T4PE Ratings Database

HISTORY "Wrote letter to Governor/TEA asking for STAAR to be postponed for the 2020-2021 school year. Sponsored: SB168 (Relating to emergency school drills and exercises conducted by public schools). Co-sponsored: SB560 (Relating to developing a strategic plan for the improvement and expansion of high-quality bilingual education). Joint-Authored: HB1468 (Public school remote learning programs). Joint authored: HB1525 (HB3 cleanup bill). Authored: HB1613 (Requires literacy academy or reading instruction proficiency for educators). Co-Authored: HB1744 (Preparing education students to teach bilingual, ESL, or Spanish). Co-Authored: HB2251 (Developing a strategic plan for improvement and expansion of bilingual education). Co-Authored: HB2344 (Use of a writing portfolio to assess writing performance). Co-Authored: HB244 (Establishment of a grant program for promoting computer science certification and professional development for coding, tech app, cybersecurity, and computer science for public school teachers). Co-Authored: HB2519 (Composition of SBEC, issuance of sanctions by the board, requiring a school district to notify a teacher regarding the submission of complaints to SBEC). Co-Authored: HB2554 (related to the operation by a school district of a vocational education program to provide eligible high school students with vocational and educational training under a graduation plan and the application of certain student-based allotments under the public school finance system). Co-Authored: HB2975 (Prohibiting physical restraint or use of chemical irritants on public school students by peace officers and school security). Co-Authored: HB3880 (Relating to a student's eligibility for special education services provided by a school district, including services for dyslexia and related disorders). Co-Authored: HB725 (Relating to the eligibility of certain children who are or were in foster care for free prekindergarten programs in public schools). Co-authored: HB764 (Reducing STAAR testing for public school students). Voted yes - HB1080 (participation in UIL for students who receive mental health services). Voted yes - HB1133 (Relating to an election to revoke a county equalization tax imposed in certain counties). Voted yes - HB1147 (Relating to military readiness for purposes of the indicators of achievement under the public school accountability system and the college, career, or military readiness outcomes bonus under the Foundation School Program). Absent - HB1147 (Relating to military readiness for purposes of the indicators of achievement under the public school accountability system and the college, career, or military readiness outcomes bonus under the Foundation School Program). Voted yes - HB1252 (Related to the limitation period for filing a complaint and requesting a special education impartial due process hearing). Voted yes - HB1468 (Public school remote learning programs). Voted yes - HB1525 (HB3 cleanup bill). Voted yes - HB159 (Training for all educators on how to better serve disabled students). Voted yes - HB1603 (Ends sunset dates for IGCs). Voted yes - HB189 (Relates to severance payments to a superintendent or administrator in an open-enrollment charter school). Voted yes - HB2256 (Creates a bilingual sped program for students with disabilities). Voted yes - HB2287 (Relating to data collection and receipt of certain reports by and consultation with the Collaborative Task Force on Public School Mental Health Services). Voted yes - HB2519 (Composition of SBEC, issuance of sanctions by the board, requiring a school district to notify a teacher regarding the submission of complaints to SBEC). Voted yes - HB2681 (Elective courses on the study of the Bible offered to public school students). Voted yes - HB2721 (Prohibiting a student from participating in future extracurricular activities for certain conduct involving the assault of an extracurricular activity official). Voted yes - HB2802 (Administration of certain public school assessments and the temporary suspension of accountability during a school year in which public school operations are disrupted as a result of a declared disaster and the requirement to use those instruments for promotion or graduation). Voted yes - HB3261 (Electronic administration of tests, measures to support internet connectivity for purposes of the test, the adoption and administration of optional interim tests, the review and use of the instructional materials and technology allotment, and requests for production of instructional materials). Voted yes - HB3456 (Inclusion of funds received by certain educational institutions or programs in foundation school program funds for purposes of certain budget reductions). Voted yes - HB3489 (Development of guidelines for the use of digital devices in public schools and a school district or open enrollment charter school policy for the effective integration of those devices). Voted yes - HB3597 (Relating to policies, procedures, and measures for school safety in public schools). Voted yes - HB3643 (Creates a Texas Commission on Virtual Education). Voted no - HB3731 (Relating to public school accountability ratings, including interventions and sanctions administered to a school district, open-enrollment charter school, or district or school campus assigned an unacceptable performance rating. (HISD takeover bill)). Voted yes - HB 3932 (Relating to the establishment of the State Advisory Council on Educational Opportunity for Military Children). Voted no - HB3979 (critical race theory bill #1). Voted yes - HB41 (Relating to class size limits for prekindergarten classes provided by or on behalf of public schools). Voted yes - HB41 (Relating to class size limits for prekindergarten classes provided by or on behalf of public schools). Voted yes - HB4124 (Relating to student enrollment in certain special-purpose districts and the allotment under the public school finance system for those districts). Voted no - HB4509 (Relating to instruction on informed American patriotism in public schools and study of the Founding documents of Texas and the United States). Voted no - HB4545 (Relating to the assessment of public school students, the establishment of a strong Foundations grant program, and providing accelerated instruction for students who fail to achieve satisfactory performance on certain assessment instruments. (Bill used to include increasing commissioner powers, now just is about tutoring). Voted yes - HB547 (Would allow homeschooled students to participate in UIL activities on public school campuses). Voted yes - HB572 (Relating to the inclusion of students enrolled in a dropout recovery school as students at risk of dropping out of school for purposes of compensatory, intensive, and accelerated instruction and to a study by the Texas Education Agency on competency-based educational programs). Voted yes - HB690 (Relating to training requirements for a member of the board of trustees of an independent school district). Voted yes - HB699 (Relating to public school attendance requirements for students diagnosed with or undergoing related treatment for severe or life-threatening illnesses). Voted yes - HB725 (Relating to the eligibility of certain children who are or were in foster care for free prekindergarten programs in public schools). Voted yes - HB750 (Relating to requiring a school district to post the district's employment policy on the district's Internet website). Voted yes - HB764 (Reducing STAAR testing for public school students). Voted yes - HB773 (Includes CTE students as a student achievement subpop for accountability). Voted yes - HB785 (Relating to behavior improvement plans and behavioral intervention plans for certain public school students and notification and documentation requirements regarding certain behavior management techniques). Voted yes - HB999 (Exempts kids from testing requirements for 2021, allows IGCs for all 5 tests rather than 3). Voted yes - SB1063 (Relating to courses in personal financial literacy & economics for high school students in public schools). Voted yes - SB1095 (Relating to notice regarding the availability to public school students of college credit and work-based education programs and subsidies for fees paid to take certain advanced placement tests. (Let students know these programs exist)). Voted yes - SB1109 (Relating to requiring public schools to provide instruction and materials and adopt policies relating to the prevention of child abuse, family violence, and dating violence). Voted yes - SB123 (Relating to instruction in positive character traits and personal skills in public schools). Voted yes - SB1267 (Relating to continuing education and training requirements for educators and other school district personnel). Voted yes - SB1351 (Relating to the donation of food by public school campuses). Voted yes - SB1356 (Relating to the participation by members of nonprofit teacher organizations in a tutoring program for public school students and related retirement benefits for certain tutors participating in the program). Voted yes - SB1365 (Relating to public school organization, accountability, and fiscal management. (HISD takeover bill)). Voted yes - SB1590 (Relating to rules by the State Board for Educator Certification regarding virtual observation options for field-based experiences and internships required for educator certification). Voted yes - SB168 (Relating to emergency school drills and exercises conducted by public schools). Voted yes - SB1696 (Relating to establishing a system for the sharing of information regarding cyber attacks or other cybersecurity incidents occurring in schools in this state). Voted no - SB1716 (Relating to a supplemental special education services and instructional materials program for certain public school students receiving special education services). Voted yes - SB179 (Relating to the use of public school counselors' work time). Voted yes - SB1831 (Relating to the punishment for trafficking of persons, online solicitation of a minor, and prostitution and to the dissemination of certain information, including the required printing of certain signs, regarding human trafficking; increasing criminal penalties; providing a civil penalty). Voted yes - SB1955 (Relating to exempting learning pods from certain local government regulations). Voted yes - SB2050 (Relating to bullying and cyberbullying in public schools). Voted yes - SB2066 (Relating to emergent bilingual students in public schools). Voted yes - SB2081 (Relating to class size limits for prekindergarten classes provided by or on behalf of public schools). Voted yes - SB226 (Relating to instruction in educator training programs regarding digital learning, virtual learning, and virtual instruction). Voted yes - SB279 (Relating to the inclusion of suicide prevention information on certain student ID cards issued by a public school or public institution of higher education). Voted yes - SB289 (Relating to excused absences from public school for certain students to obtain a driver's license or learner license). Voted yes - SB338 (Relating to the adoption of uniform general conditions for building construction projects entered into by school districts and the composition of the committee that reviews uniform general conditions). Voted yes - SB348 (Related to parent access to public school virtual instruction and instructional materials for virtual and remote learning). Voted yes - SB369 (Requiring students to submit a FAFSA application as a condition for graduation). Voted yes - SB462 (Relating to funding under the transportation allotment for transporting meals and instructional materials to students during a declared disaster). Voted yes - SB481 (Relating to the transfer of certain public school students to a school district offering in person instruction). Voted yes - SB560 (Relating to developing a strategic plan for the improvement and expansion of high-quality bilingual education.). Voted yes - SB746 (Relating to requiring the parent of a student enrolled in a school district to provide and update a parent's contact information). Voted yes - SB776 (Relating to the creation of an inclusive sports program by the University Interscholastic League to provide students with intellectual disabilities access to team sports). Voted no - SB797 (Relating to the display of the national motto in public schools and institutes of higher education). Voted yes - SB801 (Relating to the development of an agriculture education program for public elementary schools). Voted yes - SB1776 (Relating to the inclusion of an elective course on the founding principles of the United States in the curriculum for public high school students and the posting of the founding documents of the United States in public school buildings). SPECIAL SESSION 2: Absent for votes - SB3 (Relating to civics training programs for certain public school social studies teachers and principals, parental access to certain learning management systems, and certain curriculum in public schools, including certain instructional requirements and prohibitions). Absent for vote - SJR2 (Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for the reduction of the amount of a limitation on the total amount of ad valorem taxes that may be imposed for general elementary and secondary public school purposes on the residence homestead of a person who is elderly or disabled to reflect any statutory reduction from the preceding tax year in the maximum compressed rate of the maintenance and operations taxes imposed for those purposes on the homestead). SPECIAL SESSION 3: Voted no - SB1 (Relating to an increase in the amount of the exemption of residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district and the protection of school districts against the resulting loss in local revenue). Voted yes - SJR2 (Proposing a constitutional amendment increasing the amount of the residence homestead exemption from ad valorem taxation for public school purposes). Voted yes - HB160 (Relating to making supplemental appropriations for education initiatives, institutions, and related agencies and giving direction regarding appropriations). Voted no - HB25 (Relating to requiring public school students to compete in interscholastic athletic competitions based on biological sex).

" "Information: former San Antonio city council member. Recently retired from AT&T.
FIXING EDUCATION:The public school system as a whole is not broken, but aspects of it need to be improved.First, I believe that we need to fix the way our schools are funded. We cannot expect our public school system to run effectively when there are not adequate facilities, supplies, or staff (both teachers and support staff).
PRIORITIES: 1. Public school funding formulas need to be addresed for equity and adequacy. 2. Facility funding, including technology, security, and safety. 3. Decrease the number of students per counselor and address the growing need for mental health care.
FUNDING: Currently, our schools are not receiving enough funding, we need to increase school funding through multiple funding sources. Relying on a source of funding that is tied directly to property values can create undue burdens on working-class families and seniors, and is simply not sustainable nor equitable. FINDING THE MONEY: There are several sources that could be available, but whatever source is chosen needs to be created through sustainable legislation. A one-term approach is not a solution. The rainy-day fund is certainly a place to tap for more resources, but should not be the only place.
CHARTERS/VOUCHERS: I do not support the use of public funds for private/charter schools. The lack of accountability in private/charter schools creates a disparity between the two systems. This will weaken Texas educational standards. Also, the funding of two school systems will take funds away from our most vulnerable children in the public school system. TESTING: The STAAR test is an annual, high-stress assessment. An annual exam is not an adequate measurement for overall student or teacher performance. There should be performance measures that take into account individual student progress throughout the year. ADVANCEMENT/GRADUATION: No, I do not believe that the STAAR should be the primary measure of success for students and teachers. The STAAR testing proces is a one-chance annual assesment. If a student has had a bad day, that may yield a bad score that will impact their academic future. A better approach would be to measure progress throughout the year and look at the benchmarks hit by each student. This overall portrait of growth will give teachers, parents, and staff a more clear measurement to determine advancement/graduation. IGCs: I think IGC committees could have a positive effect on dropout rates. IGC committees can look closely at each student's circumstance and progress to determine their capacity for success. A-F SYSTEM: An arbitrary letter system is not a formulative approach to measuring student success. There has to be a better method to measure incremental growth. MERIT PAY: ""Merit pay"" is impractical for teachers. Teachers do not have control over the make-up of their classrooms and should not be punished for students who are struggling to meet performance measures. Instead, we need to focus on providing teachers with the additional support needed to help their students meet academic marks. CLASS SIZE CAPS: Yes, I support class size caps, they are beneficial and practical Class size caps allow teachers to better manage their classrooms and focus on individual students. But there are instances when it is appropriate to grant waivers in extreme circumstances. ATTRACTING TEACHERS: First, we need to address Texas' school funding formulas to bring more money down from the state. A better funding system will provide improved teacher benefits, such as higher pay, better healthcare, and job security. COLA: The health of the TRS fund and their increases should be tied to that performance. TRS CARE: Depends on the health of the system. The rising costs of health care have created a systemic problem in our nation. I am dedicated to finding a solution that creates affordable coverage for all. TRS: If the option for a system with both plans were available, it would be ideal. A 401(k) plan would allow teachers to make decisions based on their investment choices and other retirement plans, it would also provide security for teachers who leave to teach in another state. Yet, a defined benefit plan provides the security of not running out of savings as the years go on. Both plans have benefits and the ability to choose would allow teachers to save or contribute in a manner that aligns best with their retirement plans. 2019 session: Co-sponsored legislation: SB12 (state contribution to TRS). Voted yes - HB3. Voted yes - HB18 (student mental health services). Voted yes - HB102 (mentor teachers). Voted yes - HB953 (TRS contributions).Voted yes - SB12 (TRS contributions). Voted no - SB29 (taxpayer funded lobbying). Grade from Project Educo: A. "

T4PE Public Ratings

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