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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.

As a classroom teacher, I have seen how staff shortages, underfunding and one-size-fits-all policies directly affect students and educators. I would prioritize legislation to increase the Basic Allotment, reduce unfunded mandates, and ensure schools have the flexibility to meet local needs. I also believe accountability should focus on support and improvement not punishment and that educators, parents, and school leaders must have a central role in shaping education policy. Educators must have a seat at the table when education policy is written.

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 public schools need additional funding. While HB 2 made important investments, much of the funding was earmarked and did not provide districts with the flexibility needed to address inflation, staffing shortages, and rising operational costs. I support increasing the Basic Allotment and providing districts with flexible dollars so local leaders can respond to student and campus needs. Texas can pay for this by reassessing budget priorities, using available surplus responsibly, and ensuring public education remains a core state obligation not an afterthought.

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?

Public schools must be fully and equitably funded first. Traditional public schools and public charter schools serve the vast majority of Texas students, including those with the greatest needs. If ESAs are implemented, they must be held to strong accountability standards, including transparency, auditing, non-discrimination requirements, and academic reporting comparable to public schools. Taxpayer dollars must serve the public good and should come with clear oversight and should not undermine the stability of public education.

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?

Certification requirements are an important step, but improving the teacher pipeline requires strong preparation and ongoing support. I support:

-Paid teacher residencies and mentorship programs.
-Partnerships with higher education and alternative certification programs.
-Loan forgiveness and financial incentives for educators in high-need areas.
-Improved working conditions, including planning time and manageable class sizes.

Recruitment and retention improve when educators feel prepared, supported, and respected.

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 fully state-funded, across-the-board pay raise for all Texas educators, including classroom teachers, paraprofessionals, counselors, librarians, nurses, and other campus professionals.

While the tiered raises passed by the 89th Legislature provided meaningful increases for some classroom teachers, they excluded many essential educators and placed additional financial strain on districts due to unfunded costs such as increased TRS retirement contributions and benefits tied to payroll. Any compensation increase must be fully funded by the state, including all associated costs, so districts are not forced to absorb expenses or cut positions elsewhere.

To ensure educator compensation keeps pace with inflation and remains competitive with other professions, I support regular, predictable salary increases tied to inflation or cost-of-living adjustments, rather than one-time or uneven raises. I also believe compensation discussions must include benefits, health care affordability, and retirement security, which all directly impact take-home pay and long-term retention.

As a classroom teacher, I know that fair, reliable compensation is essential not only to recruiting new educators, but to keeping experienced, high-quality professionals in our schools. Texas cannot strengthen public education without valuing every educator who supports student success.

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?

The rising cost of educator health care is unsustainable. I support increasing the state’s contribution to TRS-ActiveCare and TRS-Care to reduce out-of-pocket costs for active and retired educators. The state has a responsibility to stabilize these systems and ensure educators can access quality care without sacrificing their financial security. Addressing health care affordability is essential to retention and retirement security.

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 all current and future members. Because most Texas educators do not participate in Social Security, TRS is their primary retirement system. The state must continue to responsibly fund and protect TRS to ensure long-term stability for educators.

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 measure among many, not the primary driver of high-stakes decisions. Test results should not be used to determine teacher pay and should play a limited role in A–F accountability ratings. Accountability systems should focus on student growth, school climate, and meaningful improvement rather than punishment.

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 education, but public schools must balance individual concerns with the needs of the broader community. Educators deserve professional deference, and local school boards should retain authority to adopt policies that reflect community values while ensuring consistency, equity, and high standards for all 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?

School safety is critical, any state-imposed safety mandate must be fully funded by the state. I would support increasing the School Safety Allotment and tying it directly to the actual costs of required staffing, training, and facility upgrades, with regular reviews to account for rising costs.

As a classroom teacher, I believe making schools safer also means investing in mental health supports, counselors, social workers, and prevention, not just physical security. The state should provide ongoing, flexible funding and partner with districts and educators to implement safety measures that are effective, sustainable, and responsive to local needs.

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, and TEA should provide guidance and oversight. However, local school districts and educators should have flexibility in selecting instructional materials and implementing curriculum. Local control allows schools to meet student needs while respecting professional expertise.

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 support educators’ right to voluntarily join professional associations like ATPE and to have dues deducted from their paychecks. These organizations provide advocacy, legal support, and professional development, and educators should retain the freedom to participate.