DeWayne Burns
Texas House District 58
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(817) 645-8765 Phone Number
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burnsfarm@earthlink.net Email Address
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http://www.BurnsForTexas.com Website Address
Status
incumbent
Party
Republican
Occupation
Investor/Farm and Ranch
Address
703 Stonelake Dr, Cleburne, TX, 76033
Additional Information
First elected to the Texas House in 2014. Current term expires January 2025.
Advanced to a runoff for Texas House District 58 in the 2024 Republican primary election.
Former vice president of the Cleburne ISD Board of Trustees and former legislative staff member.
Supported by one or more pro-public education organizations in the 2024 Texas primaries.
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. Burns also received the same group's endorsement in the 2020, 2016, and 2014 elections.
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
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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.
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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.
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House Vote #3 - 2023: PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS
Voted for 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.)
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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.
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House Vote #5 - 2023: SCHOOL FUNDING
Voted against 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.)
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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.
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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.
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House Vote #8 - 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), 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.)
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House Vote #9 - 2023: SCHOOL COUNSELORS
Voted for 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.
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House Vote #10 - 2023: SCHOOL CHAPLAINS
Voted for 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.
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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.)
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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.)
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House Vote #13 - 2023: LIBRARY BOOKS
Voted for 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.
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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.)
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(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.)
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(Historical) House Vote #2 - 2021: SPECIAL EDUCATION
Voted for 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.)
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(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.)
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(Historical) House Vote #4 - 2021: CIVICS AND CURRICULUM
Voted for 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.
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(Historical) House Vote #5 - 2021: CIVICS AND CURRICULUM
Voted for 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.
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(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.
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(Historical) House Vote #7 - 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), 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.
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(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.)
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(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.
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(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.)
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(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.
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(Historical) House 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), 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.
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(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.
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(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.)
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(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.)
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(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.)
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(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.)
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(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.)
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(Historical) House Vote #6 - 2019: EDUCATOR QUALITY
Voted against 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.
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(Historical) House Vote #7 - 2019: EDUCATOR QUALITY
Voted against 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.
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(Historical) House Vote #8 - 2019: CHARTER SCHOOLS
Originally 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. However, in comments entered into the House journal after the vote, Burns indicated that he intended to vote against the amendment. 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.
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(Historical) House Vote #9 - 2019: POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT
Voted for 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.)
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(Historical) House 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. On a motion by Rep. John Zerwas (R-Fulshear), the House voted to adopt the conference committee report and approve the bill for final passage on May 27, 2017. (Record vote #1945. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)
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(Historical) House Vote #2 - 2017: EDUCATION FUNDING
Supported a school finance bill that offered $1.5 billion in additional public school funding. Voted for HB 21, which would have increased the basic and bilingual allotments, added a new allotment for students with dyslexia, and funded hardship grants for certain districts losing money due to the expiration of ASATR (Additional State Aid for Tax Reduction). ATPE supported this bill.
House Bill 21 by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Kingwood), 85th Legislature, Regular Session. The House voted to approve the bill on third reading on April 20, 2017. (Record vote #328. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.) This bill did not ultimately pass during the regular session.
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(Historical) House Vote #3 - 2017: EDUCATION FUNDING
Supported additional education funding. Voted for a bill to revise the state's school finance system, add $1.8 billion in new funding for public education, and use the state's rainy day fund to shore up the education budget. ATPE supported the bill.
House Bill 21 by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Kingwood), 85th Legislature, Special Session. The House voted to approve its version of a school finance bill on third reading on Aug. 7, 2017. (Record vote #72. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.) The Legislature ultimately passed a watered-down Senate version of the bill.
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(Historical) House Vote #4 - 2017: STUDENT TESTING
Supported relief from high-stakes testing. Voted for an ATPE-supported bill to extend the Individual Graduation Committees (IGC) law to help qualified high school students graduate in spite of failing a required STAAR test.
Senate Bill 463 by Sen. Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo), 85th Legislature, Regular Session. The House voted to approve the bill on third reading and final passage on May 23, 2017. (Record vote #1606. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)
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(Historical) House Vote #5 - 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 House voted in favor of a motion to concur with Senate amendments, which enabled final passage of the bill, on May 24, 2017. (Record Vote #1770. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)
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(Historical) House Vote #6 - 2017: PAYROLL DEDUCTION
Voted for a payroll deduction-related amendment that ATPE opposed. The amendment, which failed to pass, called for a state school finance commission to study whether educators should continue to have access to payroll deduction for their voluntary association dues.
Floor amendment #20 by Rep. Bill Zedler (R-Arlington) to Senate Bill 16 by Sen. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), 85th Legislature, Special Session. The House voted against the amendment on Aug. 14, 2017. The amendment failed to pass. (Record vote #167. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)
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(Historical) House Vote #7 - 2017: PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS
Opposed vouchers. Voted for an amendment that would prevent the state budget bill from being used to fund or support any form of private school voucher. ATPE supported this amendment.
Floor amendment #8 by Rep. Abel Herrero (D-Corpus Christi) to Senate Bill 1 by Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound), 85th Legislature, Regular Session. The House adopted the amendment on April 6, 2017. (Record vote #165. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)
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(Historical) House Vote #8 - 2017: PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS
Opposed vouchers. Voted for a budget amendment to clarify that no public funds should be used to pay for or support any type of private school voucher. ATPE requested the amendment.
Floor amendment #9 by Rep. Gary VanDeaver (R-New Boston) to Senate Bill 1 by Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound), 85th Legislature, Regular Session. The House adopted the amendment on April 6, 2017. (Record vote #163. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)
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(Historical) House Vote #9 - 2017: PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS
Opposed vouchers. Opposed a budget amendment that would allow for the possibility of state-funded private school vouchers for certain students. Voted for a motion to table (kill) the amendment. ATPE opposed the amendment and backed the motion to table it.
Motion by Rep. Abel Herrero (D-Corpus Christi) to table floor amendment #10 by Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) to Senate Bill 1 by Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound), 85th Legislature, Regular Session. Cain tried to amend the budget bill in order to allow for the possibility of state-funded vouchers for low-income students. ATPE opposed the Cain amendment and supported Herrero's motion to table (kill) the amendment. The House voted to table Cain's amendment #10 on April 6, 2017. (Record vote #164. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)
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(Historical) House Vote #10 - 2017: PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS
Opposed vouchers. Voted for a motion aimed at keeping private school voucher language out of a school finance bill. ATPE supported the motion.
House Bill 21 by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Kingwood), 85th Legislature, Regular Session. A conference committee was appointed to try to negotiate a compromise between House and Senate versions of a school finance bill. This vote on May 24, 2017, was on an ATPE-supported motion by Rep. John Zerwas (R-Fulshear) to instruct members of that conference committee to reject any language in the bill that would allow private school vouchers. (Record vote #1712. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)
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(Historical) House Vote #11 - 2017: PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS
Opposed vouchers. Voted against a motion that would have preserved the possibility of state-funded private school vouchers for students with special needs. ATPE opposed the motion.
House Bill 21 by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Kingwood), 85th Legislature, Regular Session. A conference committee was appointed to try to negotiate a compromise between House and Senate versions of a school finance bill. This vote on May 24, 2017, was on a motion by Rep. Ron Simmons (R-Carrollton) to instruct members of that conference committee to favor language in the bill that would allow private school vouchers for students with special needs. ATPE opposed the motion to instruct, which failed to pass. (Record vote #1713. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)
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(Historical) House Vote #12 - 2017: EDUCATOR QUALITY
Supported measures to improve educator quality. Voted for a bill to establish a mentoring program for inexperienced teachers and state funding for mentor stipends, scheduled release time, and training. ATPE supported the bill, which later died in the Senate.
House Bill 816 by Rep. Diego Bernal (D-San Antonio), 85th Legislature, Regular Session. The House approved the bill on third reading on May 11, 2017. (Record vote #1162. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.) The bill ultimately did not pass the Senate.
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(Historical) House Vote #13 - 2017: EDUCATOR QUALITY
Opposed measures to improve educator quality. Voted against a bill that would prohibit school districts from assigning elementary school students in core subject classes to inexperienced or uncertified teachers for two consecutive years. ATPE supported the bill.
House Bill 972 by Rep. Helen Giddings (D-Dallas), 85th Legislature, Regular Session. The House approved the bill on third reading on May 6, 2017. (Record vote #954. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.) The bill later died in the Senate.
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(Historical) House Vote #14 - 2017: SCHOOL SAFETY
Supported "David's Law." Voted for a bill to prevent and address the problem of cyberbullying in schools. ATPE supported the bill.
Senate Bill 179 by Sen. Jose Menendez (D-San Antonio), 85th Legislature, Regular Session. The House voted to adopt the conference committee report and finally pass the bill on May 27, 2017. (Record vote #1938. View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)
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(Historical) House Vote #1 - 2015: TESTING & CURRICULUM
Voted for a bill to reduce the time spent on state-mandated testing in grades three through eight, shorten the time required for students to complete state tests, and conduct a state study of testing and curriculum standards that are included on the tests. ATPE supported the bill, which passed and was signed into law.
House Bill 743 by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Humble), 84th Legislature, Regular Session. The House voted to approve the bill on third reading on May 4, 2015. (View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)
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(Historical) House 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 passed and was signed into law.
Senate Bill 149 by Sen. Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo), sponsored in the House by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Humble), 84th Legislature, Regular Session. The House amended and then voted to approve the bill on third reading on April 22, 2015. (View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)
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(Historical) House Vote #3 - 2015: SUICIDE PREVENTION
Voted for a bill to address the epidemic of youth suicide by making available additional training for educators in spotting and responding to the warning signs of suicide. ATPE requested and supported the bill, which passed and was signed into law.
House Bill 2186 by Rep. Byron Cook (R-Corsicana), 84th Legislature, Regular Session. The House voted to approve the bill on third reading on May 7, 2015. (View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)
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(Historical) House Vote #4 - 2015: PRE-KINDERGARTEN
Voted for a bill to increase state funding for pre-kindergarten programs that implement certain quality control measures. ATPE supported the bill, which passed and was signed into law.
House Bill 4 by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Humble), 84th Legislature, Regular Session. The House voted to approve a committee substitute version of the bill on third reading on April 9, 2015. (View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)
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(Historical) House Vote #5 - 2015: PRE-KINDERGARTEN & CLASS SIZES
Opposed an amendment to a pre-kindergarten bill that would have limited class sizes to no more than 18 students per educator. (Voted for a motion to table the amendment.) ATPE supported the amendment, which was tabled and did not get added to the bill.
Motion to Table House Floor Amendment #12 to House Bill 4 by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Humble), 84th Legislature, Regular Session. Rep. Mary Gonzalez (D-Clint) proposed the amendment to require an 18:1 class-size limit in pre-kindergarten classes, but Rep. Huberty moved to table (kill) the amendment. The House voted to table the Gonzalez amendment on April 8, 2015, via Record Vote #175. (View an official record of the vote in the House journal.)
Candidate Survey Responses
RESPONSES TO THE 2024 ATPE CANDIDATE SURVEY:
1. If elected, what are your top priorities for public education?
Keep schools well funded, safe and secure. My whole family is educators; I know they are the backbone of the system and need to be kept funded.
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
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?
Make sure that the money is there and that we do not pass on unfunded mandates to local public schools.
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; take from other sources, maybe get from surplus or rainy day fund or set up a new fund.
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?
We need to raise the basic allotment to make sure that we hire and keep good public school employees.
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
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 think it is a complicated issue but if the money is there we need to try and get teachers the best heath care we can.
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.?
No. There are all different kinds of measurements. I have filed legislation to do alt forms of the starr test as well as called for the elimination of it.
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?
A good public school system is the back bone of society and the economy. Being a good stewards of the taxpayer dollars should be a priority for all school districts in Texas though.
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?
I think TRS should be maintained and improved.
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?
Support
Not applicable for 2022; the candidate was unopposed.
Did not respond to the 2020 or 2018 ATPE Candidate Survey.
Below are his responses to the 2016 ATPE Candidate Survey:
1. Is there a need to increase funding in order to meet the needs of our growing student population and ensure that students have access to high-quality teachers? If so, how would you recommend securing more revenue for public education?
We will have no choice but to add funding to public education. As our student population grows, so will the state's financial burden in meeting our constitutional responsibilities regarding public education. As far as securing more funding is concerned, I think it's really a matter of making sure that education is a top priority for the Legislature next session. We have to consider public education as an investment, not just a responsibility. Our interim charges are just now being addressed in committees and I look forward to hearing about and exploring all avenues when it comes to finding the proper funding. It's too early in the process to tell what the most appropriate plan will look like at this point, but we all know we can't afford to keep kicking the can down the road on this topic.
2. On what types of programs or specific areas of need would you prioritize the spending of state funds for public education?
I think this is a question best left to locally elected school boards, teachers and administrators. Who knows better how education dollars need to be spent in a particular community better than the people that live, work and go to school there? In a broad sense, I think we need to make sure we are not only preparing students to succeed in college, but to succeed in life by offering opportunities for technical and career learning as well. Districts should have the flexibility to tailor programs and curriculum to meet their specific needs. One size does not fit all in education.
3. Would you vote to create a voucher, tax credit, grant, scholarship program, or any other type of incentive that would help cover the cost for students to attend non-public schools in grades K-12? Why or why not?
People in my district have not called for a voucher type program where we give public money to privately operated facilities. There are many reasons for this but I think many of them center around two things; 1. preventing the accountability and testing that would have to accompany state funding, from burdening private schools, and 2. keeping tax dollars in public education rather than for profit facilities and making sure we are able to meet our pub ed needs. I believe in a parents' rights to make education decisions for their children and attaching state funding to a private school would require a level of accountability and reporting that could interfere with a private school's approach to education. Secondly, the State of Texas is constitutionally bound to provide public education and we can't do that effectively if we are sending education dollars to places other than public schools.
4. Would you vote to maintain a hard cap on the number of students per class, or should school administrators be given more flexibility to increase class sizes? (Currently, the law imposes a cap of 22:1 in grades K-4 but allows schools to obtain a waiver, a step a number of them routinely take.)
My mother, mother-in-law and wife are all former public school teachers so I understand the necessity to keep our class sizes in check. Smaller classes allow for more individualized teching approaches and cut down on the obvious problems that can be created from overcrowing a classroom. I do, however, think class size waivers are something that can, when managed properly and in the right circumstances, make perfect sense for a grade level or class or campus. They should be evaluated with scrutiny to insure the process is not being abused as an easy way out for keeping budgets in check. I think there can be a time and place for waivers but it should be very carefully considered and the burden of proof should fall on the applicant to demonstrate absolute necessity without losing the integrity of the learning environment.
5. What do you feel is the proper role of standardized testing in Texas's public education system? For instance, should tests be used for school accountability purposes, for evaluating teachers, for measuring the progress of students, etc.?
We've got to get back to a place where standardized testing is used as a tool for educators, not the driving force behind all our actions. they can be valuable in helping us determine the value of certain curriculum, the progress of students, the effectiveness of certain teaching practices, etc., but there is too much emphasis on the results of standardized testing. Teachers know it, parents know it, administrators know it and now it's time for lawmakers to finally realize it as well.
6. Local decisions on teacher pay and whether to continue a teacher's employment are often based on evaluations. To what extent, if any, should a teacher's evaluation be based on his students' scores on state standardized tests? If you believe student test scores should factor into a teacher's evaluation, how would you recommend evaluating teachers in grades or subjects for which there are no state standardized tests?
Decisions on teacher pay should be left to local boards and administrators. Districts should be able to tailor evaluations to meet the needs of their customers - the students. If standardized tests are to be used as a part of the formula for compensation, it shouldn't be the overwhelming determining factor. Let's allow the local folks to determine how to best use that information. After all, they know their student population and the needs of their community better than anyone else.
7. Do you believe that the state should maintain a floor for classroom teacher salaries that includes annual increases based on experience over the first 20 years of a teacher's career?
Teaching is a tough job, but I view it as a ministry as well. it's important that we have quality, trained individuals working with our children and one of the best ways to attract those type of folks is to offer a competive salary with opportunities for salary increase as experience is gained. Yes, I would support a pay scale and there should be a "floor".
8. If a public school in your district failed to meet state accountability standards, what course of action would you recommend? Are there circumstances in which you would support allowing a private entity to take over the management of that school (for instance, by converting it to a charter school, placing it under a special statewide district for low-performing schools, replacing the elected school board, or hiring an outside entity to operate the school)?
As a former school board member, I find it very hard to put the fate of a district into the hands of folks that aren't held directly accountable by the local citizens and voters within a district. If a school fails to meet accountability standards the first thing to do is ask ourselves why. We do more harm than good by arbitrarily "branding" a school as a failure without good, factually based data and reason. In cases of habitually failing schools or fraudulent behavior, there may need to be some type of action taken against specific board members but the idea of local control disappears completely when you remove the district from having to answer to the people they serve.
9. The cost of health insurance for active educators has dramatically increased over the last decade, while the portion paid by the state has remained flat and significantly lagged behind that of private employers. How would you address the increasing cost of covering the education workforce's health insurance needs?
There are many different plans being discussed during the interim. The TX House took a proactive approach and actually created an interim charge to study the issue. The ultimate burden cannot be expected to be placed solely upon our active educators and it will be imperative that we figure out a way to lower health insurance costs and share those costs in a way that's fair to educators. The state will have bear a responsibility in meeting those needs.
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 would you vote to convert TRS to a defined contribution plan that is more like a 401(k), in which future benefits are not guaranteed? Why?
My position on TRS is the same today as it was when I was elected, which is that I believe it should be maintained as a defined benefit plan. I made that commitment and I will stand by it. As the son of a retired educator, I am very familiar with this debate and I will vote to keep the promises that have been made to our retired educators.
Additional Comments from Candidate on Survey
I am a very pro public education member and have proven that in my record. I served on my local school board before becoming a member.