I have 25 years in education, from classroom teaching and counseling to administration. With a student-centered focus writing curriculum, managed budgets, developed policy, and fundraising.
A strong K–12 social studies curriculum should balance Texas and U.S. history with world history to build civic knowledge and global awareness. Students need accurate, inclusive content that develops critical thinking, civic responsibility, informed voting, and an understanding of how history shapes today’s democracy.
The SBOE can strengthen teacher support by setting rigorous, practical preparation standards, protecting certification pathways, and ensuring ongoing professional development aligned to classroom needs. While SBOE doesn’t set pay, it should publicly advocate for competitive wages and benefits that attract and retain high-quality educators.
Technology should enhance strong instruction and reflect the evolving world students live in. The SBOE should support innovative, responsible use of digital tools alongside teacher-led learning and in-person interaction. When used well, technology increases engagement, expands access, and prepares students for college, careers, and civic life.
Public schools must uphold the constitutional separation of church and state and remain religiously neutral. Curriculum may teach about religion’s role in history and culture but should not promote or favor any belief system. Respecting religious freedom means protecting every student’s right to learn in an inclusive environment free from endorsement or exclusion.
Key pressing issues include the teacher shortage, graduation standards that reflect diverse student pathways, student mental health support, and protecting public education from privatization. Decisions must prioritize students, educators, and local communities over political interests. The SBOE must be an education-focused board guided by evidence and expertise—not driven by political agendas.
B.S. in Education & M.Ed in Curriculum and Instructional Design.
Teacher and instructional coach for 7 years.
Pursuing a Master's in public affairs.
Reviewed curriculum for the SBOE.
An equal emphasis should be placed on each level of history. In an increasingly interconnected world, it's just as important for students to understand the historical contexts of the rest of the world as it is to know the history of their state. A balanced approach to history should give students a better appreciation for differences across the world and avoid teaching intolerance and superiority.
The SBOE votes to approve or veto rules developed by the State Board for Educator Certification. Before voting on rules, SBOE members should be well-informed about how the new rules impact what is taught to educators in preparation programs and the impact on instructional practices in the classroom. This will require research and a deep understanding of education philosophies.
Technology should support instruction, not replace what works. The SBOE can help strike that balance by approving instructional materials that use technology purposefully for practice, feedback, project-based learning, or accessibility. The board should focus on evidence-based use of technology in instructional materials and leave day-to-day instructional decisions to educators and districts.
Religious beliefs should not be incorporated into public school curricula. Parents have the right to direct their child’s moral and religious upbringing, and schools must remain neutral. While religion may be discussed in appropriate academic courses, curricula should not promote religious texts or practices, as this can marginalize students and misrepresent families’ beliefs.
The instructional materials adoption process is the board’s most significant responsibility and comes with real challenges. SBOE members must evaluate complex materials within a limited time, relying on well-trained reviewers with clear expectations. Strong training, transparency, and sufficient review time are essential, especially amid increasing political and ideological polarization.
• Only career public-school educator running
• M.Ed. (Special Ed) & MPA degrees
• Union advocate (TSTA)
• Daughters in public school
• Active progressive Democrat
• Board member Black Austin Democrats
Education is the foundation of a strong democracy. Recent SBOE actions have narrowed social studies and erased diverse voices. As a middle-school Texas history teacher, I’ve seen how powerful it is when students see themselves reflected in what they learn. I support balanced Texas, U.S., and world history that includes the voices of women and communities of color.
Supporting teachers with high-quality instructional materials should be a top SBOE priority, especially for early-career educators. Certified teachers improve outcomes and reduce turnover, so the SBOE should strengthen preparation, ensure certification in classrooms, waive fees in high-need fields, reduce high-stakes testing, and reject culture-war content that drives teachers out.
Young children learn best through hands-on experiences. Paper and pencils support the development of fine-motor skills, creativity, and social development. As students progress into upper elementary, middle, and high school, technology should be used to build on those skills—supporting deeper learning, problem-solving, and innovation.
No. Public schools must not promote any religion. As a practicing Christian, I believe faith belongs with families and houses of worship, not the state. Adding religious doctrine to the curriculum risks coercion and bias and violates the Constitution. Religion should be taught only academically—its role in history, literature, and world cultures—without advocacy.
• Only 5 of 15 SBOE members are career classroom teachers
• Christian Nationalists are influencing curriculum and textbooks
• Private-school vouchers drain public-school funding
• Politicized and inaccurate curriculum standards
• Weak oversight of charter-school approvals
• State takeovers of districts like Houston ISD.
I’ll fight so every Texas child can have an excellent public education.
I’m a former educator, current nonprofit leader & board member with experience making policy-driven decisions & recommendations, overseeing $100M+ budgets & collaborating across differing viewpoints.
Students deserve a social studies curriculum that is historically accurate and sets a foundation in geography, government and economics while also incorporating culture to help them grow into informed and engaged citizens. By learning multiple perspectives and developing critical thinking skills, students are better prepared to participate actively and contribute thoughtfully in their communities.
Policies should support multiple, high-quality pathways into the classroom and remove barriers to entry while maintaining high standards. We must respect and treat educators as professionals and ensure professional development is meaningful, not merely compliance-driven. Focusing on a strong, sustainable pipeline will help ensure every student has access to well-prepared, supported teachers.
SBOE can support responsible, age-appropriate access to technology that helps prepare students for college and careers, while affirming that strong instruction is grounded in skilled educators and proven teaching practices. Technology should be a tool that enhances learning, expands access, and supports differentiated instruction, and not a replacement for teachers.
A broad understanding of world religions is an important part of a well-rounded education, helping students understand diverse perspectives and cultures. Public school curriculum, however, should remain grounded in the separation of church and state, and no single religion, including Christianity, should be promoted as an exclusive viewpoint, nor should any faith be elevated or denigrated.
Other important issues facing the SBOE include supporting English Language Learners, addressing the impact of poverty on student achievement, recruiting and retaining bilingual educators, and meeting the growing needs of students receiving special education services. All while making sure we are strengthening public schools and better supporting all students, teachers and families.
Graduate student at the LBJ School of Public Affairs; AISD UpClose Class of 2025 alumnus; former bilingual special education teacher (PK–12); and Parent Support Specialist.
The K-12 social studies curriculum should balance state, national, and world history while reflecting Texas’s diverse, minority-majority population. It must include the contributions of women, LGBTQIA+ communities, and diverse ethnic groups. World history, cultures and geography ought to be examined to best prepare students for a global society.
The SBOE can strengthen teacher support by promoting a diverse workforce, reducing barriers to preparation, and expanding mentorship and culturally responsive training. Certification should include more robust, practice-based pathways. Ongoing professional development must support teacher mental health, responsible use of AI, urban school needs, and protect teacher rights and professional autonomy
The SBOE can balance technology and traditional instruction by ethically leveraging AI alongside in-person teaching, testing, and facilitation. Clear ethical and safe-use standards should guide AI for translation and evaluation, while positively reinforcing face-to-face interaction, collaboration, and student-centered learning.
Public schools should teach about Christianity and other religions in a neutral, fact-based, and nonpartisan manner. Instruction should acknowledge their historical and cultural impact in Texas, the U.S., and the world, while respecting religious freedom and maintaining the constitutional separation of church and state.
Key issues facing the State Board of Education include protecting teacher rights and professional autonomy, ensuring accountability and transparency for charter schools, improving fair and meaningful accountability systems, and advocating for equitable, sustainable school funding that meets the needs of all Texas students.
Former teacher, current UT professor, and curriculum expert with 20+ years improving STEM education, teacher training, and policy. Committed to evidence-based decisions and strong public schools.
We must teach honest, research-based history that builds critical thinking, not rote recall. Standards should be drafted by educators, textbooks chosen on objective criteria, and laws like HB 3979/SB 3 implemented responsibly. Students deserve rigorous, accurate, inclusive curriculum that prepares them for civic life in a diverse and global society.
Teaching is hard and students deserve skilled teachers. Texas should ensure teacher certification programs are meaningful and effective, grounded in research and classroom practice. We must support pre-service teachers through scholarships and fellowships so they can focus on learning and fund high-quality, sustained PD that meets district needs and helps in-service teachers grow.
Technology should support learning, not replace schools. In-person instruction that centers interactions between people and ideas is essential for social and emotional development and academic success. The SBOE should view EdTech as a tool to enrich community schools in a way that increases access to high-quality instruction not as way to create alternative pathways.
Public schools must respect the separation of church and state. All students, regardless of belief, have the right to an education free from religious indoctrination. Social studies can, and should, teach how religions have shaped history, but no single faith should set standards for values or behavior that all students must follow.
The SBOE must create academic standards that promote critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving rather than memorization; support schools that center student motivation, engagement, and belonging; adopt polices that empower teachers as professionals; foster innovation in teaching; and drop high-stakes testing in favor of an accountability system that supports opportunity and growth.
