Brooks Landgraf

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Survey Responses

HAS NOT RESPONDED TO THE 2026 ATPE CANDIDATE SURVEY.

Did not respond to the 2024, 2022, or 2018 candidate surveys. Ran unopposed in 2020.

Below are the candidate's responses to the 2016 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?

Yes, I believe that more should be done to provide more, high-quality teachers for our students here in West Texas and that this should be done without raising taxes or shifting burdens onto taxpayers. I believe that serious cost savings can come from reducing state mandates requiring TEA bureaucracy and reducing expensive testing contracts.

 

2. On what types of programs or specific areas of need would you prioritize the spending of state funds for public education?

I think we should do more to allow local districts determine the educational priorities of their community instead of a one-size-fits all funding approach that is currently in use. For example, if a district wants to emphasize vocational training they should be provided funding to achieve those goals.

 

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?

I would first like to see how the specific parameters of any type of proposed program and how the program would be implemented. I would also like to know how that program would operate in a rural part of the state where public schools are the option.

 

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.)

I don't believe that state mandated ratios directly, increase or decrease the efficacy of teaching essential skills to students. I think the hard cap does little, especially when its not followed and waivers are routinely granted.

 

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.?

Standardized tests have proven themselves to be ineffective. Further, the high-stakes nature of these tests seem to cause more problems for students, parents, and teachers. I believe that standardized tests could be used to measure progress, but they should not be the sole factor in determining student or teacher success.

 

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?

Where there are tests, they should be considered as one of many factors in teacher evaluation. Where there are not tests, standards should be created locally to guide communities in evaluating teachers.

 

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?

I'd like to see the state step back from these types of mandates that limit local control. I want to encourage districts to retain teachers and compensate them well because they see it as a priority, not because of a state mandate.

 

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)?

I would hope that districts are encouraged to strive for educational success at all campuses. If a campus cannot achieve success, the community should initially have a say on how to address its unique challenges. A solution should be developed with stakeholders, including parents, teachers, local leaders, and elected officials.

 

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?

Skyrocketing health costs are unfortunately becoming the norm, even with federal attempts to institute reforms. The state should look at ways that encourage providers to offer better services at lower costs given the large amount of employees that are covered.

 

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?

I think that the promise made to teachers when they begin their career should be fulfilled. I encourage everyone to plan responsibly for their retirement and as our state moves forward, perhaps teachers should be afforded greater options in addition to a traditional plan. I look forward to working with educators to discuss the best options available.