T4PE Ratings Database

HISTORY Signed the "hold harmless" letter sent to TEA to encourage them to extend the hold harmless for the entire 2020-2021 school year due to COVID. Wrote letter to Governor/TEA asking for STAAR to be postponed for the 2020-2021 school year. Co-Authored: HB1114 (Would provide mental health services for students at school-based health centers). Co-Authored: HB1726 (Reporting bullying and cyberbullying through PEIMS). 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: 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). Authored: HB586 (Relating to the creation of a state financing program administered by the Texas Public Finance Authority to assist school districts with certain expenses; granting authority to issue bonds or other obligations). 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). 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). Absent for vote - 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 no - 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 no - 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). Absent for vote - 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 no - 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 yes - SB1697 (Relating to allowing parents and guardians to elect for a student to repeat or retake a course or grade). Voted yes - 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 yes - 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: Voted no - 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). Voted yes - 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 yes - 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). From website: "A robust and well-funded public education system is vital to a successful Texas. As a mother of three and a former PTA President, I know the difference a good education can make. Far right Texas Republicans refuse to put enough towards public education in the biennial budget, proposed bills will push public dollars toward private school vouchers, and members of the State Board of Education seek to erase our history and deny science. While on City Council, I found funding for afterschool programs and in school specialists. At the Texas Legislature, I will be a staunch defender of Education, from Kindergarten through College." SURVEY RESPONSES: WHAT IS BROKEN? If there are schools that are broken, rarely, if ever, is it the fault of individual actions close to home. Rather, the entire school finance system in Texas has baked in inequalities, which have been incredibly exacerbated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Outdated ?robinhood? formulas create situations like what we see in the Austin Independent School District, where despite having a population of majority economically disadvantaged students, it is the most recaptured-from district in the state. There is no simple fix - it would require both a fundamental overhaul of public school financing, and additional revenue streams that Texas has been unwilling to explore. PRIORITIES: Quality education for students, quality pay and benefits for faculty and staff, and safe and sensible COVID-19 measures. FUNDING: Increase, coupled with equitable changes made to recapture. FINDING THE MONEY: I have supported multiple additional revenue streams for Texas in the past, including an income tax, legalized marijuana, legalized gambling, and the closure of major tax loopholes (like the recent Wayfair decision). Additionally, every single Texas budget is filled with line items that I would strike to go for more important priorities, including public education. These wasteful items include the ?Alternatives to Abortion? program, the border security surge, and dollars going to the nonrenewable fuel industries. VOUCHERS/CHARTERS: I got my start in public service as a PTA parent at my boys? public elementary school, where I went on to become PTA president. I have always put our public schools and our children first, and I have never voted for anything even resembling vouchers. EVALUATING PUBLIC SCHOOLS: I believe there has been an overreliance on standardized testing, treating it as the be-all end-all measurement for schools. There is absolutely room for standardized testing in measuring student outcomes and evaluating our schools, but it should be just one tool in a more holistic approach. Factors could include weighing socioeconomic and geographic factors, comparative year over year improvements and maintenance, student and faculty retention, higher education (including community college, trade schools, and traditional 4-year colleges) related outcomes, student and faculty self-reporting, and more. This is not an area that I believe I have all of the right answers, but it is a conversation I am very much willing to continue to participate in. IGCs: Like the rest of my House colleagues, I supported HB 999 (87R). I believe the IGC process is very promising, and it offers us tools to work with students that could have been forgotten in previous generations. But, as the IGC process is not something I have a great deal of experience with, I would welcome the most up-to-date data on their usage and outcomes, before making permanent decisions about the sunset dates. A-F CAMPUS EVALUATION: I have a similar answer to this question as I did for question 6. In short, A-F can often be too reductive to really reveal what?s happening to a campus, especially when so many decisions that would affect this grade happen above the campus level. ATTRACTING/RETAINING TEACHERS: You said it - pay, benefits, and job security! I have outlined above my thoughts on school finance and paying for these benefits. COLAs: Cost of living adjustments should be automatically indexed, and not something subjected to the political whims of the state legislature every two years. TRS CARE: I feel the same way about supporting TRS Care as I do cost of living increases - this is something that should be automatic, so that our retirees aren?t forced to feel a rollercoaster of benefits. TRS RETIREMENT: When visiting with my office, many have expressed support for the predictable and reliable nature of defined benefit plans. I have no reason to oppose their wishes or pull the rug out from under that system. REPRESENTING ALL CONSTITUENTS: My office is always open to constituents, and especially during the hectic season of the Legislative Session, my team and I always take every single meeting with constituents that we are able to. This is incredibly important to me as an elected official and something that I take seriously. RESOURCES FOR INFORMATION ON PUBLIC EDUCATION: Hearing directly from students, parents, teachers, and staff, or organizations that represent them, especially on the smaller bills and issues that don?t get as much attention, is very important to the decision-making process. OTHER COMMENTS: While I hope that COVID-19 does not have this outsized influence on the day-to-day school day when the legislature convenes in 2023, I do strongly believe we will be dealing with the effects COVID has had on school finance, especially as it relates to teacher and student retention, the digital divide and disadvantaged students falling behind, and the effect poor attendance (due to the pandemic) will have on finance. Information: attorney and accountant, first elected to the Texas House in 2018. From website: "A robust and well-funded public education system is vital to a successful Texas. As a mother of three and a former PTA President, I know the difference a good education can make. Far right Texas Republicans refuse to put enough towards public education in the biennial budget, proposed bills will push public dollars toward private school vouchers, and members of the State Board of Education seek to erase our history and deny science. While on City Council, I found funding for afterschool programs and in school specialists. At the Texas Legislature, I will be a staunch defender of Education, from Kindergarten through College." 2019 session: Co-authored legislation: HB3 - Relating to public school finance and public education.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. From website: "A robust and well-funded public education system is vital to a successful Texas. As a mother of three and a former PTA President, I know the difference a good education can make. Far right Texas Republicans refuse to put enough towards public education in the biennial budget, proposed bills will push public dollars toward private school vouchers, and members of the State Board of Education seek to erase our history and deny science. While on City Council, I found funding for afterschool programs and in school specialists. At the Texas Legislature, I will be a staunch defender of Education, from Kindergarten through College."

T4PE Public Ratings

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