Ray Stith

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Survey Responses

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.

- Fully fund public education so schools can meet student needs without shifting the burden to local communities.

- Support and retain great teachers through competitive pay, manageable class sizes, and respect for the profession.

- Strengthen workforce and career pathways by expanding CTE programs, apprenticeships, and partnerships with local employers and colleges.

- Ensure accountability and transparency in how education dollars are spent so funding reaches classrooms, not bureaucracy.

- Plan for growth responsibly by aligning school funding with rapidly growing districts like those in District 57.

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?

Yes. Texas should increase public school funding to account for inflation and enrollment growth, and that funding should prioritize flexible dollars for districts so local educators can meet students’ needs, paid for through responsible use of existing state surpluses and a commitment to putting kids and classrooms before politics.

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?

Texas must fully and reliably fund our public schools, traditional and charter, because they serve the vast majority of Texas students and communities. IF ESAs are implemented, they should be limited, transparent, and held to the same accountability standards as public schools, ensuring taxpayer dollars are used responsibly and do not undermine the stability of our public education system.

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?

- Making teaching a competitive, respected profession by improving compensation, benefits, and working conditions so talented candidates choose education and stay in the classroom.

- Expanding high-quality alternative certification and residency programs that combine classroom experience with strong mentorship, especially in high-need subject areas.

- Partnering with universities, community colleges, and school districts to create clear, affordable pathways into teaching for paraprofessionals, career-changers, and recent graduates.

- Investing in mentorship and early-career support, ensuring new teachers receive coaching and professional development during their first critical years.

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?

- Raise pay for all educators with state dollars so districts aren’t forced to backfill costs locally.

- Fully fund the “true cost” of compensation tied to payroll (including TRS and other required benefit costs) so raises don’t create budget deficits.

- Provide flexible dollars to districts to address local realities (hard-to-fill roles, high-growth campuses, specialized needs), while maintaining transparency on how funds are used.

- Keep compensation competitive over time by building in a predictable adjustment tied to inflation/cost-of-living, so educators don’t fall behind every budget cycle.

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?

Educator healthcare costs are rising too fast and eating into already stretched paychecks, and that’s not sustainable. I support increased state investment in TRS-ActiveCare and TRS-Care so educators aren’t forced to shoulder the majority of premium increases, along with greater transparency, cost controls, and long-term planning to keep these programs affordable, competitive, and stable for both active and retired educators.

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 believe TRS should remain a defined-benefit pension plan for current and future educators. Because most Texas educators do not participate in Social Security, the state has a responsibility to protect and fully fund a stable, secure retirement system that honors their service and provides long-term financial security.

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 testing should be one tool among many, not the defining measure of success. Tests can provide useful data, but they should not be the sole driver of A–F ratings or teacher pay. We need a more balanced accountability system that values student growth, educator professionalism, and real learning outcomes, not just test performance.

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?

Parents are essential partners in their children’s education, and their voices deserve to be heard. At the same time, public schools serve entire communities, which means policies must balance individual concerns with the broader needs of students, families, and educators. I believe we should engage parents through transparency and collaboration while also trusting educators as trained professionals and maintaining consistent, community-informed standards that ensure every child receives a high-quality education.

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?

- Fully fund every safety requirement the Legislature mandates. If the state requires it, the state pays for it. No more passing costs to local taxpayers or draining classroom budgets.

- Move to a true “cost-based” safety allotment that accounts for campus size, age of facilities, rural/suburban needs, and staffing realities so districts aren’t stuck with a flat amount that doesn’t cover real expenses.

- Prioritize people and prevention, not just hardware: fund school-based mental health supports, threat-assessment teams, and training so concerns are identified early and handled consistently.

- Support competitive pay and retention for campus safety roles so districts can actually hire and keep qualified staff.

- Require transparency and outcomes reporting tied to state safety dollars (without overburdening campuses): clear plans, allowable uses, and measurable improvements.

- Keep decisions local where they belong. Districts should have flexibility to implement safety plans that fit their campuses, while meeting baseline statewide standards.

My bottom line: safe schools are non-negotiable, and funding them is a state responsibility.

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 should set broad academic standards, the Texas Education Agency should provide guidance and oversight, and local school districts should retain primary authority to select curriculum and instructional materials that best meet their students’ needs. I believe decisions are strongest when they balance statewide expectations with local input, professional educator expertise, and community involvement keeping politics out of the classroom and students at the center.

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?

Yes, I support allowing educators and other public employees to voluntarily join professional associations and have dues deducted from their paychecks. This is a personal choice that costs taxpayers nothing and allows educators to access professional development, legal support, and a collective voice. Respecting this right reflects trust in educators as professionals and supports a strong, informed workforce.