Additional Information

Running for Texas Senate District 4 in the 2026 Democratic primary election.

Candidate Survey Responses

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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.

Public education is personal to me. My top priorities are fully funding strong public schools, supporting and retaining teachers, protecting students with special needs, and ensuring school choice expands opportunity without increasing inequality. I believe in a whole-child approach that includes mental health support and strong career and technical pathways, so every student, can succeed.

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 more funding. For years, rising costs have outpaced school funding, and while HB 2 helped in some areas, too much of the money was locked into specific programs. That left many districts without the flexibility they need and pushed schools into deficit budgets.

The state can afford to do better by making public education a budget priority and using available surplus funds responsibly. New funding should give districts more flexible dollars, so local leaders can address real needs in their classrooms, while still being held accountable for results.

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 has a responsibility to fully fund public schools first, before expanding ESA vouchers. Public schools serve the vast majority of students and are legally required to educate every child, including those with disabilities and high needs.

If ESAs are used, they must come with accountability to taxpayers. That means clear spending rules, regular audits, transparency on outcomes, and safeguards to prevent fraud, discrimination, or the exclusion of students. No public dollars should be spent without public oversight. School choice should expand opportunity, not weaken public education or create a system with less accountability and fewer protections for students and families.

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?

Requiring certification is a good first step, but it’s not enough on its own. If we want high-quality teachers in our classrooms, we have to strengthen the entire pipeline, not just set requirements. That starts with paid student teaching and strong mentorship, so new teachers aren’t forced to choose between gaining experience and paying their bills. We should expand student teaching (especially in high-need communities) and remove unnecessary financial barriers by covering certification costs and student loan assistance.

Competitive pay, classroom support, and respect for the profession is essential to keeping good teachers in the classroom. If Texas wants better outcomes for students, we must treat teaching like the skilled, professional career it is.

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 state-funded, across-the-board pay raise for all Texas educators, not just classroom teachers. Schools don’t run on teachers alone. Paraprofessionals, librarians, counselors, diagnosticians, campus support staff, and other educators are essential to student success, and leaving them out hurt's morale, retention, and services for kids.

When the state increases pay, it must fully fund the true cost, including TRS contributions and benefits, so districts aren’t forced to cut positions or programs to cover “hidden” costs. To keep compensation competitive and aligned with inflation, I would push for:

• A pay schedule increase commensurate with inflation so raises don’t get wiped out by rising cost of living.
• Targeted stipends for hard-to-fill positions (special education, bilingual, math/science, and high-need campuses) on top of base raises

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 health insurance is cutting into educators’ pay and making it harder to recruit and retain professionals in our schools. Educators should not have to choose between quality health care and financial stability. The state must take on a greater share of the cost of TRS-ActiveCare and TRS-Care instead of shifting those increases onto educators and retirees. That includes increasing the state contribution, stabilizing premiums, and protecting retirees on fixed incomes from sharp cost spikes. We should also improve transparency and long-term planning in these programs so they remain sustainable without reducing benefits.

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 the Teacher Retirement System of Texas should remain a defined-benefit pension plan for both current and future educators. For many Texas educators, TRS is their primary source of retirement security because most districts do not participate in Social Security. Weakening TRS would put their financial futures at risk.

The state has a responsibility to fully fund TRS, keep contribution rates reasonable, and avoid shifting costs onto educators or retirees. A secure, predictable pension is not a perk, it’s a promise made to educators who dedicate their careers to public service. If Texas wants to recruit and retain high quality educators, we must honor that promise and protect TRS for the long term.

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 data point, not the deciding factor in evaluating students, teachers, or schools. While tests can provide useful information, they do not reflect the full scope of learning or teaching. Test scores should not determine A–F ratings or teacher pay. Accountability should rely on multiple measures, including student growth, classroom instruction, and school climate, to ensure fairness and focus on real improvement.

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 should be respected and heard. At the same time, public schools serve entire communities, not individual preferences. Therefore, public schools must operate with clear, consistent policies that reflect shared values and student wellbeing. The right balance means collaboration, transparency, and trust to engage parents. Honoring professional expertise and allowing educators to do their jobs without political interference.

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 a state responsibility, and any safety mandate must be fully funded by the state. Districts should not have to cut classrooms or raise local taxes to comply. Keeping schools safe requires trained personnel and prevention, including mental health supports and necessary facility upgrades. I support dedicated, ongoing state funding so districts can meet safety requirements without harming instruction.

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’s role should be to set clear, high standards not to micromanage classrooms. The State Board of Education and the Texas Education Agency should establish curriculum frameworks, provide guidance, and ensure materials meet academic and legal requirements. Local school districts should have the authority to select instructional materials and make curriculum decisions that reflect their students, communities, and professional expertise. Trusting educators and local leaders within statewide standards, creates consistency without sacrificing flexibility or local control.

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 allowing public employees to continue exercising this right. Voluntary payroll deduction for professional association dues is a simple administrative service that costs taxpayers nothing and respects individual choice.

Educators should be free to join professional organizations that support their growth, advocacy, and working conditions without unnecessary barriers. Protecting this option is about fairness and respecting the voices of educators, not politics.

Additional Comments from Candidate on Survey

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COMMENTS SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO THE 2026 CANDIDATE SURVEY:

Public education works best when policy is grounded in respect, trust, and lived experience. As an educator, special education advocate and parent, I believe the state’s role is to support those doing the work in our schools.

My focus is on fully funding public education, supporting and retaining high-quality educators, protecting students with special needs, and ensuring accountability systems are fair and focused on growth. When we put students, families and educators first, strong schools follow and so does a stronger Texas!