Additional Information

First elected to the Texas Senate in 1986. Current term expires January 2027. Running for re-election in the 2026 Democratic primary.

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. She also received their endorsement in the 2020 general election.

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

Endorsed by the editorial board of the San Antonio Express-News in the 2020 general election.
 

• SENATE VOTE #1 - 2025: TEACHER COMPENSATION

  Voted yes on a bill that would have increased pay for some teachers based on district size and years of service.

  Senate Bill 26 by Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe), 89th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill created a Teacher Retention Allotment (TRA) with a tiered raise based on district size and teacher years of service. The $4.3 billion bill would also have expanded the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) performance pay program while removing guarantees of future pay raises. The bill did not include raises for other educators, including counselors, school nurses, librarians, classroom aides, and other support staff. On February 26, 2025, the Senate voted to pass the bill on second reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.) Read more about the bill here. The bill ultimately died in the House, but the Teacher Retention Allotment (TRA) was incorporated into HB 2, the omnibus school finance bill, which did pass.

• SENATE VOTE #2 - 2025: SCHOOL FUNDING/TEACHER PAY

  Voted yes on a bill that increased school funding and teacher pay. ATPE supported the bill.

  House Bill 2 by Rep. Brad Buckley (R–Salado) and sponsored by Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe), 89th Legislature, Regular Session. While it did not significantly increase the Basic Allotment, this omnibus school finance bill does direct significant funding to target programs, such as increased teacher pay; created the Support Staff Retention Allotment (SSRA); and expanded funding for teacher preparation and mentoring programs. It also made targeted increases to special education and small district allotments among other things. On May 23, 2025, the Senate voted to pass the bill on second reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• SENATE VOTE #3 - 2025: STUDENT DISCIPLINE

  Voted yes on a bill provides teachers and administrators with more tools to handle student discipline. ATPE supported the bill.

  House Bill 6 by Rep. Jeff Leach (R–Plano) and sponsored by Sen. Charles Perry (R–Lubbock), 89th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill provides educators more authority to remove disruptive students, requires “return-to-class” plans, and expands telehealth access for mental health services. On Thursday, May 22, 2025, the Senate voted to pass the bill on second reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• SENATE VOTE #4 - 2025: CELL PHONES

  Voted yes on a bill that requires students to put away their cell phones from bell to bell during the school day. ATPE supported the bill.

  House Bill 1481 by Rep. Caroline Fairly (R–Amarillo) and sponsored by Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe), 89th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill requires districts to adopt a written policy prohibiting student use of cell phones, smartwatches, or other devices during the school day, with exceptions for students covered by IEPs or Section 504 plans. On May 25, 2025, the Senate voted to pass the bill on second reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• SENATE VOTE #5 - 2025: PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS

  Voted no on a bill that established an education savings account (ESA) program. ATPE opposed the bill.

  Senate Bill 2 by Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe), 89th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill would have established an education savings account (ESA) voucher program. On February 5, 2025, the Senate voted to pass the bill on second reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal).

• SENATE VOTE #6 - 2025: TEN COMMANDMENTS

  Voted no on a bill requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every classroom. ATPE opposed the bill.

  Senate Bill 10 by Sen. Angela Paxton (R–McKinney), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill requires the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every classroom. On March 18, 2025, the Senate voted to pass the bill on second reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• SENATE VOTE #7 - 2025: PARENTAL RIGHTS

  Voted no on an omnibus bill restating existing rights and/or creating new compliance and reporting regulations over various culturally divisive issues

  Senate Bill 12 by Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe) and sponsored in the House by Rep. Brad Buckley (R–Salado), 89th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill largely bans diversity, equity, and inclusion practices for public schools as well as transitioning assistance or student modifications (such as using a preferred name or pronoun), discussion of gender identification, and student clubs based on sex or gender; increases existing consent requirements for receiving physical and mental health care and switches consent for human sexuality curriculum from opt-out back to opt-in; adds new or enhanced state and local reporting requirements for facilities, ISD board members, library records, course syllabi and suspected criminal activity; restates existing parental rights; requires additional opportunities for parental engagement with school boards and teachers; and creates new grievance processes. On March 19, 2025, the Senate voted to pass the bill on second reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• SENATE VOTE #8 - 2025: LIBRARY MATERIALS

  Voted no on a bill that impacted the rights and requirements associated with school library materials, including those in classroom libraries.

  Senate Bill 13 by Sen. Angela Paxton (R–McKinney) and sponsored by Rep. Brad Buckley (R–Salado), 89th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill requires that teachers and librarians catalog the books in their libraries and post the lists online for parents to review and opt their child out of access to check out individual titles. It bans the inclusion of books in schools that include content which falls under updated definitions of harmful, indecent, or profane and requires districts to create a library materials review committee if at least 20% of parents and students request it or at the discretion of the school board. The bill provided no funding to accomplish the significant mandates it required. On March 19, 2025, the Senate voted to pass the bill on second reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• SENATE VOTE #9 - 2025: SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING

  Voted yes on a bill that increases funding for special education by transitioning to service-intensity-based funding, among other provisions. ATPE supported the bill.

  Senate Bill 568 by Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R–Houston), 89th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill transitions special education funding to eight service-intensity tiers beginning in 2026–27, increases extended school year funding, and requires annual school board discussions of special education performance. On April 7, 2025, the Senate voted to pass the bill on second reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• SENATE VOTE #10 - 2025: TESTING AND ACCOUNTABILITY

  Voted no on a bill that modifies and rebrands the STAAR test. ATPE was neutral and provided suggestions about improving the bill, including a pause on punitive aspects of the accountability system.

  House Bill 8 by Rep. Brad Buckley (R–Salado) and sponsored by Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R–Houston), 89th Legislature, Second Called Special Session. The bill creates a through-year testing framework and expands commissioner authority over the state’s accountability system, while also placing time restraints on the commissioner to notify districts about changes to the cut scores. On August 27, 2025, the Senate voted to pass the bill on second reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• Senate Vote #1 - 2023: PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS

  Voted against a bill that would have established an education savings account (ESA) voucher program. ATPE opposed the bill.

  Senate Bill 8 by Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill would have established an education savings account (ESA) voucher program. Read more about the bill here. On April 6, 2023, the Senate voted to pass the bill on second reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.) The bill ultimately died in the House.

• Senate Vote #2 - 2023: PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS

  Voted against a teacher compensation bill that the Senate modified to create an education savings account (ESA) voucher program. ATPE opposed the Senate's version of the bill.

  House Bill 100 by Rep. Ken King (R–Canadian), sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. The original House bill intended to change school funding formulas and teacher compensation. The Senate modified HB 100 to include an education savings account (ESA) voucher program. Read more about the bill here. On May 23, 2023, the Senate voted to pass its version of the bill on second reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.) HB 100 later died in a conference committee because the House refused to accept the Senate’s addition of a voucher to the bill.

• Senate Vote #3 - 2023: COMPENSATION

  Voted for an amendment to grant teachers a $10,000 pay raise. ATPE supported the amendment.

  Senate Floor Amendment 8 by Sen. Morgan LaMantia (D–South Padre Island) to Senate Bill 9 by Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. The amendment would have given all teachers a $10,000 pay raise. On April 6, 2023, the Senate voted to reject the amendment. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• Senate Vote #4 - 2023: TEACHER PIPELINE

  Voted for an amendment to preserve the elected State Board of Education's (SBOE) veto power over rules adopted by the appointed State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC). ATPE supported the amendment.

  Senate Floor Amendment 9 by Sen. Nathan Johnson (D–Dallas) to Senate Bill 9 by Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. The amendment would have ensured public oversight of teacher pipeline regulations by maintaining the elected State Board of Education’s (SBOE) veto authority over rulemaking by the appointed State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC). On April 6, 2023, the Senate voted to reject the amendment. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• Senate Vote #5 - 2023: TEACHER PIPELINE

  Voted for an omnibus bill that proposed several regulatory changes and a one-time stipend of $2,000 for teachers. ATPE believed the bill was 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), 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 Senate testimony on it here. On April 6, 2023, the Senate voted to pass the bill on second reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.) The bill later died in the House.

• Senate Vote #6 - 2023: SCHOOL SAFETY

  Voted for 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), sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Robert Nichols (R–Jacksonville), 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 21, 2023, the Senate voted to pass its version of HB 3. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.) The Legislature ultimately passed a compromise version of the bill.

• Senate Vote #7 - 2023: SCHOOL SAFETY

  Voted against a motion to table (kill) an amendment that would have significantly increased funding for school safety. ATPE supported the amendment and opposed the motion to table it.

  Senate Floor Amendment 2 by Sen. Jose Menendez (D–San Antonio) to House Bill 3 by Rep. Dustin Burrows (R–Lubbock), sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Robert Nichols (R–Jacksonville), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. The Senate’s version of HB 3 proposed a school safety allotment that included $10 per student. The Menendez amendment would have significantly increased that funding to $100 per student. On May 21, 2023, the Senate voted to table (kill) the Menendez amendment. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• Senate Vote #8 - 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), sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Angela Paxton (R–McKinney), 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 May 23, 2023, the Senate voted to approve final passage of the bill. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal).

• Senate Vote #9 - 2023: CURRICULUM

  Voted against 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), sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe), 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 12, 2023, the Senate voted to pass the bill on second reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.) The bill later became law after being approved by both the Senate and House.

• Senate Vote #10 - 2023: SCHOOL COUNSELORS

  Voted against 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), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill removed the requirement for school counselors to have prior experience as a classroom teacher. On April 5, 2023, the Senate voted to pass the bill on third reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.) The bill later became law after being approved by both the Senate and House.

• Senate Vote #11 - 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 Sen. Mayes Middleton (R–Galveston), 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 23, 2023, the Senate voted to adopt the conference committee report on SB 763, approving final passage of the bill. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• Senate Vote #12 - 2023: MANDATORY REPORTING

  Voted against a bill that removed educators' ability to anonymously report cases of suspected child abuse and neglect. ATPE opposed the bill.

  House Bill 63 by Rep. Valoree Swanson (R–Spring), sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Kevin Sparks (R–Midland), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill removed educators’ ability to anonymously report suspected child abuse and neglect. On May 18, 2023, the Senate voted to approve final passage of the bill. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• Senate Vote #13 - 2023: TEN COMMANDMENTS

  Voted against a bill that would have required every educator to display the Ten Commandments in their classroom. ATPE opposed the bill.

  Senate Bill 1515 by Sen. Phil King (R–Weatherford), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill would have required every educator to display the Ten Commandments in their classroom. ATPE opposed SB 1515’s mandate of the display in every classroom but did not oppose a related bill, Senate Bill 1721 by Sen. Angela Paxton (R–McKinney), which called for a display of the Ten Commandments in a single prominent location on each campus. On April 20, 2023, the Senate passed SB 1515 on third reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.) The bill later died in the House.

• Senate Vote #14 - 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), 88th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill provides a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and 13th check for retired educators. On May 27, 2023, the Senate voted to adopt the conference committee report on SB 10, approving final passage of the bill. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• Senate Vote #15 - 2023: PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS

  Voted against a bill that would have established an education savings account (ESA) voucher program. ATPE opposed the bill.

  Senate Bill 1 by Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe), 88th Legislature, third called Special Session. The bill would have established an education savings account (ESA) voucher program. On Oct. 12, 2023, the Senate voted to pass the bill on second reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.) The bill later died in the House.

• (Historical) Senate Vote #1 - 2021: SPECIAL EDUCATION VOUCHERS

  Voted against a bill that would have created a special education voucher program, allowing parents to use public funds to privately purchase educational services. ATPE opposed this version of the bill.

  Senate Bill 1716 by Sen. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), 87th Legislature, Regular Session. The bill as filed would have created a special education voucher program, which ATPE opposed. The Senate voted to approve the bill on third reading, May 4, 2021. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate Journal.) The House later removed the voucher language from another version of SB 1716 that passed and was signed into law without objection from ATPE.

• (Historical) Senate Vote #2 - 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.

  Senate Floor Amendment #14 by Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. (D-Brownsville) to House Bill 1525 by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Kingwood), 87th Legislature, Regular Session. On May 26, 2021, the Senate rejected the ATPE-supported amendment during its floor debate on a school finance clean-up bill. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate Journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #3 - 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, sponsored in the Senate by Sens. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) and Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola), 87th Legislature, Regular Session. On May 22, 2021, the Senate voted to pass the ATPE-opposed bill on third reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate Journal.) Read more about the bill here.

• (Historical) Senate Vote #4 - 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), 87th Legislature, Second Called Session. The bill expanded upon and replaced HB 3979 that was passed during the regular session. The Senate voted Sept. 2, 2021, to concur in House amendments to the bill, thereby sending SB 3 to the governor for signature. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate Journal). Read more about SB 3 here.

• (Historical) Senate Vote #5 - 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), sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Angela Paxton (R-McKinney), 87th Legislature, Regular Session. The Senate  amended the bill, 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. The Senate passed the ATPE-opposed bill on third reading, May 22, 2021. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate Journal.) Read more about the bill here.

• (Historical) Senate Vote #6 - 2021: CHARTER SCHOOLS

  Voted against 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), sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Drew Springer (R-Muenster), 87th Legislature, Regular Session. The Senate passed the ATPE-opposed bill on third reading, May 22, 2021. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate Journal). Read more about the bill here.

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

  Voted against a bill that would have weakened voter oversight of charter schools by making it harder for the elected State Board of Education to veto new charter applications and reducing local voters' input regarding where charter schools are allowed to locate. ATPE opposed the bill.

  Senate Bill 28 by Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), 87th Legislature, Regular Session. The Senate passed the ATPE-opposed bill on third reading, April 15, 2021. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate Journal). SB 28 ultimately failed to pass the full Legislature. Read more about the bill here.

• (Historical) Senate 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), 87th Legislature, Second Called Session. On Aug. 9, 2021, the Senate voted to approve the ATPE-supported bill on third reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate Journal.)

• (Historical) Senate 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), sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), 87th Legislature, Regular Session. After the House and Senate passed different versions of the ATPE-opposed bill, HB 1468 was sent to a conference committee to generate a compromise version. On May 30, 2021, the Senate voted to pass the bill by adopting its conference committee report. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate Journal.) HB 1468 ultimately died when the House failed to vote on the conference committee report before the regular session ended.

• (Historical) Senate 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), 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. 31, 2021, the Senate voted to concur in House amendments to the bill, thereby sending SB 15 to the governor's desk. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate Journal). Read more about the bill here.

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

  Voted against an accountability bill that would have significantly expanded the appointed education commissioner's power to investigate and take over the management of school districts. ATPE opposed this version of the bill.

  Senate Bill 1365 by Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), 87th Legislature, Regular Session. The Senate passed its version of the school takeover bill, which ATPE opposed, on third reading, May 5, 2021. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate Journal.) SB 1365 was later amended favorably by the House, and the Legislature passed a final version of SB 1365 that ATPE did not oppose. Read more about the bill here.

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

  Voted for 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), sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), 87th Legislature, Regular Session. The Senate passed HB 4545 on third reading, May 26, 2021. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate Journal). Read more about the bill here.

• (Historical) Senate 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 May 6, 2019, the Senate voted to approve the bill on third reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate 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 March 25, 2019, the Senate voted to approve the bill on third reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate 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 April 29, 2019, the Senate voted to approve the bill on third reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #4 - 2019: COMPENSATION

  Voted for a bill that would have provided across-the-board pay raises of $5,000 for classroom teachers and librarians.

  Senate Bill 3 by Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound), 86th Legislature, Regular Session. On March 4, 2019, the Senate voted to approve the bill on third reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.) The bill later died in the House as other teacher pay language was chosen for inclusion in House Bill 3.

• (Historical) Senate Vote #5 - 2019: COMPENSATION

  Co-authored and voted for an amendment to House Bill 3 that would have removed a controversial merit pay program from the school finance bill. ATPE supported the amendment.

  Senate Floor Amendment #8 by Sen. Jose Menendez (D-San Antonio) to House Bill 3 by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Kingwood), 86th Legislature, Regular Session. During the Senate floor debate on the school finance bill on May 6, 2019, Sen. Menendez offered Floor Amendment #8 to remove merit pay language from the bill. The amendment failed to pass. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #6 - 2019: COMPENSATION

  Authored and voted for an amendment to House Bill 3 that would have provided a pay raise to all professional school employees, in addition to classroom teachers and librarians. ATPE supported the amendment.

  Senate Floor Amendment #30 by Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) to House Bill 3 by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Kingwood), 86th Legislature, Regular Session. During the Senate floor debate on the school finance bill on May 6, 2019, Sen. Zaffirini offered Floor Amendment #30 to provide a pay raise for all professional public school employees. The amendment failed to pass. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #7 - 2019: TESTING

  Voted for an amendment to House Bill 3 that would have required passages on STAAR exams to be written at the appropriate grade-levels. ATPE supported the amendment.

  Senate Floor Amendment #66 by Sen. Jose Menendez (D-San Antonio) to House Bill 3 by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Kingwood), 86th Legislature, Regular Session. During the Senate floor debate on the school finance bill on May 6, 2019, Sen. Menendez offered Floor Amendment #66 to ensure grade-level readability of STAAR tests. The amendment failed to pass. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #8 - 2019: VOUCHERS

  Voted against a bill that would have expanded full-time virtual schools and created a "virtual voucher." ATPE opposed the bill.

  Senate Bill 1455 by Sen. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), 86th Legislature, Regular Session. On April 23, 2019, the Senate voted to approve the bill on third reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.) The bill later died after it was left pending in a House committee.

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

  Voted against a bill that would have restricted educators' First Amendment rights to engage in political speech and subjected them to criminal penalties. ATPE opposed the bill.

  Senate Bill 1569 by Sen. Pat Fallon (R-Prosper), 86th Legislature, Regular Session. On April 17, 2019, the Senate voted to approve the bill on third reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.) The bill later died after it was left pending in a House committee.

• (Historical) Senate Vote #10 - 2019: POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT

  Voted against a bill to 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 April 17, 2019, the Senate voted to approve the bill on third reading. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.) The bill was later defeated on the House floor.

• (Historical) Senate Vote #1 - 2017: EDUCATION FUNDING

  Voted for the final version of the state's budget bill.

  Senate Bill 1 by Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound), 85th Legislature, Regular Session. A conference committee was appointed to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of this primary budget bill. The Senate voted on May 27, 2017, to adopt the conference committee report and approve final passage of the bill. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #2 - 2017: STUDENT TESTING

  Supported relief from high-stakes testing. Voted for a bill to extend the Individual Graduation Committees (IGC) law to help qualified high school students graduate in spite of failing a required STAAR test. ATPE supported the bill.

  Senate Bill 463 by Sen. Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo), 85th Legislature, Regular Session. The Senate voted to approve the bill on third reading and final passage on May 1, 2017. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #3 - 2017: RETIREMENT BENEFITS

  Supported short-term funding for retired educators' healthcare. Voted for a bill that restructured TRS-Care, the health insurance program for retired teachers. The bill prevented the TRS-Care program from running out of money in 2017 and leaving retired educators without health coverage. ATPE supported the bill.

  House Bill 3976 by Rep. Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin), 85th Legislature, Regular Session. The Senate voted to approve its committee substitute version of the bill on third reading and final passage on May 21, 2017. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #4 - 2017: RETIREMENT BENEFITS

  Supported long-term state funding increases for retired educators' healthcare. Voted for an ATPE-supported amendment that called for a permanent increase to the state's contributions to TRS-Care, rather than a one-time supplemental increase. The amendment did not pass.

  Floor amendment #3 by Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin) to Senate Bill 19 by Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound), 85th Legislature, Special Session. The Senate voted against the amendment on July 25, 2017. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #5 - 2017: PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS

  Opposed vouchers. Twice voted against a private school voucher bill, which called for both tax credit scholarships and education savings account vouchers. ATPE opposed the bill.

  Senate Bill 3 by Sen. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), 85th Legislature, Regular Session. This ATPE-opposed bill called for creating private school vouchers in the form of tax credit scholarships and education savings accounts. The Senate voted to approve the voucher bill on second and third readings on March 30, 2017, but the bill ultimately died in the House. (View an official record of the votes here and here in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #6 - 2017: EDUCATOR QUALITY

  Supported educator quality. Voted against a bill that would have lowered standards for educator preparation programs. ATPE and many in the education community opposed this bill, which would have rolled back SBEC rules aimed at ensuring all children have access to well-trained educators.

  Senate Bill 1278 by Sen. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), 85th Legislature, Regular Session. The Senate voted to approve its committee substitute version of the bill on third reading on May 10, 2017. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.) SB 1278 ultimately failed, although some pieces of the legislation were added to other bills.

• (Historical) Senate Vote #7 - 2017: PAYROLL DEDUCTION

  Voted against a bill that would take away educators' right to use payroll deduction for their voluntary professional association dues. ATPE opposed the bill, which passed the Senate but ultimately failed in the House.

  Senate Bill 13 by Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston), 85th Legislature, Regular Session. The Senate voted to approve its committee substitute version of the bill on third reading on March 30, 2017. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #8 - 2017: PAYROLL DEDUCTION

  Supported allowing educators to use payroll deduction to pay association dues. Supported an ATPE-backed amendment that would preserve educators' right to use payroll deduction for their voluntary dues paid to professional associations.

  Motion by Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston) to table floor amendment #4 by Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville) to Senate Bill 13 by Huffman, 85th Legislature, Regular Session. ATPE opposed the motion to table, supported the Lucio amendment, and opposed the bill. The Senate voted on March 29, 2017, to table the ATPE-supported amendment. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #9 - 2017: PAYROLL DEDUCTION

  Supported an ATPE-backed amendment, which would have applied a proposed ban on payroll deductions to all types of deductions, rather than discriminating against educators who join professional associations.

  Motion by Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston) to table floor amendment #6 by Sen. Jose Rodriguez (D-El Paso) to Senate Bill 13 by Huffman, 85th Legislature, Regular Session. ATPE opposed the motion to table, supported the Rodriguez amendment, and opposed the bill. The Senate voted on March 29, 2017, to table the ATPE-supported amendment. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #10 - 2017: PAYROLL DEDUCTION

  Supported local options allowing educators to use payroll deduction to pay association dues. Supported an ATPE-backed amendment that would have allowed local school boards to decide whether or not to offer their school district employees the right to payroll deduct their voluntary association dues.

  Motion by Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston) to table floor amendment #7 by Sen. Jose Rodriguez (D-El Paso) to Senate Bill 13 by Huffman, 85th Legislature, Regular Session. ATPE opposed the motion to table, supported the Rodriguez amendment, and opposed the bill. The Senate voted on March 29, 2017, to table the ATPE-supported amendment. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #11 - 2017: PAYROLL DEDUCTION

  Supported allowing educators to use payroll deduction to pay association dues. Voted against a bill that would take away educators' right to use payroll deduction for their voluntary professional association dues. ATPE opposed the bill, which passed the Senate but ultimately died in the House.

  Senate Bill 7 by Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola), 85th Legislature, Special Session. The Senate voted to approve the bill on third reading on July 26, 2017. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #12 - 2017: PAYROLL DEDUCTION

  Supported allowing educators to use payroll deduction to pay association dues. Voted for an amendment that would preserve educators' right to use payroll deduction for their voluntary dues paid to professional associations. ATPE supported the amendment.

  Floor amendment #1 by Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville) to Senate Bill 7 by Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola), 85th Legislature, Special Session. The Senate voted to reject the amendment on July 25, 2017. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #13 - 2017: PAYROLL DEDUCTION

  Supported allowing educators to use payroll deduction to pay association dues. Voted for an amendment that would preserve educators' right to use payroll deduction for their voluntary association dues as long as there is no cost to the state or school district. ATPE supported the amendment.

  Floor amendment #5 by Sen. Carlos Uresti (D-San Antonio) to Senate Bill 7 by Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola), 85th Legislature, Special Session. The Senate voted to reject the amendment on July 25, 2017. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #14 - 2017: SCHOOL SAFETY

  Supported David's Law. Voted for a bill to prevent and respond to cyberbullying in schools. ATPE supported the bill.

  Senate Bill 179 by Sen. Jose Menendez (D-San Antonio), 85th Legislature, Regular Session. The Senate voted to adopt the conference committee report and finally pass the bill on May 27, 2017. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #1 - 2015: VOLUNTARY PAYROLL DEDUCTION

  Supported payroll deduction as a convenience for public employees. Voted against a bill to prohibit school districts and other governmental entities from offering payroll deduction as a means of letting their employees pay voluntary dues to professional associations. ATPE opposed the bill, which was likely unconstitutional and designed to discourage public employees from joining professional associations. The bill ultimately died in the House.

  Senate Bill 1968 by Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston), 84th Legislature, Regular Session. The Senate voted to approve a committee substitute version of the bill on third reading on May 7, 2015. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #2 - 2015: TESTING & GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

  Voted for a bill to give some high school students who've failed certain STAAR tests a pathway to graduate. The bill allows individual graduation committees to decide, based on the student's academic record and other measures, if the student is college- and career-ready. ATPE supported the bill, which later passed the House and was signed into law.

  Senate Bill 149 by Sen. Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo), 84th Legislature, Regular Session. The Senate voted to approve a committee substitute version of the bill on third reading on March 17, 2015. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #3 - 2015: EDUCATOR COMPENSATION & EVALUATION

  Voted for a bill to do away with the minimum salary schedule for teachers and compel school districts to evaluate and compensate their teachers based on measures that are potentially unreliable, such as students' standardized test score data. ATPE opposed the bill, which ultimately died in the House.

  Senate Bill 893 by Sen. Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo), 84th Legislature, Regular Session. The Senate voted to approve a committee substitute version of the bill on third reading on April 7, 2015. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #4 - 2015: PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS

  Voted against a private school voucher "scholarship" bill that would divert state franchise tax dollars away from the state budget and use them to subsidize private and religious schools that are not held accountable to taxpayers and voters. ATPE opposed the bill, which ultimately died in the House.

  Senate Bill 4 by Sen. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), 84th Legislature, Regular Session. The Senate voted to approve a committee substitute version of the bill on third reading on April 21, 2015. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #5 - 2015: PRIVATIZATION & SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY

  Voted against a bill to expand "parent trigger" laws in Texas and make it easier for struggling schools to be placed under private management and subject to deregulation upon a petition by parents. ATPE opposed the bill, which was pushed by the controversial group Texans for Education Reform. The bill ultimately died in the House.

  Senate Bill 14 by Sen. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), 84th Legislature, Regular Session. The Senate voted to approve a committee substitute version of the bill on third reading on March 31, 2015. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #6 - 2015: SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY

  Voted against an accountability bill to assign "A" through "F" letter grades to school campuses. ATPE opposed the bill and opposes assigning failure labels to schools. This bill was part of a package of reform legislation being pushed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R). SB 6 did not ultimately pass, but a similar provision was added to another comprehensive bill (HB 2804) that did pass.

  Senate Bill 6 by Sen. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), 84th Legislature, Regular Session. The Senate voted to approve a committee substitute version of the bill on third reading on March 31, 2015. (View an official record of the vote in the Senate journal.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #1 - 2013: EDUCATION FUNDING

  Voted for a budget bill providing increased funding for public education and a partial restoration of the education budget cuts made in 2011.

  Senate Bill 1 by Sen. Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands), 83rd Legislature, Regular Session. A conference committee was appointed to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of this primary budget bill. On a motion by Sen. Williams, the Senate voted to adopt the conference committee report on May 25, 2013.

• (Historical) Senate Vote #2 - 2013: EDUCATION FUNDING

  Voted for a measure that would have moved $200 million out of the transportation budget and into the public education budget instead.

  Senate Joint Resolution 1 by Sen. Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands), 83rd Legislature, Regular Session. The bill supplemented the primary budget legislation by calling for the expenditure of some "Rainy Day" funds for state projects, including water infrastructure and economic development. Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin) offered floor amendment #5 as an attempt to add funds to the public education budget. The Senate failed to adopt the Watson amendment April 23, 2013.

• (Historical) Senate Vote #3 - 2013: EDUCATION FUNDING

  Voted for two measures that would have increased public education formula funding by taking money out of a controversial merit pay program.

  Senate Joint Resolution 1 by Sen. Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands), 83rd Legislature, Regular Session. The bill supplemented the primary budget legislation by calling for the expenditure of some "Rainy Day" funds for state projects, including water infrastructure and economic development. Sens. Kirk Watson (D-Austin) and Wendy Davis (D-Ft. Worth) both offered floor amendments (#2 and #3, respectively) in an attempt to increase public education formula funding. The Senate rejected both amendments with identical record votes April 23, 2013.

• (Historical) Senate Vote #4 - 2013: RETIREMENT BENEFITS

  Voted for a bill to shore up the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) and provide most retirees with a benefit increase.

  Senate Bill 1458 by Sen. Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock), 83rd Legislature, Regular Session. The Senate voted to approve the bill on third reading May 8, 2013.

• (Historical) Senate Vote #5 - 2013: EDUCATOR QUALITY

  Voted for a teacher quality bill to raise the standards for entering the education profession; require school districts to provide appraisal results to teachers in a timely manner and consider multiple years' appraisal results in making personnel decisions; and require the state to conduct a survey of teacher working conditions and salaries.

  House Bill 2012 by Rep. Mike Villarreal (D-San Antonio), 83rd Legislature, Regular Session. A conference committee was appointed to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of this bill. On a motion by Sen. Dan Patrick (R-Houston), the Senate voted to adopt the conference committee report May 26, 2013.

• (Historical) Senate Vote #6 - 2013: EDUCATOR QUALITY

  Voted for a bill to create the Texas Teacher Residency Program, a high-quality university program through which new teachers would receive stipends and employment at a school district or charter school while earning a master's degree.

  House Bill 1752 by Rep. Diane Patrick (R-Arlington), 83rd Legislature, Regular Session. On a motion by Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin), the Senate voted to approve its version of the bill on third reading May 17, 2013. (The House later accepted the Senate version of the bill, enabling the bill to be finally passed.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #7 - 2013: TESTING & CURRICULUM

  Voted for a bill that would have reduced time spent on standardized testing in grades 3-8; required validation of the tests and better monitoring of state contracts with test vendors; and called for a state study of the high number of curriculum standards (TEKS).

  House Bill 2836 by Rep. Bennett Ratliff (R-Coppell), 83rd Legislature, Regular Session. On a motion by Sen. Dan Patrick (R-Houston), the Senate unanimously voted to approve the testing and curriculum-related bill on third reading May 22, 2013. (The House also approved the bill, but it was later vetoed by Gov. Rick Perry.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #8 - 2013: TESTING

  Voted for a bill to reduce the amount of standardized testing in grades 3-8 by allowing certain students with high STAAR scores to skip the exams in some years.

  House Bill 866 by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Kingwood), 83rd Legislature, Regular Session. On a motion by Sen. Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo), the Senate voted to approve the bill on third reading May 21, 2013.

• (Historical) Senate Vote #9 - 2013: SCHOOL COUNSELORS

  Voted for a bill to require schools to notify the public if a full-time school counselor is not assigned to the campus.

  Senate Bill 401 by Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. (D-Brownsville), 83rd Legislature, Regular Session. A conference committee was appointed to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of this bill requiring public notice when a full-time school counselor is not assigned to a public school campus. On a motion by Sen. Lucio, the Senate voted to adopt the conference committee report May 26, 2013. (However, the bill later died when a similar motion to adopt the conference committee report failed in the House.)

• (Historical) Senate Vote #10 - 2013: CHARTER SCHOOLS

  Voted for a bill to expand the number of charters granted by the state and change the charter school authorization process.

  Senate Bill 2 by Sen. Dan Patrick (R-Houston), 83rd Legislature, Regular Session. A conference committee was appointed to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of this bill expanding charter schools in Texas and changing the process by which charters are granted. On a motion by Sen. Patrick, the Senate voted to adopt the conference committee report May 26, 2013.

Candidate Survey Responses

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RESPONSES TO THE 2026 ATPE CANDIDATE SURVEY:

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

Please describe any specific goals or legislative initiatives you would pursue to strengthen the state’s public education system.

My goals for public education are to continue to champion the highest possible funding, including for teacher pay raises and retirement benefits; flexibility to meet local needs that vary by district; special education programs and services for students with physical, emotional, and intellectual disabilities and/or learning disorders; and increasing retention and attendance while reducing drop-outs.

2. Public Education Funding:

The 89th Legislature passed an $8 billion school funding bill, HB 2. However, despite years of unanswered “inflationary challenges, a large majority of that funding was earmarked to specific programs and did not supply districts with significant flexible funding, leaving the majority of Texas students in districts with deficit budgets and other significant funding challenges. Do you believe Texas public schools should receive additional funding? If so, how should the state pay for it, and should that funding be earmarked at the state level or provide districts with flexible dollars?

My record speaks for itself, especially as a member of the Senate Finance Committee, because I always have and always will support increased funding for public education. While legislators can specify funding for specific purposes that meet statewide priorities, districts also should have flexible funding to address their local needs and interests.

Funding should come primarily from general revenue and property taxes, supplemented by grants and philanthropy. If legislative actions reduce districts’ revenue from local property taxes, the difference should be paid with general revenue.

3. ESA Vouchers:

Education savings accounts (ESAs) redirect public funds to private or home schools. How do you believe Texas should fund public schools, traditional and charter, alongside ESA vouchers? How should ESA spending be held accountable to taxpayers?

I have a 100 percent voting record against school vouchers by any name. Years ago when the Republican Lieutenant Governor had the votes (mostly Republican) to pass vouchers but (fortunately) delayed the vote by one day, I developed the plan for the remaining Democrats to kill the bill. This included writing the letters that resulted in the failure.

When state money is appropriated for non-public schools, recipients should be held to the same requirements and standards, including for special education programs, inclusive admission policies, accountability, and transparency.

4. Teacher Recruitment and Retention:

Under HB 2, passed in 2025, all educators in core content courses (math, English, science, and social studies) must be certified by 2030. While this is a good start, more can and should be done to ensure high-quality teachers continue to enter the classroom. What are your suggestions to improve the quality of the new teacher pipeline?

Teachers are the best source of information, recommendations, and feedback about how to ensure high-quality teachers continue to enter the classroom. We must listen to them and benefit from their advice, insight, and experience.

My suggestions for improving the quality of the new teacher pipeline include providing financial aid for other members of the education team to pursue their higher education and become certified; establishing and improving teacher residency, apprenticeship, and mentoring programs; providing continuing education (training) programs to facilitate certification for teachers; ensure retention such as by increasing teacher salaries and retirement benefits and improving working conditions, reducing red tape, and paperwork; and supporting innovative programs to impact high-quality preparation and support of those seeking certification.

5. Educator Pay and Benefits:

The 89th Legislature passed legislation creating a new mechanism to provide only classroom teachers with tiered raises based on early years of service and their district’s student enrollment. While the raises were significant, they did not apply to all campus educators, and the program created a significant negative funding stream at the district level due to unfunded increased costs for non-salary compensation tied to payroll, such as TRS retirement contributions. Do you support a state-funded across-the-board pay raise for all Texas educators? How would you ensure that compensation keeps pace with inflation and remains competitive with other professions?

Yes. I support a state-funded across-the-board pay raise for all Texas educators and continued raises to ensure compensation keeps pace with inflation and remains competitive with other professions. Because this would be accomplished through legislation, the key is to elect legislators who commit to vote toward this goal. I do.

6. Educator Health Care:

The high cost of health insurance for active and retired educators continues to reduce take-home pay, with educators shouldering the vast majority of their ever-increasing heath care costs. How would you address the affordability and sustainability of educator health care, particularly the TRS-ActiveCare and TRS-Care programs?

I would continue to introduce legislation and to vote for legislation that addresses the affordability and sustainability of educator health care, particularly the TRS-ActiveCare and TRS-Care programs. This requires increased state funding to ensure active and retired teachers have the health benefits they deserve and do not have to pay an exorbitant part of their health care. It also requires improved consumer education programs and efficient administration.

I would continue to oppose any unjustified effort to increase the cost of premiums, reduce the number and type of benefits, or decrease state funding.

7. Retirement Security:

Do you believe the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) should remain a defined-benefit pension plan for all current and future members? If not, what is your plan to provide a secure retirement for Texas educators, particularly considering that state law has been set up such that most districts do not participate in Social Security?

Yes. I will continue my record of supporting a defined-benefit pension plan for current and future members of TRS.

8. Accountability and Assessment Reform:

The Legislature has passed a new “through-year” multi-test model under HB 8. What role should standardized testing play in evaluating students, teachers, and schools? Should test results continue to determine A–F accountability ratings or teacher pay?

Standardized assessments should be one tool among many to measure student learning and growth, but they should not be the determinant of a student’s success, a teacher’s effectiveness, or a school’s quality. HB 8’s move toward a through-year, multi-test model reflects the Legislature’s intent to reduce the high-stakes nature of a single exam and to provide educators with timely, actionable information. Test results can inform accountability systems, but they should be balanced with multiple measures, including student growth, classroom performance, and local context. Accountability systems must support improvement, not punish schools, teachers, or students based on a single data point.

9. Parental Rights and Community Voice:

Recent legislative debates have focused on “parental rights” in education. In your view, what is the appropriate balance between accommodating the often conflicting wishes of individual parents while maintaining policies that reflect the broader community’s educational priorities and still providing consistency and an appropriate level of professional deference to educators?

As a mother and grandmother I understand the challenge of balancing parental rights and perspectives with the appropriate level of professional deference to educators. When the preferences of a few parents conflict with the broader community’s educational priorities and the professional recommendations or practices of educators, public forums are crucial. All should be heard, but decisions should be made that serve the best interests and needs of students.

10. School Safety:

HB 3 (2023) imposed new school safety requirements but did not fully fund them. Although the 89th Legislature increased the School Safety Allotment, many districts continue to face substantial unfunded staffing and facility costs associated with school safety laws. How would you make schools safer and ensure the state provides adequate funding to meet safety mandates?

Unfunded state mandates are unfair. 

I will continue to advocate for the state to fully fund all school safety mandates so school districts are not forced to divert resources away from classrooms, teachers, and student services.

Making schools safer requires a comprehensive approach that includes funding for trained school safety personnel, mental health supports, secure facilities, and evidence-based prevention strategies. The legislature should provide sustainable, ongoing funding for these needs through the School Safety Allotment and other targeted appropriations, rather than relying on one-time grants or shifting costs to local taxpayers.

I also believe the state must work in partnership with local school districts, educators, and law enforcement to ensure safety policies are practical, flexible, and tailored to local needs. School safety should enhance student well-being and learning, not create additional administrative burdens or unfunded obligations. If the Legislature mandates new safety requirements, it has a responsibility to fully fund them.

11. Curriculum and Local Control:

What do you believe is the proper role of the State Board of Education, the Texas Education Agency, and local school districts in setting curriculum standards and selecting instructional materials?

The State Board of Education has an important role in setting clear, high-quality statewide curriculum standards that ensure all Texas students, regardless of where they live, are held to the same academic expectations. The Texas Education Agency should focus on implementing those standards faithfully, providing support and guidance to districts, and ensuring accountability is fair, transparent, and focused on continuous improvement rather than punishment.

At the same time, local school districts, educators, and parents must retain meaningful authority to select instructional materials and design classroom instruction that reflects local needs, student populations, and community values. Teachers are closest to students and should have flexibility to use materials that best support learning, as long as they align with state standards.

The state should set the floor, not the ceiling. Strong statewide standards promote equity and consistency, but local control is essential for innovation, responsiveness, and trust in public education. Curriculum decisions work best when state oversight is balanced with professional educator judgment and meaningful local feedback.

12. Educator Rights and Professional Associations:

State law allows educators and other public employees to voluntarily join professional associations such as ATPE and have membership dues deducted from their paychecks at no cost to taxpayers. Do you support or oppose allowing public employees to continue exercising this right? Why or why not?

I strongly support allowing public employees, including ATPE, to have membership dues deducted from their paychecks at no cost to taxpayers. This is consistent with my championing worker protections, transparency in government, general civil rights, and the importance of unions in advocating for their members.

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Did not respond to the 2024 or 2022 ATPE Candidate Survey.

BELOW ARE THE CANDIDATE'S RESPONSES TO THE 2020 ATPE CANDIDATE SURVEY:

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

My top priorities will include defending public education from budget cuts and supporting teachers before, during, and after their careers by recruiting the best, paying them better, and improving their retirement benefits.

 

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?

We should sustain the funding added via House Bill 3, including by using general revenue or tapping the rainy day fund. Failing that, we should consider new sources of revenue to ensure our schools are funded adequately. Yes. I believe additional funding is needed.

 

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

I have voted consistently for TRS and TRS Care and will continue to do so. The state should increase its share of funding to ensure that active and retired educators have access to affordable healthcare.

 

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?

I believe TRS should be maintained as a traditional defined benefit pension plan for all future, current, and retired educators.

 

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

Generally, I oppose high-stakes standardized testing and specifically oppose administering the STAAR during the pandemic. Testing has a role, but I do not believe it should be the primary factor in assessing our students, teachers, and schools.

 

6. To what extent should student performance determine teacher pay?

Minimally, if at all.

 

7. 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.

 

8. 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?

Support.

 

9. 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?

For-profit charter schools have no place in our Texas education system. Non-profit charter schools should be only a last resort when school districts fail to meet their responsibility to educate all children.

 

10. Recent legislation has made it possible for school districts to exempt themselves from many state laws (e.g., class-size limits, requirements for hiring certified teachers, minimum salary schedules, school calendar restrictions, etc.) by partnering with outside entities, allowing campuses to be managed by a charter school operator, or becoming part of a District of Innovation, for example. Do you agree with this type of deregulation of public schools, and how should such non-traditional schools be governed?

I oppose any deregulation of public schools that could reduce the quality of instruction provided to Texas children. Any limited deregulation allowed should be scrutinized strictly.

 

Additional Comments from Candidate on Survey

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COMMENTS SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO THE 2026 ATPE CANDIDATE SURVEY:

As an educator with thirteen years of teaching experience and the only Texas state senator with a PhD, I understand the perspective of classroom teachers at all levels and champion their needs and interests. My legislative record of filing, passing, voting for, and opposing bills reflects my passion for education. While we may not agree on every issue, we agree that decisions should be made in light of what is best for students and their families, teachers and other members of the education team, and communities. Cumulatively, that impact also should be good for our state.

As a member of the Senate Finance Committee I am in a key position to support increased funding for teacher salaries and for public education. I was aghast in 2022 when my General Election opponent (who is running against me again) said during a newspaper editorial board interview that her intent was to eliminate property taxes. When a reporter asked a follow-up question of how she would replace the lost revenue, she said she would not replace it. Then she emphasized that Texas schools don’t have a revenue problem, but, rather, a spending problem. I disagree vehemently with her perspective.

Based on my experience, my record, and my ability to continue to make a difference for the families of our district, particularly for students, educators, and parents, I respectfully request your endorsement.