3 here.

• (Historical) House Vote #6 - 2021: HOME-SCHOOL UIL

  Voted against a bill that allows home-schooled students to participate in University Interscholastic League (UIL) activities on behalf of and at the expense of a school district without meeting the same academic requirements under "no pass, no play" rules that apply to public school students. ATPE opposed the bill.

  House Bill 547 by Rep. James Frank (R-Wichita Falls), 87th Legislature, Regular Session. On May 13, 2021, the House voted to approve the ATPE-opposed bill on third reading. (Record vote #1028. View an official record of the vote in the House Journal.) The Senate later amended HB 547, removing House provisions that would have given coaches additional authority to verify home-schooled students' academic eligibility and allowed students served by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department to participate in UIL. On May 28, 2021, the House voted to concur with the Senate amendments to the bill, thereby sending a final version of HB 547 to the governor. (Record vote #1556. View an official record of the vote in the House Journal.) Read more about the bill here.

• (Historical) House Vote #7 - 2021: CHARTER SCHOOLS

  Voted for a bill that expands property tax exemptions for charter schools and those who lease property to a charter school. ATPE opposed the bill.

  House Bill 3610 by Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D-San Antonio), 87th Legislature, Regular Session. On May 8, 2021, the House voted to approve the ATPE-opposed bill on third reading. (Record vote #913. View an official record of the vote in the House Journal.) Read more about the bill here.

• (Historical) House Vote #8 - 2021: RETIREMENT

  Voted for a bill authorizing a one-time supplemental payment or "13th check" of up to $2,400 to TRS retirees. ATPE supported the bill.

  Senate Bill 7 by Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston), sponsored in the House by Rep. Greg Bonnen (R-Friendswood), 87th Legislature, Second Called Session. On Aug. 30, 2021, the House voted to approve the ATPE-supported bill on third reading. (Record vote #98. View an official record of the vote in the House Journal.)

• (Historical) House Vote #9 - 2021: VIRTUAL SCHOOLS

  Voted for a bill that would have expanded full-time virtual school programs statewide. ATPE opposed the bill.

  House Bill 1468 by Rep. Keith Bell (R-Forney), 87th Legislature, Regular Session. On April 28, 2021, the House voted to approve the ATPE-opposed bill on third reading. (Record vote #497. View an official record of the vote in the House Journal.) The Senate passed an amended version of HB 1468, and the bill was eventually sent to a conference committee to generate a compromise version. HB 1468 ultimately died when the House failed to vote on the conference committee report before the regular session ended.

• (Historical) House Vote #10 - 2021: VIRTUAL SCHOOLS

  Voted for a bill that expands funding and authorization for full-time virtual school programs statewide. ATPE opposed the bill.

  Senate Bill 15 by Sen. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), sponsored in the House by Rep. Keith Bell (R-Forney), 87th Legislature, Second Called Session. Based on the ATPE-opposed HB 1468 that failed to pass in the regular session, SB 15 expands state funding options for students in full-time virtual schools. On Aug. 30, 2021, the House voted to pass the bill on third reading. (Record vote #96. View an official record of the vote in the House Journal.)

• (Historical) House Vote #11 - 2021: ACCOUNTABILITY

  Voted for a bill that pauses accountability ratings for the 2021-22 school year, halts progressive sanctions for D- and F-rated schools once they earn a C rating, and clarifies due process protections for districts facing sanctions.

  Voted for/Voted against/Was "present not voting" on/Was absent for the vote on a bill that pauses accountability ratings for the 2021-22 school year, halts progressive sanctions for D- and F-rated schools once they earn a C rating, and clarifies due process protections for districts facing sanctions.

• (Historical) House Vote #12 - 2021: TESTING/ACCELERATED INSTRUCTION

  Voted against a bill that eliminated the STAAR passage requirement for grade promotion but requires accelerated instruction for students who failed a STAAR test.

  House Bill 4545 by Rep. Harold Dutton (D-Houston), 87th Legislature, Regular Session. On May 28, 2021, the House voted to concur with Senate amendments to the bill, which sent a final version of HB 4545 to the governor. (Record vote #1689. View an official record of the vote in the House Journal). Read more about the bill here.

• (Historical) House Vote #13 - 2021: ACCELERATED INSTRUCTION

  Voted for a bill that would have eased implementation of HB 4545, passed during the regular session, by limiting the subjects in which tutoring is required for students who failed a STAAR test and offering temporary relief from tutoring group size limits.

  House Bill 233 by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Kingwood), 87th Legislature, Second Called Session. On Sept. 2, 2021, the House voted to approve the bill on third reading. (Record vote #153. View an official record of the vote in the House Journal). The bill ultimately died when the Senate declined to hear it before the end of the session. Read more about the bill here.

• (Historical) House Vote #1 - 2019: EDUCATION FUNDING & REFORM

  Voted for a major school finance and reform bill providing $6.5 billion in increased funding for public education and $5 billion for property tax relief.

  House Bill 3 by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Kingwood), 86th Legislature, Regular Session. On April 3, 2019, the House voted to approve the bill on third reading. (Record vote #159. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)

• (Historical) House Vote #2 - 2019: RETIREMENT

  Voted for an ATPE-supported educator retirement bill making the TRS pension fund sound by increasing contribution rates and authorizing a one-time 13th check for retirees.

  Senate Bill 12 by Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston), 86th Legislature, Regular Session. On April 25, 2019, the House voted to approve the bill on third reading. (Record vote #661. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)

• (Historical) House Vote #3 - 2019: SCHOOL SAFETY

  Voted for an ATPE-supported school safety bill offering funding to implement school safety improvements and provide mental health resources.

  Senate Bill 11 by Sen. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), 86th Legislature, Regular Session. On May 22, 2019, the House voted to approve the bill on third reading. (Record vote #1610. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)

• (Historical) House Vote #4 - 2019: SCHOOL SAFETY

  Voted for a floor amendment to Senate Bill 11 requiring the state to identify regional resources that schools can use to address students' mental health needs. The amendment was based on Rep. Allison's HB 4414, a bill supported by ATPE.

  House Floor Amendment #8 by Rep. Steve Allison (R-San Antonio) to Senate Bill 11 by Sen. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), 86th Legislature, Regular Session. During the House floor debate on this school safety bill, Rep. Allison offered Floor Amendment #8 to improve mental health resources in schools. The amendment passed on May 21, 2019. (Record vote #1579. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.) Procedural note: This amendment was later reconsidered and amended before being adopted by the House again. (Record vote #1600. View an official record of that subsequent vote in the House journal.)

• (Historical) House Vote #5 - 2019: CLASS SIZES

  Voted against a bill that would have weakened the 22:1 cap on elementary school class sizes. ATPE opposed the bill.

  House Bill 1133 by Rep. Jonathan Stickland (R-Bedford), 86th Legislature, Regular Session. On May 9, 2019, the House voted to defeat the bill on second reading. (Record vote #1244. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)

• (Historical) House Vote #6 - 2019: EDUCATOR QUALITY

  Voted for an ATPE-supported bill that would have funded and strengthened mentoring programs for teachers.

  House Bill 102 by Rep. Diego Bernal (D-San Antonio), 86th Legislature, Regular Session. On April 9, 2019, the House voted to approve the bill on third reading. (Record vote #197. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.) HB 102 did not get heard by the Senate, but its language was incorporated into HB 3 that did pass and become law.

• (Historical) House Vote #7 - 2019: EDUCATOR QUALITY

  Voted for a bill to require certain school districts to assign properly certified teachers to students in elementary grades and prevent students from being taught by first-year teachers in consecutive years. HB 1276 would have applied to school districts with at least 5,000 students, unless the district was exempted under the District of Innovation (DOI) law or received a hardship waiver from the commissioner of education. The bill was designed to prevent students from being assigned for two consecutive school years to teachers with less than one year of experience or teachers not certified in the subject being taught as part of the foundation curriculum. Exceptions were provided for new transfer students and students whose parent or guardian consents to the placement. ATPE supported the bill.

  House Bill 1276 by Rep. Jon Rosenthal (D-Houston), 86th Legislature, Regular Session. On April 25, 2019, the House voted to approve the bill on third reading. (Record vote #746. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.) The bill ultimately died after it did not get heard in the Senate.

• (Historical) House Vote #8 - 2019: CHARTER SCHOOLS

  Voted for a floor amendment to House Bill 3 to increase the transparency and efficiency of charter schools by requiring them to undergo an audit of their fiscal management prior to expanding or opening new campuses and to share the audit results on their website. ATPE supported the amendment.

  House Floor Amendment #15 by Rep. Ernest Bailes (R-Shepherd) to House Bill 3 by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Kingwood), 86th Legislature, Regular Session. During the House floor debate on the school finance bill, Rep. Bailes offered Floor Amendment #15 on charter school transparency and efficiency. The amendment passed on April 3, 2019. (Record vote #153. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.) The Senate later stripped the amendment out of the bill.

• (Historical) House Vote #9 - 2019: POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT

  Voted against a bill that would prohibit school districts and other local governmental entities from funding legislative advocacy efforts or paying membership dues to organizations that engage in legislative advocacy.

  Senate Bill 29 by Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood), 86th Legislature, Regular Session. On May 20, 2019, the House voted to defeat the bill on third reading. (Record vote #1519. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)

Candidate Survey Responses

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RESPONSES TO THE 2024 ATPE CANDIDATE SURVEY:

1. If elected, what are your top priorities for public education?

1) Maintaining and increasing funding for our schools including changing to an enrollment based funding model, 2) TRS and TRS-Care, 3) Better funding for counselors and special education support staff, 4) Arts education and Civics education, and 5) Maintaining standards for smaller class sizes and similar best practices. Every session should be a public education session in that we need to continue to adjust the formulas for funding to ensure we are meeting the need. We need to increase funding for pre-K, early childhood literacy, and special education to ensure we are meeting the needs of all of our students. Similarly, I want to work to reform the FBA/BIP process to ensure we are meeting students' needs instead of providing hurdles to families seeking support. I also believe we also need to ensure those employees who were not included in H.B. 3 such as bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and janitors, see an increase in pay. Additionally, we must continue to assess the need for and provide regular cost of living adjustments for TRS pensioners to ensure a stable and secure retirement for our retired educators. I support increasing the number of Licensed Specialists in School Psychology on campuses, especially at the middle and high school level. With respect to Arts and Civics, I believe each of these areas benefit our students tremendously. Last, I am committed to upholding and expanding best practices that are beneficial to our students and teachers in the classroom, including small classroom sizes, modern classrooms that are well supplied, access to technology, teacher training and mentorship programs, school counselors and academic coaches, and similar.

2. Voucher programs take many forms (tax credits, scholarships, education savings accounts, etc.) and are either universal or aimed at specific subpopulations (special education students, low-income students, students attending schools with poor A-F accountability ratings, etc.). Would you vote to create a voucher program of any type to pay for students to attend non-public K-12 schools, such as private or home schools?

No. Public tax dollars should never be used for private schools.

3. In 2023, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill (HB) 3 requiring a number of new school safety measures. However, many believe the Legislature did not adequately increase funding to cover the cost of the mandates in HB 3 or other locally adopted school safety measures. How would you work to make schools safer and ensure such initiatives are properly funded?

Any new requirements must come with funding and any current gaps must be closed by creating or increasing allotments to cover them. While I support hardening and other measures, I also believe it is critically important that we make significant investments in mental health services, including hiring more counselors, Licensed Specialists in School Psychology, and interventionalists, as well as focusing on conflict resolution, mindfulness, and other socio-emotional approaches. Similarly, I believe we must increase education and initiatives on bullying, suicide prevention, and leakage – including how to identify it and respond to mitigate threats.

4. Despite a record-breaking surplus of $38 billion during the 2023 legislative session, school funding formulas were not increased to keep pace with inflation since they were last adjusted in 2019. Do you believe Texas public schools should receive additional funding? If so, how should the state pay for it?

Yes, we need to dramatically increase funding for our public schools. We must raise the basic allotment and move to an enrollment based funding model. I believe every session should be a public education session -- that is, we need to assess the formulas every session to better meet the need. In addition, we need to continue to increase funding for Pre-K, early childhood literacy, and special education to ensure all of our students are being served. Additional funding isn’t a question of revenue, but of what we choose to prioritize. In order to secure more revenue we need to close the property tax loopholes for corporate and commercial properties and look at increasing things like the margins tax. We would also legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis in a manner similar to alcohol as well as look at revenues to be derived from legalized sports betting and casinos.

5. Texas has faced growing teacher shortages in recent years, with many schools hiring uncertified teachers to fill the gaps. How would you work to ensure Texas public schools have an adequate number of trained and certified teachers?

I believe paying fair wages, offering competitive benefits, and ensuring mentorship and support are critical in attracting and retaining quality educators, which in turn benefits our children. At the same time, we should expand student loan forgiveness and other inducements. We also need to ensure class sizes are small, that classrooms are well supplied, and that time for lesson-planning is not replaced with administrative tasks so as to increase retention and decrease burnout. Similarly, we need to reform standardized testing and ensure fair evaluations and standards as well as conditions that are conducive to teaching and learning. Additionally, we should remove certain regulations that discourage retired teachers from going back into the profession or serving as substitutes to help cover the gap in the short term that we currently have in terms of workforce.

6. Inadequate compensation hampers the recruitment and retention of high-quality educators. Do you support a state-funded across-the-board pay raise for all Texas educators?

Yes. I support this. In addition, when any raise is provided it cannot be offset with changes to healthcare, benefits, or retirements.

7. The high cost of health insurance available to educators is a significant factor decreasing their take-home pay. How would you address the challenge of rising health care costs facing Texas educators and ensure access to affordable health care?

I have filed legislation to expand Medicaid and allow the people of Texas to vote on it every session I have been in the legislature. Expanding Medicaid would provide 1.5 million Texans with access to healthcare and save lives in addition to lowering all of our healthcare costs by bringing $110 Billion of our tax dollars back to Texas to shore up our healthcare infrastructure, lower expenditures related to uncompensated care, and reduce our health insurance premiums. I support increasing teacher pay as well as regular COLAs for retirees to ensure that healthcare costs do not outweigh income or annuities. Similarly, I intend to file legislation around TRS-Care next session in order to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for our current and retired educators.

8. What do you feel is the proper role of standardized testing in the Texas public education system? For instance, should student test scores be used as a metric in determining teacher pay, school accountability ratings, evaluating teachers, measuring student progress, etc.?

We need to reduce our over-reliance on high-stakes testing and focus on teaching and preparing our students to enter the workforce or to continue their education. Tests could have some usefulness as a diagnostic tool to see where students are at and where they need help, but should not factor in with regards to teacher pay or similar. I support abolishing any standardized tests that go beyond the minimums required by federal standards – I have filed legislation to that effect in the past and plan to do so again next session.

9. In your opinion, what is the proper balance between accommodating an individual parent’s or student’s wishes and the taxpaying community’s interest in directing and maintaining an optimal educational environment for the student population as a whole?

While it’s critical to maintain an optimal education environment for the student population as a whole as well as the educators and staff who support them, we also need to ensure our schools have the systems and resources in place to meet the needs of individual students. The state has a larger role to play here especially in the funding side. Our student body is not a monolith and we still have ways to go to ensure curriculum and textbooks are inclusive and culturally competent, that we have equitable extracurricular and enrichment opportunities, and that students in special education are getting the supports and services they are legally entitled to and need to succeed. Similarly, when it comes to sex education and public health data collection, I support an opt-out model, not an opt-in model.

10. Do you believe the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) should be maintained as a traditional defined-benefit pension plan for all future, current, and retired educators, or do you support converting TRS to a defined-contribution structure that is more like a 401(k) plan, in which future benefits are not guaranteed?

TRS should be maintained as a traditional defined benefit for all future, current, and retired educators. In addition, the state contribution rate must be increased to the point where the actuarial soundness of the system never falters.

11. State law allows educators and other public employees to voluntarily choose to join professional associations such as ATPE and have membership dues deducted from their paychecks at no cost to taxpayers. Do you support or oppose letting all public employees continue to exercise this right?

I fully support this. I support the rights of workers to organize for fair pay and benefits and am a proud union member of the Texas State Employees Union. I believe people should be treated with respect and dignity in the workplace.
 

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RESPONSES TO THE 2022 ATPE CANDIDATE SURVEY:

1. If elected, what will be your top priorities for public education?

1) Maintaining and increasing funding for our schools, 2) TRS and TRS-Care, 3) Better funding for counselors and special education support staff, 4) Arts education and Civics education, and 5) Maintaining standards for smaller class sizes and similar best practices. Every session should be a public education session in that we need to continue to adjust the formulas for funding to ensure we are meeting the need. We need to increase funding for pre-K, early childhood literacy, and special education to ensure we are meeting the needs of all of our students. Similarly, I want to work to reform the FBA/BIP process to ensure we are meeting students' needs instead of providing hurdles to families seeking support. I also believe we also need to ensure those employees who were not included in H.B. 3 such as bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and janitors, see an increase in pay. Additionally, I am working with relevant stakeholders to again file legislation to study and implement a cost-of-living adjustment for TRS pensioners to ensure a stable and secure retirement for our retired educators. I support increasing the number of Licensed Specialists in School Psychology on campuses, especially at the middle and high school level. With respect to Arts and Civics, I believe each of these areas benefit our students tremendously. Last, I am committed to upholding and expanding best practices that are beneficial to our students and teachers in the classroom, including small classroom sizes, modern classrooms that are well supplied, access to technology, teacher training and mentorship programs, school counselors and academic coaches, and similar.

2. What are your recommendations for funding public education, including securing the necessary revenue to sustain the improvements made by House Bill 3 in 2019? Do you believe additional funding is needed?

It's important that we continue to increase funding for our public schools. I believe every session should be a public education session -- that is, we need to assess the formulas every session to better meet the need. In addition, we need to continue to increase funding for Pre-K, early childhood literacy, and special education to ensure all of our students are being served. Additional funding isn’t a question of revenue, but of what we choose to prioritize. In order to secure more revenue, we need to close the property tax loopholes for corporate and commercial properties. Instead of passing the buck onto local homeowners it is imperative that everyone pay their fair share so we can adequately fund our schools.

3. How would you address the challenge of rising health care costs facing Texas educators and ensure that active and retired educators have access to affordable health care?

I have filed legislation to expand Medicaid and allow the people of Texas to vote on it every session I have been in the legislature. Expanding Medicaid would provide 1.5 million Texans with access to healthcare and save lives in addition to lowering all of our healthcare costs by bringing $110 Billion of our tax dollars back to Texas to shore up our healthcare infrastructure, lower expenditures related to uncompensated care, and reduce our health insurance premiums. I support increasing teacher pay as well as a COLA for retirees to ensure that healthcare costs do not outweigh income or annuities. Similarly, I intend to file legislation around TRS-Care next session in order to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for our current and retired educators.

4. Do you believe the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) should be maintained as a traditional defined benefit pension plan for all future, current, and retired educators, or do you support converting TRS to a defined contribution plan that is more like a 401(k) plan, in which future benefits are not guaranteed?

TRS should be maintained as a traditional defined benefit for all future, current, and retired educators. In addition, the state contribution rate must be increased to the point where the actuarial soundness of the system never falters.

5. What do you feel is the proper role of standardized testing in the Texas public education system? For instance, should student test scores be used for teacher pay, school accountability ratings, evaluating teachers, measuring student progress, etc.?

We need to reduce our over-reliance on high-stakes testing and focus on teaching and preparing our students to enter the workforce or to continue their education. Tests could have some usefulness as a diagnostic tool to see where students are at and where they need help, but should not factor in with regards to teacher pay or similar. I support abolishing any standardized tests that go beyond the minimums required by federal standards – I have filed legislation to that effect in the past and plan to do so again next session.

6. Would you vote to create any type of voucher, tax credit, scholarship, education savings account, or other program aimed at paying for students, including any subpopulation of students, to attend non-public K-12 schools, such as private or home schools?

No. Public tax dollars should never be used for private schools.

7. State law allows educators and other public employees to voluntarily choose to join professional associations such as ATPE and have membership dues deducted from their paychecks at no cost to taxpayers. Do you support or oppose letting all public employees continue to exercise this right?

I fully support this. I support the rights of workers to organize for fair pay and benefits and am a proud union member of the Texas State Employees Union. I believe people should be treated with respect and dignity in the workplace.

8. What role, if any, should charter schools have in the public education system, and do you feel the number of charter schools operating in Texas should be reduced or expanded?

When charter schools were created, they were meant to be laboratories focused on innovation for the sole purpose of improving public education. Many schools have stayed true to this mission, however, there needs to be a more collaborative approach and we need to ensure that these best practices are being shared. In addition, I support legislation that ensures transparency and accountability just as with traditional public schools. Similarly, I believe the TEA must do its job in terms of collecting relevant data on performance and enforcing regulations.

9. How much freedom should school districts have to make decisions during disease outbreaks, such as requiring face coverings and immunizations or transitioning to remote instruction?

I am a firm believer in local control and following the science. Texas school districts and their democratically-elected school boards should have the freedom and authority to keep all of our children safe during disease outbreaks.

10. What do you believe is the proper role of virtual education within the public education system? Do you believe full-time virtual education should be expanded, and if so, under what circumstances?

I do not believe expanding full-time virtual education writ large is what is best for Texas’ students. There may be some circumstances on individual levels where this is what is best for a student, and that could be accommodated by their local school district, but we have seen the effects of learning loss largely associated with not being in the classroom as well as the inability of some students to get the support and services they need. Any criterion and decision on this matter should be done at the local level, with individual school districts able to create the criterion and parameters of such a program. I would not support a state-wide virtual school.

11. What do you feel should be the state’s role (versus the role of school districts or individual educators) in decisions about public school curriculum and instructional materials?

The State Board of Education sets the TEKS, and it is up to individual school districts and individual educators to create lesson plans and provide instructional materials in line with those standards. I do not believe the Legislature should undermine critical or creative thinking, discussions of hard topics related to race or history or current events, or otherwise pander toward a manufactured political problem at the expense of our children. In short, we should let teachers teach and let parents parent.

12. The COVID-19 pandemic and additional instructional support needed to remediate students’ learning losses have placed additional strain on public schools’ staffing needs. How would you work to ensure classrooms are appropriately staffed, teachers’ workloads are manageable, and planning time is not sacrificed amid these challenges?

Learning loss and the strain on our education professional have been the two biggest problems caused and exacerbated by COVID-19. We must use the Economic Stabilization Fund, often referred to instead as the Rainy Day Fund, to inject additional funds into our public schools to ensure the resources to address staffing needs as well as increase academic counseling, support services, and otherwise to combat learning loss. This fund currently has over $10 Billion in it and some of that money must be used to address urgent needs while we also work to identify and implement long-term funding solutions, including a more equitable tax system and creating new revenue streams.

Additional Comments from Candidate on Survey

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COMMENTS SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO THE 2022 ATPE CANDIDATE SURVEY:

I believe supporting and funding public education is our constitutional mandate and must be one of our highest priorities at the Legislature. I have been proud to champion our students, teachers, and public schools in my time serving in the Legislature.