Vikki Goodwin

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Survey Responses

RESPONSES TO THE 2026 ATPE CANDIDATE SURVEY:

1. What do you consider your most significant contributions to Pre-K–12 education from your time in public service?

I have filed bills to increase the basic allotment to $7,500 per student which would increase the state's share and decrease the local share. I believe the most significant thing the legislature can do is to increase funding in a way that lets local leaders make decisions that work for the district. The current formula is overly complex, and it was made even more so in 2025.

I have opposed the book ban bills since there was already a process for schools to review books when there are complaints. Through social media posts, I have worked to highlight the positive things happening in our public schools, to counter the negativity.

I also opposed bills that would limit the clubs allowed on campus.

Finally, I have advocated for full-day Pre-K, more resources for students with special needs, and more school counselors to help students dealing with trauma or mental health issues.

2. If elected in 2026, what will your top priorities be for Pre-K–12 education? 

I plan to increase school funding and simplify the funding formula. I will not approve a budget that provides money for private schools. I will ensure librarians can do their jobs without fear of retribution. I will end the state takeover of school districts and change the law so that can't happen going forward. I will listen to feedback from teachers, principals, superintendents and families to ensure we are doing all we can to provide the best education possible.

3. Do you believe Texas public schools should receive additional funding? If so, from what source should the state provide this funding, and should that funding be earmarked at the state level or provided to districts in a matter that provides them with discretion as to how it's spent?

Yes, when districts are having to increase class sizes, close schools, go to four-day school weeks, etc. it is clear we are underfunding our public schools. The state had an additional $4 billion that could have been spent in 2025, but it chose not to. I believe we have the money necessary to fully fund our schools, we simply need to prioritize this. Schools should have discretion on how to spend their funds. Every district has different needs, and the local decision-makers are better able to decide how dollars are spent.

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DID NOT RESPOND TO THE 2024 CANDIDATE SURVEY.
 

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RESPONSES TO THE 2022 ATPE CANDIDATE SURVEY:

 

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

I will continue to advocate for increased funding so we can raise the pay of our teachers and staff in a way that keeps up with inflation. I would also like to fund additional counselors in our schools, both mental health counselors and academic advisors. For teachers who work with the population of students needing special education, I will advocate for improved and additional training. I will advocate for the removal of high stakes testing and finding better ways to reach the goal of providing an excellent education that prepares students for life after graduation.

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?

I believe we need to find sustainable revenue sources so school districts aren't in a position of having to increase property taxes every year. We also need to work toward transitioning away from reliance on oil and gas taxes if we want to address climate change. We have opportunities to shift some revenue to better uses, such as public education. We currently spend $3 billion on border security, which is a federal issue.

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

There needs to be major reform of our health care insurance industry which reaps great profits while consumers are spending more and more money for less and less coverage. At the same time, we need to do a better job addressing and preventing chronic diseases that are linked to our environment, our activities and our diets. I'm in favor of expanding Medicaid which would bring more federal dollars to Texas and help our state budget while providing preventive care to many people who currently go without. Addressing the problem of too many people waiting too long to see a doctor and then going to the hospital would reduce overall health care costs, and ultimately result of lower insurance premiums.

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 so teachers know their retirement is secure.

5. 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 for teacher pay, school accountability ratings, evaluating teachers, measuring student progress, etc.?

Standardized testing should allow teachers to know where their students are and where they need to focus more attention. Standardized tests should not be used to determine teacher pay or to assign a grade to a school.

6. 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, I believe tax dollars should stay in our public schools and not be sent to private entities.

7. 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?

I support allowing public employees the right to choose to join a professional association and have the dues deducted from their paychecks.

8. 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?

The original intent was for charter schools to foster innovation and then spread the innovative ideas to all public schools. This has not happened, and now charters are growing at an exponential rate. I filed a bill that would provide additional transparency around new charter school locations, and I am in favor or reducing the number of charter schools.

9. How much freedom should school districts have to make decisions during disease outbreaks, such as requiring face coverings and immunizations or transitioning to remote instruction?

Local school districts should be following the guidance of the CDC or a local health expert that is tracking current trends of a disease. Over the past two years, superintendents have been put in a difficult position when the governor and local public health officials have disagreed about mask requirements, vaccinations and remote learning. Banning mask mandates put student and teachers at risk, and went against public health authority guidance. Ultimately, data and science should be directing the decisions of what precautions to take during a disease outbreak, not the whims of any level of public official.

10. What do you believe is the proper role of virtual education within the public education system? Do you believe full-time virtual education should be expanded, and if so, under what circumstances?

I believe for a small segment of students, virtual education is helpful and productive, but for the vast majority of students, it doesn't work as well as being in person in a classroom. I believe there are and should be virtual options for students who excel in that setting, such as students who have experienced bullying in their school and excel when removed from that environment. However, I think virtual learning should be a last resort, and students should always be encouraged to participate in a classroom setting.

11. What do you feel should be the state’s role (versus the role of school districts or individual educators) in decisions about public school curriculum and instructional materials?

The state's role is to fund schools and to provide very broad guidance, but not to make decisions about specific curriculum and instructional materials.

12. The COVID-19 pandemic and additional instructional support needed to remediate students’ learning losses have placed additional strain on public schools’ staffing needs. How would you work to ensure classrooms are appropriately staffed, teachers’ workloads are manageable, and planning time is not sacrificed amid these challenges?

I would review the COVID relief funds and appropriations, releasing the $5 billion to the schools as intended by the federal government. Rather than supplementing funding through the ARPA and future relief packages, TEA counted $5 billion as "surplus" and sent it to the state general fund. That should not have happened.