INSIGHT - Summer 2025

INSIGHT

TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PROFESSIONAL JOURNAL

SUMMER 2025

Get to know TASA’s 2025-26 officers

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in

SUMMER 2025

INSIGHT

Volume 40 No. 2

FEATURE ARTICLES & COLUMNS Get to know TASA’s 2025-26 officers

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100 years of TASA presidents

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The Texas superintendent workforce in 7 graphics

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TASA CENTENNIAL Then and now: TASA membership over the years

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TASA CENTENNIAL TASA Honorary Life Membership

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Meet TASA’s Inspiring Leaders

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HIGHER EDUCATION An era of opportunity: pathways and promises for aspiring Texas educators

by Stacey Edmonson and Abbie Strunc

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TSPRA VOICE The importance of partnerships

by Claudia McWhorter

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TECH TAKE Surviving deficit budgets by the TETL Next Digital Shift Committee

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TEACHER PERSPECTIVE More than content: why teachers are irreplaceable in today’s classrooms

by Kristi Leff

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LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVE Gratitude beyond the glass Quintin Shepherd

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SUMMER 2025

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OFFICERS

Chris Moran, President, San Angelo ISD Roosevelt Nivens, President-Elect, Lamar CISD Jeannie Meza-Chavez, Vice President, San Elizario ISD

DEPARTMENTS

Martha Salazar-Zamora, Past President, Tomball ISD

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

TASA Professional Learning Calendar

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Alejos Salazar, Jr., Region 1, Lasara ISD

President’s Message

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Sharon McKinney, Region 2, Port Aransas ISD

Executive Director’s View

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Robert O’Connor, Region 3, Edna ISD Walter Jackson, Region 4, La Porte ISD Stacey Brister, Region 5, Little Cypress-Mauriceville CISD Darol Hail, Region 6, New Waverly ISD Carnelius Gilder, Region 7, West Sabine ISD

INSIGHT EDITORIAL STAFF

Jason McCullough, Region 8, Mount Vernon ISD Brad Owen, Region 9, Burkburnett ISD Kevin Brown

John “JJ” Villarreal, Region 10, Rockwall ISD

Deputy Executive Director, Member Engagement & Support

Charles Dupre

DesMontes Stewart, Region 11, Gainesville ISD

Director, Communications & Marketing

Amy Francisco

Executive Director

Coordinator, Graphics & Multimedia Editorial Director

Bobby Ott, Region 12, Temple ISD Mark Estrada, Region 13, Lockhart ISD

Marco A. De La Cueva

Bryan Allen, Region 14, Clyde CISD

Dacia Rivers

Aaron Hood, Region 15, Robert Lee ISD

INSIGHT is published quarterly by the Texas Association of School Administrators, 406 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas, 78701-2617. Subscription is included in TASA membership dues. © 2025 by TASA. All rights reserved.TASA members may reprint articles in limited quantities for in-house educational use.

Articles in INSIGHT are expressions of the author or interviewee and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of TASA. Advertisements do not necessarily carry the endorsement of the Texas Association of School Administrators.

Greg Brown, Region 16, Perryton ISD Scott Harrell, Region 17, Sudan ISD Jay McWilliams, Region 18, Big Spring ISD Diana Sayavedra, Region 19, El Paso ISD Burnie Roper, Region 20, Lackland ISD

AT-LARGE MEMBERS

About TASA

Sanée Bell, Katy ISD Tory Hill, Channelview ISD

TASA’s mission is to promote, provide and develop leaders who create and sustain studentcentered schools and develop future-ready students.

Nicole Poenitzsch, Bellville ISD

We envision innovative, future-focused leaders for every public school student.

Dana Bashara, Professional Learning

Tiffany Spicer, Waco ISD

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Lauralyn Arterbury, Advocacy Donny Lee, Member Engagement Roland Hernandez, Legislative

EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Jeannie Meza-Chavez, San Elizario ISD, Chair Lauralyn Arterbury, New Braunfels ISD Dana Bashara, Alamo Heights ISD Roland Hernandez, Corpus Christi ISD Donny Lee, Wichita Falls ISD Michael O'Malley, Texas State University 4

INSIGHT

TASA Professional Learning Calendar For details on TASA professional developement events, see https://tasanet.org/professional-learning.

Date

Event

Location

3-4

First-Time Superintendents Academy Session 2

Round Rock

11-14

txEDCON 2025, TASA/TASB Convention Houston

16-17

N2 Learning Principals' Institute Session 1

Tomball

16-17

N2 Learning Executive Leadership Institute Session 1

Tomball

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Leading with Courage: 2025-26 Virtual Leadership & Coaching Series Event 1

Online

1-2

Texas Public Accountability Consortium (TPAC) Meeting

Royse City

7

N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy Session 1 North Houston Cohort

Cypress

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N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy Session 1, Northwest Dallas Cohort

Justin

7-9

CMSi Curriculum Management Audit Training, Level 1

Online

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N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy Session 1, San Antonio-area Cohort

San Antonio

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N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy Session 1, East Texas Cohort

Tyler

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N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy Session 1, Austin-area Cohort

Georgetown

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N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy Session 1, Dallas-area Cohort

Royse City

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N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy Session 1, South Houston Cohort

League City

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

txEDCON 2025, the annual TASA/TASB Convention, will be held September 11-14 in Houston. The convention is a tradition that goes back nearly 65 years! The first official TASA/TASB Convention took place September 24–25, 1961, at the Municipal Auditorium in Austin. Co-sponsored, co-staffed, and co-planned, it marked a new era of partnership between school governance and leadership. Admission was free, and meal tickets were just $1.75 for lunch and $3 for the banquet. Visitors to the exhibit hall were entered to win a 17-inch portable "television set." In 1967, a registration fee was introduced — $3 for members, $8 for non-members.

In the early 1970s, the convention was scheduled around UT football. Though held in San Antonio, charter buses transported attendees to the games in Austin for $5 per ticket. Attendees departed at 5:30 p.m. from the convention center and returned after the game. Don't miss this year's convention in Houston! Get details at https://tasa.tasb.org!

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Ideas. Insights. Inspiration.

Shaping Public Education Together.

Register today! txEDCON registration and housing is now open.

Secure the best rates by registering early. Receive a discount for registering the full leadership team.

Visit tasa.tasb.org/registration for rates and additional information.

Your Association.

Your Voice.

We’ll see you in Houston!

Sept. 13 Houston

Remember to register your delegate for Delegate Assembly when you are registering for txEDCON.

George R. Brown Convention Center Houston, TX ▪ Sept. 11-14 6

INSIGHT

CALLED TO SERVE In this issue of INSIGHT, we welcome new TASA President Christopher Moran. Dr. Moran is superintendent of San Angelo ISD, a post he has held since 2024. Before that, he was superintendent in Whitehouse and Brownsboro ISDs. A 34-year veteran educator, Moran has been married to his wife, Christa, for 30 years and he is a proud father to four children and two grandchildren.

Chris Moran

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE My father often told me, “Get all you can and can all you get.”

I

originally intended to teach and coach basketball as a career, but I could never have imagined the journey that would unfold through my years as an educator. Born in Southern Arizona, just two miles north of the border, I was raised by loving parents who had little in terms of material wealth, but an abundance of faith and commitment to family. When a family divorce left my three male cousins without a home, my parents welcomed them in. At the age of 7, our new home — a 14-by-80 trailer in East Texas — became the center of a family.

Living in the country offered me a childhood of simple joys: riding bikes, romping through the woods, and playing in the creek. My time was divided between school, church, family work, and exploring the outdoors. Though our means were limited, I now realize how rich I was in love, opportunity, and support.

Neither of my parents had a college education, but they dedicated their lives to serving Jesus Christ and others. They instilled in us the belief that education was not only important but essential. My father often told me, “Get all you can and can all you get.” In Whitehouse, Texas, strong academics for me were complemented by band and basketball.

It wasn’t until college that I found my path toward a teaching certificate. Playing college basketball at an NAIA school in Missouri ignited a deep passion for coaching. What began as a dream to teach and coach slowly evolved. One step led to another, and now, in my 34th year in Texas public education, I am honored to serve as superintendent and the president of the Texas Association of School Administrators.

Along the way, I have been blessed with mentors who modeled integrity, servant leadership, and a standard of excellence. They challenged me to grow and taught me the importance of surrounding myself with people who are smarter than I am — people who can help build something greater than any of us could do alone.

Looking back, I recognize how much others have sacrificed, prayed, and encouraged me along the way. My parents and brothers have been steady examples of service and devotion to others.

Their influence helped shape the foundation of who I am today.

Through it all, my prayer is that every student I serve experiences the same kind of support and love I received as a child. I believe every student is created in the image of God and possesses gifts and abilities of great value. My mission is to love and serve each student who enters through the doors of San Angelo ISD — regardless of race, religion, socioeconomic background, or any other label. By providing a rigorous academic experience paired with compassion and care, I aim to serve the God I love and empower every student to pursue a life of purpose and possibility.

Serving Texas public school students isn’t just my career — it’s my calling.

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HEARTBREAK AND HOPE

T

he Central Texas floods on July 4 were a terrible tragedy — the loss of so many lives, the grief of families and friends, the sorrow in our communities. The most profound losses, of course, were the children. They had been looking forward to attending their beloved camp for a month with old and new friends, or to a family vacation along the river.

Survivors face lifelong wounds as they process what they saw, heard and lost. It’s enough to test anyone’s faith and resolve.

Kevin Brown

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S VIEW Thank you to the educators, administrators and bus drivers who showed up — as you always do.

It’s hard to find a silver lining. Nothing can bring back those we’ve lost. Yet as I watched the news and heard stories of heroic rescues — young counselors risking their lives for others, school employees, bus drivers, principals, and superintendents jumping into action to save hundreds — I felt hope.

Two stories in particular moved me. One father, searching for his son, helped others cope with their own grief. His quiet strength gives me hope in humanity. Another man, searching for his parents, told reporters he was overwhelmed by the public’s unity. Filled with grief, he said if their deaths brought our divided nation together, even briefly, their lives were not lost in vain. His words brought me to tears.

As school districts raise money and offer support, I’m reminded of the generosity of the people in our profession. Thank you for providing counseling to students and comforting your communities. Thank you to the educators, administrators and bus drivers who showed up — as you always do. You welcome every child, hold yourselves accountable to your communities, and serve selflessly in good times and bad.

A special thank-you to the educators and leaders in Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt, Comfort, and Center Point. You have carried the greatest burden and given the most.

It’s often said that when things are at their worst, people are at their best. We’ve seen countless examples of that during this ordeal. Perhaps one way to honor those we lost is to set aside our differences and strive for unity — not just in hard times, but always. In that regard, never forget: You model that for our society every day.

Kevin Brown TASA Executive Director

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Get to know

TASA’s 2025-26 officers Chris Moran, president Chris Moran is serving as TASA president for the 2025-26 year. In 2024, he became superintendent of San Angelo ISD. With more than three decades of work in public education, Moran previously served as superintendent in Whitehouse and Brownsboro ISDs. In 2019, he was named the Region 7 Superintendent of the year. He has worked as a teacher, coach, bus driver, assistant principal and principal, all in Whitehouse ISD, the district from which he himself graduated.

Moran received his bachelor’s degree from Evangel University, his master’s from The University of Texas at Tyler, and a doctorate from Stephen F. Austin State University. He has also received post-doctoral training through the Lamar University Center for Executive Leadership and the SMU District Leadership Fellows.

Moran has served on the TASA Executive Committee since 2021. He has also served on the Commissioner’s Cabinet and enthusiastically advocates for all students.

Roosevelt Nivens, president-elect Since 2021, Roosevelt Nivens has served as superintendent of Lamar CISD. Prior to that, he was superintendent of schools in Community ISD. Nivens began his career in education as a teacher in Dallas ISD before working as an assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent of achievement and organizational management in Lancaster ISD. The son of educators, Nivens earned his bachelor’s degree from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, and his master’s and doctoral degrees in education from Texas A&M University-Commerce. He also trained at the Harvard Executive Leadership Institute, the Harrison Williams Collins Executive Leadership Institute and the Thompson Executive Leadership Institute.

In 2019, Nivens was named Region 10 Superintendent of the Year and National Superintendent of the Year for the National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE). In 2022, he was named Latino Serving Superintendent of the Year by the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS). As a TASA member, he has chaired the Advocacy Committee and the Editorial Advisory Committee.

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INSIGHT

Jeannie Meza-Chavez, vice president Jeannie Meza-Chavez is superintendent of San Elizario ISD, a position she has held since 2017. Now in her 28th year working in education, Meza-Chavez was previously superintendent in Tornillo ISD. She began her career in education as a middle school English and reading teacher in Socorro ISD before moving to San Antonio to help open the Young Women's Leadership Academy.

After returning to the El Paso area, Meza-Chavez became principal at Nolan Richardson Middle School in El Paso ISD, then moved into district administration, working as the human resources director for secondary personnel before stepping into the superintendency in Tornillo.

Meza-Chavez earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at El Paso, her master’s from Sul Ross State University, and her doctorate from New Mexico State University.

Recently, Meza-Chavez served as president of the Texas Council of Women School Executives. She has served on numerous TASA committees. As vice president, she chairs the TASA Editorial Advisory Committee.

Martha Salazar-Zamora, past president Tomball ISD welcomed Martha Salazar-Zamora as superintendent in 2017. In 2023, she was named Texas Superintendent of the Year — the first Hispanic female to receive the honor — and she was selected by AASA as one of four finalists for 2024 National Superintendent of the Year.

In 2024, Salazar-Zamora was named the Houston Area Educator of the Year, one of the Top 40 Women of Distinction in Houston, and she was listed by “District Administration” magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Educators in the nation. In late 2024, she was also named one of two finalists for AASA’s Women in Leadership Award.

She has worked in education for 39 years, serving in several diverse districts across the state, including as deputy superintendent for instruction and administration in Round Rock ISD. Salazar-Zamora received her master’s and doctoral degrees from Texas A&M University.

Salazar-Zamora currently serves as president of the Texas Council of Women School Executives, and she has previously served as president of the Fast Growth School Coalition. She is also a past president and founding member of the Texas Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents.

SUMMER 2025

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100 years of TASA presidents As we celebrate TASA's centennial this year, we honor all the outstanding school leaders who have served as TASA president over the past 100 years.

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INSIGHT

SUMMER 2025

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TASA and the Texas Education Leadership Lab at the University of Texas at Austin have partnered to publish what will become an annual report on the status of the superintendency, and we're excited to announce that the 2025 release of "The Texas Superintendent Workforce in 7 Graphics" is complete. This first-of-its-kind report includes demographics, turnover, tenure, pay and gender, and snapshots of the superintendency based on district size, serving as a resource for school districts, boards, policymakers, and the public at large. See the full report at https://bit. ly/2025-supt-workforce-report.

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TASA CENTENNIAL

Then and now: TASA membership over the years Before TASA was "TASA," it was the "Section of Superintendence" of the Texas State Teachers Association. Founded in November 1925 with 108 charter members, including 72 superintendents and 24 principals, the roster included one woman: Mary Carroll, superintendent of Corpus Christi ISD from 1922 to 1933.

Charter members paid a $1 membership fee, on which then-Secretary-Treasurer N.S. Holland commented: “Our objective is to get an organization among school administrators, in Texas, along professional lines. The membership fee of $1 should be substantially increased, so that we can find sufficient funds for this organization to assert itself.” One year later, the membership fee was increased to $5.

During the years the organization operated as the “Section of Superintendence,” it rarely exceeded 100 members, but after becoming the Texas Association of School Administrators in 1939, TASA began to grow. As 1942-43 TASA President J.W. Edgar once noted, "Since about 1938, the organizational structure had been in transition, moving from a passive research organization to an active membership organization.

"By 1952, TASA had 800 members. Back then, before the internet and email (or even faxes), TASA used paper and ink to communicate with those members, and volunteer leaders among the membership collected the dues and conducted the business of the association.

It wasn't until 1966, when the TASA Executive Committee appointed R.E. “Emmett” Harris as the first full-time executive director, that TASA had a full-time staff. Annual dues at that time were $15 (about $145 today), and that was after an increase was made to fund the hiring of Harris and establish a TASA headquarters.

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INSIGHT

Five years later, in 1971, the TASA membership approved a constitutional amendment to increase annual dues to $35.

That increase enabled TASA to provide liability insurance coverage to members and hire a part-time assistant executive director.

TASA revise its dues structure.

The change eliminated the $120 cap on Active Category members’ dues instituted in 1975, deleted the institutional membership category, and provided for dues increases for Associate and Student Category members.

It was in the early 1970s that discussion began about creating a dues structure based on a percentage of members' salaries. A Dues Structure Committee recommended that they be increased to 1.5% of the gross salary of each member, but that effort failed when put to a vote of the whole membership, as did another couple of efforts to raise dues in the early 1970s.

Modifications to TASA’s Constitution & Bylaws in subsequent years granted flexibility to the Executive Committee to change the dues amounts for members other than superintendents. However, the basic dues structure adopted in 1990, providing for growth in dues revenue annually based on member salaries, remains in effect today.

As a new millennium dawned in 1999-00, TASA reached In 1975, an Executive Com2,000 members. Two decades mittee recommendation that later, membership hit 3,000, TASA dues be set at fourand growth accelerated raptenths of 1% (.004) of each idly for the next five years. member’s gross annual salary with dues no less than $56 nor TASA is now stronger than it more than $120 was presented has ever been with 4,089 Active, Associate, Retired, Colto the general membership lege/University/State Agency, and adopted by a vote of 234 to 48, with 83% of TASA mem- and Student members and a legacy of a century of service bers voting in support. and support to Texas school The effective date was June 1, leaders. In addition, we cur5000 coinciding with an announcement that applications were 4000 being accepted for a new executive director to replace 3000 Harris, who had announced his intent to retire in June 2000 1976. By 1983, TASA grew to nearly 1,500 members.

rently have 1,967 Honorary Life members. That special category is reserved for school administrators who have demonstrated extraordinary devotion to education and to the association during their careers. (See pages 20-29.)

Today, TASA members enjoy a range of benefits. However, the following 1954-55 TASA membership campaign call to action still sums it up pretty well: “’Oughtness’ is not enough reason for belonging to TASA, but there are many reasons why every school administrator in Texas owes it to himself and his school district to affiliate himself with TASA. The genial, progressive, well-informed school administrator, with a TASA membership card, and with unshakable confidence in himself, his ability, his school district, his association, his state, and his country, is to millions the living representative of Public Education in Texas!"

1000

Since that time, the dues structure has changed only once — in 1990 — when TASA’s “21st Century Task Force” recommended that

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1925

1952

1983

2000

2019

2025

TASA Membership Growth 1925-2025 SUMMER 2025

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TASA CENTENNIAL

Celebrating extraordinary devotion

TASA Honorary Life Membership Each year at the TASA Midwinter Conference, the association honors a new cohort of Honorary Life members. This special category of membership is reserved for school administrators who have demonstrated extraordinary devotion to education and to the association during their careers. TASA has awarded 2,205 Honorary Life memberships since 1943, the first year of the program.

Ramon Abarca Elizabeth Abernethy Truett Absher Clyde Abshier Glenn Acker W. Acker Stacy Ackley Billy Adams Gary Adams H.G. Adams Jeff Adams Raymond Adams Seth Adams Vicki Adams Robin Adkins Antonio Aguirre A. Aikin John Alebis Ruben Alejandro Billy Alexander C. Warren Alexander Tommy Alexander Bill Allen Terry Allen Frank Allenson Daniel Allie James Allison 20

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Kevy Allred Arturo Almendarez Kenneth Almond Ace Alsup Ernesto Alvarado James Alvis Thomas Alvis Joe Ammerman Bill Anderson Gerald Anderson Gordon Anderson J. Anderson Karen Anderson Marcus Anderson S. Anderson Joe Andrews W. Andrews Larry Appel James Apple Kent Appleby Herbert Arledge Billy Arnold Dorothy Arnold Doug Arnold Paul Arnold Raymond Arnold Elvis Arterbury

Stephanie Arterbury Steve Arthur Ross Aschenbeck Sarah Ashburn Robert Ashworth Morrison Asman Joe Austin Ted Averitt

Royce Avery Fred Ayer Thomas Baca Jay Baccus Larry Baer Kelly Baggett A. Bagley Coleman Bailey

John Bailey Richard Bain Jerry Baird Betty Baitland James Baize Anne Baker Billy Baker Bobby Baker

TASA’s first Honorary Life Membership was bestowed at the 1943 annual meeting, when TASA President J.W. Edgar arranged for and conferred it on Dr. Fred C. Ayer, a professor of educational administration at The University of Texas at Austin.

Fred Ayer TASA’s First Honorary Life Member

Ayer, TASA’s “Director of Research” from 1931 to 1935, had published a series of reports titled “The Progress of Pupils in the State of Texas.” He was recognized for the importance of that research.

As TASA President Jake Hendricks noted in the foreword of one of Ayer’s reports, “All other educational issues are subsidiary to the problem of child progress.”

Carl Baker Carlos Baker Charles Baker Charlotte Baker Dewey Baker Emmett Baker Garth Baker J. Baker John Baker Shannon Baker Vivian Baker W. Baker Arzell Ball James Ball Michael Ball Elaine Ballard Orville Ballard B. Banks Bill Banks Robert Banks Amos Bankston James Bankston C. Barbee R. Barber Tony Barcelona J. Barefield Joseph Baressi Charles Barker Gary Barker Monte Barnes Sam Barnes Tracy Barnes Curtis Barnett James Barnett Shaun Barnett William Barnett Linda Barnhart Rob Barnwell Paul Barr Robert Barrett John Barron James Barta Frank Barton Scott Barton Elwyn Bass John Bass Billy Bates Louis Baty Sherri Bays Harold Beam Joe Bean Von Rhea Beane Bobby Beard Kenneth Beard Roy Beard Janice Beasley

Marvin Beaty Randel Beaver Harry Beavers Wes Beck Woodie Beene A. Bell Ellen Bell Roland Bell Danny Bellah Alda Benavides Roy Benavides Dennis Bennett J. Bennett Leslie Bennett Gilbert Bernstein Richard Berry Randall Berryhill Carol Bertholf Gene Best Raul Besteiro Robert Bethea Ray Bethke James Bible Jimmy Bickley Pete Bienski Eugene Bigbie John Billings Sandra Billodeau E. Bills Walter Bingham Jerry Birdsong A. Birdwell Patti Birney Merrill Bishop Charles Bitters G. Blackman Larry Blair James Blake Leon Blake George Blanch Eddie Bland Albert Blankenship Don Blankenship Gwinn Blankenship O. Blaschke Lori Blaylock Philip Bledsoe Wayne Blevins Landell Blocker A. Blunt Billy Blythe Michael Bodine Charles Boggess Vernon Bohach Keith Boles Elmer Bondy

Henry Bonorden James Boone John Booth Bill Borgers Paul Boswell R. Boulter Oscar Bounds Jerome Bourgeois Sharon Boutwell Alton Bowen Charles Bowen William Bowen James Bowie Billy Bowman James Bowman Thomas Bowman Clarke Boyd James Boyle S. Boynton Charles Bradberry Seburn Bradley James Bramlett Bill Brantley Gerald Brashears Rosalyn Bratcher Hugo Brehm Fred Brent David Brewer Raymond Brewton Berry Bridges Charles Bright Elzo Brinson M. Brockette Anna Brodie Ercell Brooks John Brooks Julee Broscoff Glendon Broumley Bobby Brown Darrell Brown Gordon Brown James Brown James Brown Joe Brown Johnny Brown Keith Brown Mortimer Brown Patsy Brown Ray Brown William Brown L. Bruns Donald Bryan Leslie Bryan Sam Bryan Walter Bryan Pamela Bryant

Cathy Bryce Stacey Bryce Clarence Buck J. Buckley D. Buckner Ross Buckner Garland Bullard W. Bunting William Burden Steve Burleson Sam Burnes C. Burnett Floyd Burnett Quentin Burnett Bobby Burns Otis Burroughs Gene Burton Lynn Burton Elden Busby Lawrence Bussard Dan Bustamante Charles Butcher Douglas Butler Larry Butler Alberto Byington Weldon Bynum Buddy Byrd W. Byrd R. Byrom Ron Cagle James Cain Peyton Cain Elton Caldwell Darlene Callender Ronald Caloss James Calvert Peter Cameron Rose Cameron Thomas Cameron Janiece Campbell Joe Campbell M. Campbell Raymond Campbell Thomas Campbell W. Campbell I. Candoli Allan Cannon Bobby Cannon Jerry Cannon Joe Cantu Rafael Cantu Michael Caplinger W. Caraway Julie Carbajal Mike Cardwell J. Carlisle

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T. Carmichael Bill Carnes Jimmie Carpenter David Carr Rex Carr E. Carrington Ellis Carroll Hazel Carroll Irby Carruth Robert Carruthers Dorothy Carter Arthur Casey Ernest Caskey C. Casselberry Robert Caster Rodney Cathey Tommy Cathey Arturo Cavazos Marcelo Cavazos James Caveness Rodney Cavness S. Cernosek Jimmie Chadwell W. Chalmers H. Chambers HD Chambers Charley Chambless Al Chance Ray Chancellor C. Chandler Doyel Chandler J. Chaney Tylor Chaplin Garland Chapman William Chapman H. Charles Neal Chastain Jesus Chavez Clead Cheek Joe Chenella J. Cherry W. Cherry Wayman Chilcutt Carl Chilton Jerry D. Christian Jerry R. Christian Jerry Church Monte Churchill Kathy Cikanek Derek Citty Erwin Ckodre Robert Clanton Collin Clark James Clark Johnny Clark Johnny Clawson 22

INSIGHT

Gary Clay Jack Clemmons A. Clemons Robert Clemons E. Cleveland Richard Clifford Mike Clifton Ruby Clifton Don Clingenpeel Paul Clore Albert Cobb B. Cobb Gerald Cobb Lester Cobb William Cochran W. Cockerham Jasper Cockrell Jack Cockrill Leland Cockrill Edmund Cody Charles Coe Larry Coffman Richard Cohagan Louie Coker Bob Coleman Shirley Coleman Lana Collavo J. Collier Virginia Collier Donald Collins Gary Collins James Collins Thomas Collins Ben Colwell Coy Colwell M. Combs C. Comer Alfred Conley James Connel Glen Conner Treva Conner John Connolly Anthony Constanzo C. Cook James Cook Jerry Cook John Cook Allen Cooper Steve Cooper A. Copeland Jim Copeland Rick Copp Billy Coppinger Weldon Corbell W. Corder Ruben Corkill

Ronald Corn Nabor Cortez Phil Cotham Ted Cotton Jim Coulston James Counts Jim Covert Richard Cowan Harold Cowley James Cowley Jessie Cowley Charlie Cox J. Cox Jimmy Cox Wilbur Crabbs John Craft Carl Craighead Joe Crane Ray Crass Fred Craven Debi Crawford Erwin Crawford Marvin Crawford W. Crawley Jimmy Creel T. Crenshaw Robert Criswell William Crockett Deborah Cron Darryl Cross D. Crossland Robert Crouch Denny Crow Nolen Crow Thomas Crowe Gary Crowell George Crowson Carlos Cruz J. Cullender Mark Culwell Chester Cunningham Harvey Cunningham James Cunningham Nugget Cunningham W. Cunningham J. Curlee Paul Curtis Raymond Curtis Paul Czerwinski Holly Dale Harold Dalton Marvin Dameron James Damm Jack Damron Robert Damron T. Dane

Don Daniel Diane Daniels Jack Daniels Rex Daniels Anthony Daugherty Bill Daugherty Harlin Dauphin Curtis Davenport Gene Davenport Thomas Davenport Jack Davidson Steve Davidson Bryan Davis Buddy Davis C. Davis Cecil Davis Garland Davis Gary Davis Gilbert Davis Jack Davis James Davis Jefferson Davis Margaret Davis Norman Davis Shirley Davis Benjamin Daws L. Dawson G. Day Otis De Volin James Deatherage Greg Decker Lynn Dehart Milton Denham William Denman Cathy Denton Danny Denton Loran Denton Robert Denton Eddie Derr Raymond DeSpain Patrick Deviney James DeWitt Larry Dickerson James Dickson Jerry Dickson Robert Dillard C. Dillehay W. Dillingham Neal Dillman O. Dinkins Allan Dinsmore E. Dixon Ted Dockery Marlin Dodds Winifred Dodds D. R. Dodson

Jerry Doherty Everett Dollar J. Donaldson M. Donaldson Jack Donnell Don Dorman Billy Dornburg John Dosher James Doughty Art Douglas Dale Douglas Eli Douglas O. Douglas Dan Douglass Charles Downer Clayton Downing Jerry Doyle Cecil Drachenberg Leonard Duckworth Buddy Dulin James Dunlap Howard Dunn Lyndon Dunn P. Dunning Daniel DuPree Jodi Duron Robert Duron Robert Dwight Mark Eads Clark Ealy Steven Ebell Wilburn Echols Jerry Eddins J. Edgar Eldon Edge Leland Edge Scot Edington L. Edmondson John Edmons Cindy Edwards Donald Egg Nelson Eichman Ray Elam Bob Elder Curtis Eldridge Lawrence Elkins Doyne Elliff E. Ellis John Ellis Roger Ellis Glenn Ellison James Elms Galen Elolf Don Elsom Charles English Kenneth English

Maurice English Bennie Enis Larry Enis Thilman Erickson Aida Escobar Dwain Estes Nolan Estes Raymond Etheridge James Ethridge Janice Evers Alton Ezell Bobby Fannin Teresa Farler Bill Farmer Edd Farmer Joe Farmer Les Farmer R. Farr Jack Faubion Richard Faulkner Thomas Fausett William Faver Beverly Felts Melvin Fenoglio Garland Ferguson John Ferguson Tommy Ferguson Charles Fielden Alton Fields Shane Fields H. Fillers Mal Fischer Mack Fisher Richard Flanagan Virgil Flathouse Dianne Fleming Paul Fleming Deane Fletcher Sherman Fletcher John Fling R. Fling Jack Flinn Steve Flores Darrell Floyd Joe Folk John Folks David Foote Bill Ford M. Ford Michael Ford Walter Ford Pat Forgione James Forrest Ben Fort William Fort Nelda Fortune Crawford

Benefits of Honorary Life Membership • Opportunities to stay engaged and connected after retirement • Resources to stay informed and be an advocate for public education in Texas • Special pricing on legal services • Access to TASA membership directories and Career Center • Get the details at https://bit.ly/tasa-honorary-life.

David Foster H. Foster Inez Foster William Foster Philip Fowler Sam Fowler Joe Fox L. Fox Alton Frailey Horace Francis James Francis Euin Frank Claude Franklin Juana Franklin K. Franks Clarence Frase Leland Frase Lanny Frasier Ray Freeman Robert French Bonner Frizzell R. Froehner Diane Frost Jack Fry H. Fuller O. Fuller Fred Fulton Billy Galbreath M. Galbreath Tom Galbreath E. Galyean Allan Gamblin Antonio Garcia Roberto Garcia Gena Gardiner Kerry Garmon Bob Garrett Jody Garrett Darrell Garrison Harry Garrison

Enos Gary William Gary Eleuterio Garza Joe Gassiott Keith Gast Gary Gazaway Henri Gearing Roger Gee Bennett Geeslin George Gentry Mike Gentry W. Gentry Craig Gibbins Catherine Gibson Don Gibson Greg Gibson Jim Gibson Joe Gibson Travis Gibson Vernon Gibson Marley Giddens Jerry Gideon Johnny Giebler C. Gifford Ben Gilbert Michael Gilbert Roy Gilbert Buck Gilcrease Vickey Giles John Gillett Michael Gilley Edward Gilliland Ronnie Gilliland Ted Gillum Clarence Gilstrap Linda Gist Leigh Ann Glaze Tom Glenn Gene Glover A. Godley

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Ronald Goehring Scot Goen John Golmon Thomas Golson Luis Gonzalez Hayden Goodgion William Goodman Thomas Goodwin Guy Gorden Max Gordon Rodney Gordon Jack Gorman V. Gosch Linda Gossett Paul Gothard Clyde Gott Richard Gott Brian Gottardy William Graeber Lance Graham Leon Graham Lloyd Graham G. Grant Sidney Grant Ben Graves Bill Graves Hob Gray J. Gray Sam Gray Charles Greenawalt Kenneth Greene Alfred Greer Clyde Greer Howard Greer Julian Greer C. Gregory Larry Gregory Ron Gregory Lynn Grell-Boethel L. Griffin Merritt Griffin Richard Griffin Harry Griffith Bob Griggs John Grigsby Ben Grill Richard Grill Bert Grimes Noel Grisham N. Grivich Dennis Grizzle Gary Grogan Larry Groppel D. Grounds Elmer Grounds Gordon Grubbs 24

INSIGHT

James Grunert Adelaida Guerra Augusto Guerra Lauro Guerra Marla Guerra Michael Guidry Ernest Guinn Bill Gunn Cindy Gunn Jim Gunn Hal Guthrie Arturo Gutierrez James Gwaltney Robert Haas Barry Haenisch Frank Hafernick Weldon Hafley George Haggard James Hagler Roger Hailey Melody Haley Charles Hall Jack Hall Joe Hall Tommy Hall W. Hallmark Ann Halstead Hank Halvorson B. Hamblen Al Hambrick J. Hambrick Gary Hamilton H. Hamilton Oran Hamilton William Hamm Gerald Hampton Charles Hamrick Don Hancock Randy Hancock T. Hancock W. Hancock W. Hanes J. Hanks Jeffrey Hanks Mary Hanks Clarence Hannel Kerry Hansen John Hardwick Jerry Hardy J. Hare Pauline Hargrove Tom Harkey William Harlan Terry Harlow Gordon Harmon H. Harmon

Cecil Harper Herbert Harper Gary Harrell John Harrell Doug Harriman Harold Harrington Dan Harris E. Harris Hubert Harris R. Harris Walter Harris William Harris Glenn Harrison James Harrison Robert Hart Michael Hartman Roy Hartman Thomas Harvey L. Haskew William Hasse George Hatfield Richard Hatley Johnnie Hauerland Larry Hausenfluke Fred Havel Wayne Havens Larry Hawkins Rik Hawkins Jesse Hawthorne Robert Hawthorne Bascom Hayes Fred Hayes James Haynes Wesley Hays Richard Hazlewood Claude Hearn H. Hebert Lynn Heflin Kermit Heimann Glenn Hellman Charlie Helmer Crawford Helms Ken Helvey Ronnie Hemann James Henderson Johnnie Henderson Patrick Henderson Robert Henderson H. Hendrick O. Hendricks Linda Henrie Jim Hensley James Hermes Daniel Hernandez Franklin Herndon Mard Herrick

Tina Herrington James Hesson Grady Hester David Hicks Donald Hicks Richard Higginbotham Harold Higgins Dennis Hill Don Hillis Lawrence Hindt Bruce Hineman Christopher Hines Michael Hinojosa Saul Hinojosa W. Hinson Lynn Hise Harold Hitt Mart Hitt Robert Hodges Jerry Hogue June Hogue Lacy Hogue Charles Hohertz Karin Holacka Freddy Holcomb John Holcomb Mark Holcomb Coy Holcombe Harrell Holder Walter Holik Francine Holland Jim Holland Melvin Holland I. Holleman Jack Hollensed Susan Holley Gus Hollomon William Holm Ernest Holman C. D. Holmes James Holmes Pat Holmes George Holst Chuck Holt Dennis Holt Joyce Holt Bill Hood Jack Hood Alfred Hook Don Hooper Wendal Hoover Mona Hopkins James Hopper John Horn Marilyn Hoster E. H. Howard

Rick Howard Tom Howard Walter Howard Mollie Howell Rachel Howell Russell Howle Randall Hoyer Thomas Hoyer Jimmy Hoyle John Hoyle Wendell Hubbard B. Huber I. R. Huchingson James Huckaby Ervin Huddleston Joanie Hudson William Hudson B. Hudspeth Thomas Huff R. L. Huffman Dennis Hughes Donald Hughes J. L. Hughes A. Hughey Jerry Huie Chris Hulen Charles Hundley Andrea Hungerford Robert Hunt Fred Hunter Joe Hutchinson Preston Hutchinson Duane Hyde R. Hyden Richard Hyden Eduardo Infante David Ingram Truitt Ingram Phillip Irby Elmer Ireton Edwin Irons Gordon Irons Hubert Irsfeld Gene Isabell Dan Ives C. Jackson Dorman Jackson Frank Jackson Mike Jackson Noel Jackson Albert Jacobs Amy Jacobs Bill Jacobs L. Jacobs Charles Jaggers Jack James

William James Bob Jameson Michael Jansen Tom Jarboe Earl Jarrett Hollis Jean Donald Jefferies H. Jefferies Homer Jefferson Steve Jenkins Noel Jett Milton Jirasek Bob Johnson Charles Johnson Eddie Johnson Harley Johnson Harold Johnson Henry Johnson Jack Johnson Jerry Johnson Louis Johnson Melody Johnson N. Johnson Roy Johnson Scott Johnson Steve Johnson William Johnson James Johnston Johnny Johnston Daniel Jones Don Jones J. Jones John Jones Larry Jones M. Jones Michael Jones Sue Jones Thomas Jones Timothy Jones Tony Jones Byron Jordan Jack Jordan V. Jordan Billy Julian Jerrell Julian Claude Jungman Chester Juroska Beeman Justice Thomas Justiss Kay Karr Mary Kasting Yvonne Katz Johnnie Kay W. D. Kay George Kazanas Johnnie Keeling

Arthur Kees James Keese James Kelly John Kelly Lamar Kelly David Kelm Frank Kemble Jean Kemp Billy Kennedy David Kennedy J.D. Kennedy Leonard Kent Solomon Kepley Dane Kerns Adyth Kerr Ted Kerr Billy Key Carl Key John Key John Keys Loretta Kibler Michael Killian Bobby Kimball Knox Kinard Ronnie Kincaid Susan Kincannon Daniel King Harold King Jo Anne King John King Mike King W. King Wayne King Billy Kingston Ray Kinnison Jerry Kirby Jim Kirkland Marvin Kirkman Richard Kirkpatrick Richard Kitchens Arnold Kleinschmidt Duncan Klussmann Harold Knape Lee Roy Knauth Deborah Kneese Bill Knight J. C. Knowles Douglas Koebernick J. Koepf Richard Kolek Allison Koonce Charles Koonce Brenda Krchnak Victor Krejci Gail Krohn Preston Kronkosky

Larry Krumnow M. F. Kruse Pete Kucera Stephanie Kucera Marilyn Kuhn Allen F. Labay Allen J. Labay Ray LaBeff Brad Lancaster James Lancaster Thomas Lancaster Liesa Land C. D. Landolt H. Landrum Lawrence Lane Robert Lane Thomas Lane Jimmie Lange J. Langwith James Lanier Michael Lanier William Lanier Jill Lankford James Largent Gerald Lasater Cathy Lauer Lesli Laughter Ernie Laurence Jimmie Laurie Thomas Lawrence Gayla Lawson Huelyn Laycock Ray Lea Edward Lechler Bob Lee Larry Lee Michael Lee Nathan Lee Wilburn Leeper Kent LeFevre Charles Lemmons John Lemons M. Leonard E. Leslie Levatta Levels Marc Levesque Kirk Lewis Richard Liardon Ann Ligon Moore Patricia Linares Henry Lind Bill Little Eddie Little W. Loessberg Deanna Logan James Logan

Bill Loggins Louis Lohn Gayle Lomax Dan Long Steve Long Tommy Long William Long Mary Lookadoo Deana Lopez Ruben Lopez John Lovelady Norton Lovell Deanna Lovesmith Danny Lovett S. O. Loving J. R. Lowe Sandra Lowery Doyle Lowrance H. W. Lowrance Will Lowrance Earl Luce Thomas Luce Samuel Lucia Louis Ludwig Kelly Lusk Raymond Lusk Edward Lyman Bill Lytle Jonathan MacBride Robert Madding Delbert Mahan Steve Maikell James Mailey W. Malkey James Mancill William Mann Kenneth Manning Paul Manning Gina Mannino Ricky Mantooth Dana Marable Barbara Marchbanks Peter Marecek Francesca Marek Irma Marsh Raymond Marshall Russell Marshall Scott Marshall Gary Martel Don Martin E. O. Martin E. Wayne Martin Guy Martin James Martin Jay Martin Q. Martin

Robert Martin Wesley Martin Weyman Martin Mike Martindale Ernesto Martinez G. T. Mason J. Mason Rosser Mason James Masters Charles Mathews Clarke Mathews Wilmar Mathis Richard Matkin Angela Matterson Billy Matthews Ernest Matthews Dee Mattox-Hall W. D. Mauldin G. Maxfield M. Maxwell Sam May D. Mayer Bill Mayfield Ron Mayfield Jerry Maze Theresa McAllister Charles McAnally Wendell McAndrew Linda McAnelly Bobby McCall Warren McCarson Jim McClellan Cole McClendon David McClendon J. McClesky Gerald McClure Weldon McCord Oscar McCormack Ken McCraw Olan McCraw J. McCreary Billy McCullough J. McCullough James McDaniel William McDaniel Fred McDonald Randy McDowell Carl McEachern Eugene McElroy John McFadin Charles McFarland Robert McGee James McGehee Pamela McGill B. McGuire L. McKamie

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Kenneth McKay Emmett McKenzie Don McKinnerney C. McLendon Johnnie McLeod Ronald McLeod James McLeroy Kay McMahon Marshall McMillan T. McMillan Nancy McNeal Arthur McNeil Timothy McPherson Bill McQueary Richard McReavy Charles McWatters O. Meador Edward Mercer

Jimmy Merchant Leonard Merrell Malvin Merrem C. Lee Meyer Richard Middleton LeRoy Miksch Randall Miksch Sharron Miles Dennis Miller Fred Miller James R. Miller James T. Miller Ken Miller Lenard Miller Ronald Miller Gail Milligan G. Mills L. Mills

T. R. Mills Weldon Mills James Milstead Harvey Milton Gilbert Mircovich Charles Mitchell Glen Mitchell Kenneth Mitchell Lloyd Mitchell Hugh Mixon Gilbert Mize Frank Moates Jeanette Moczygemba Randy Moczygemba Larry Moehnke Carol Moffett F. Moffett Randy Mohundro

How to become an Honorary Life Member Per the TASA Constitution, the Executive Committee may award complimentary Honorary Life Memberships to retiring administrators who meet the following criteria: • Retirement from an administrative position in a public, county, or private school or association, college or university • At least 25 years of experience in education • 10 years of membership in TASA • Be a TASA member at time of retirement • A record of outstanding service to the education profession • Approval by the TASA Executive Committee If you are retiring from education this year or know a deserving TASA member who is, submit a nomination for Honorary Life Membership in TASA by November 1. Go to https://bit.ly/tasahonorary-life for more information.

Retirees who do not meet the above criteria may join TASA as Retired (Associate) Members.

Go to https://tasanet.org/retired-membership to learn more.

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INSIGHT

Leonard Molotsky James Monaco Steven Monkres Frank Monroe Robert Montagne David Montgomery Sam Montgomery William Montgomery Carl Montoya John Moody Steven Moody Dave Moore Dorman Moore Douglas Moore Joe D. Moore Joe P. Moore Luther Moore Richard Moore Robert Moore Rufus Moore Will Moore William Moore J. M. Moorman Linda Mora Glen Morgan Talmadge Morgan Glenn Morris Janet Morris Tom Morris Bob Morrison Kayla Morrison Michael Morrison Dale Morton Susan Morton Warren Morton A. Mosby Dalton Moseley Thomas Moseley W. Moseley Michael Moses Morgan Moses Mike Motheral Kelli Moulton Steven Muizers Claude Mullins Ron Munday Dolores Munoz Howard Murchison Steve Murray Tony Murray Willard Murrey Darrell Myers Douglas Myers Terry Myers Thomas Myers Charles Naiser

Clyde Nalls Orval Nanny Ed Nash Joe Nation Eusebio Nava Shirley Neeley Richardson Roy Neff Joe Neill George Nelson Guy Nelson M. Nelson L. Neswick Barry Nettles John Neubauer Alvin Newman Max Newman Ray Newman Don Newsom Ralph Newsom Vernon Newsom A. Newsome H. H. Nicholas J. Nichols Joe Nichols Larry Nichols Bobby Nicholson Fred Nickles Robert Nicks Sydney Nieschwitz J. Nixon Matt Noble Kenneth Noles J. Norman James Norris Kenn Norris Sybil Norris Tom Norris W. Norwood Lewellyn Notley Faris Nowell R. Nuckols Andrew Nutt John O'Brien D. O'Quinn Arnold Oates Bruce Oberholtzer Alfonso Obregon Frank Odom James Ogg Terrell Ogg Rudy Okruhlik Ruben Olivarez James Oliver Roger Oliver Richard Oller David Olson

Dawson Orr William Ortego Vernon Osterloh Richard Owen Robert Owen Michael Owens Richard Ownby Larry Palmer Monte Pannell Billy Parker Bobby Parker Dick Parker Don Parker Jimmy Parker W. Parker Joe Parks Walter Parks J. Parnell David Parr Jose Parra J. Parrish Marcellus Parrish Curtis Parsons Jimmy Partin Tom Pate Wilber Pate Charles Patterson Arnold Payne Jimmy Payne Kenneth Payne Michael Payne Stan Paz Jerry Peacock Jones Pearce Glenn Pearson Herbert Pearson James Pearson John Peck Rex Peeples Albert Pena Roel Pena Rolando Pena James Pennington Roy Pennington Gerry Peoples Sylvester Perez James Perkins Joe Perrin Chris Perry Cullen Perry Henry Perry Randy Perry Russ Perry Andrew Peters Don Peters Carl Peterson

J. Petty Gus Pfeiffer E. Pharis James Phillips Thomas Phillips Daniel Pickering James Pickett Clive Pierce R. Pierce Wayne Pierce Carolyn Pierel Willie Pigg Harry Piles Adren Pilger Johnny Pineda Harold Pinkerton Joe Pirtle B. Pittinger Terry Pittman Dale Pitts Joe Pitts Norman Plemons Edwin Plowman David Plymale Travis Poe Carroll Pogue Kent Pogue Howard Pollard Walter Pond Darrell Pool Robert Pool Irwin Popham Fred Porter Thomas Portwood Don Posey Ralph Poteet Dan Powell J. Poynor Sidney Poynter Jenny Preston Rondall Preston George Price John Price Thomas Price Tony Price David Priddy Pat Pringle Thomas Pritchard Dannah Procter L. Procter Robert Proctor Nathan Pruitt Sid Pruitt Cloyce Purcell Edward Pustka Barbara Qualls

Sandra Radtke Robert Rahm Harold Ramm Luis Ramos O. Rampley David Ramsey John Ramsey Thomas Randle Warren Randolph Elton Randow Billy Jack Rankin David Rastellini Hal Ratcliff Garland Rattan Fred Rauschuber Donna Rawlings Maurice Rawlings Alfred Ray Carol Ray L. Raynes Dale Read William Reader Billy Reagan Ron Reaves Malcolm Rector Penelope Reddell Lynn Redden James Reed Jim Reed Noel Reed Sandra Reed Rick Reedy Glenn Reeves Jack Reeves W. Reeves Randall Reid William Reisdorph Victor Rendon Lonnie Renfro C. A. Reynolds Harold Reynolds John Reynolds Kent Reynolds Mary Ann Reynolds R. Reynolds Roland Reynolds Don Rhodes J. Rhodes Garner Rice M. Rice Ralph Rice Walter Richards Billy Richardson James Richardson Sharon Richardson Alan Richey

Thomas Richey Wyman Richey Kenneth Riley James Risinger Truett Roach Michael Roasa Donald Robbins Edward Robbins Archie Roberts Bobby Roberts Don Roberts Hal Roberts L. Roberts Mike Roberts Willie Roberts Berhl Robertson Guylene Robertson C. Robinson Carl Robinson Joe Robinson Lindy Robinson Janet Robles Marvin Roden Erasmo Rodriguez Oscar Rodriguez Victor Rodriguez Wilburn Roesler Charles Rogers Don Rogers Gerald Rogers J. Rogers Jim Rogers Kevin Rogers Vernis Rogers Jerome Rohan Kenneth Rohrbach Dan Rose Shirley Rose Gerald Rosebure Mike Rosenberg David Ross Arvel Rotan G. Rotan Gary Rotan John Rotzler John Rouse Ron Rowell K. Rowland Karen Rue James Rueter Jim Rumage Fred Rush William Rushing Charles Russell Elmer Russell Bennie Rutherford

Jack Ryan Jim Ryan Jon Ryan Robert Ryan Robin Ryan Abelardo Saavedra Gary Sage Imelda Salinas Roy Sallee Fred Salling Michael Salvato K. Sams Glenn Sanders Howard Sanders James Sanders Tommy Sanders Thomas Sandifer Gwendolyn Santiago Neal Sattawhite Fred Satterwhite John Saul Randy Savage John Sawyer Michael Say Thomas Scannicchio John Schaefer Dan Schaffner Keith Scharnhorst Eddie Scheer Mark Scheffler R. E. Schlortt Max Schlotter Harvey Schneider Rick Schneider Steven Schneider Todd Schneider Marvin Schnelle Ronald Schraer Rod Schroder James Schroeder Ray Schultz Herbert Schulz R. Clinton Schulze Robert Schumacher Claude Schumate Guy Sconzo Archie Scott George Scott Henry Scott Jerry Scott Thomas Scott Vernon Scott Joe Scrivner David Seago John Seale S. Seale

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Walter Sears Joe Sebesta Max Seidenberger Lonnie Seipp Pam Seipp Doug Setliff Timothy Seymore Gene Shackelford Julian Shaddix Jack Shanks David Shanley David Sharp Hiram Sharp E. Sharpe Bill Shaver Donald Shearmire Gene Sheets Allen Sheffield T. Shelby Patricia Shell Byron Shelley Clarence Shelton J. Sheppard Jacob Sherman Donald Shields Hershel Shoffner Jill Shugart Claude Shumate Frances Sicola-Cardwell E. A. Sigler Emory Sigler L.B.T. Sikes Archie Simmons Don Simmons Pete Simmons Phil Simmons Charlene Simpson Hubert Simpson Max Simpson Archie Sims Frank Singletary C. Sivells Charles Skeen Dean Skiles Erwin Sladek John Slater Harold Slaughter Don Slocomb Dale Smiley Bob Smith Bynum Smith Dewey Smith Don Smith Greg Smith Herbert Smith J.C Smith 28

INSIGHT

J. Herman Smith James A. Smith James F. Smith James W. Smith Larry Smith Lloyd Smith M. Smith Michael L. Smith Michael T. Smith Michelle Smith Newman Smith Paul Smith Paul F. Smith Randall Smith Roel Smith Rollin Smith Travis Smith W. Smith Wanda Smith Patsy Smith-Gasperson John Sneed Stuart Snow Vernon Sockwell Gene Solis Velma Soliz-Garcia Timothy Sonnenberg Kermit Sorrells Mario Sotelo Richard Souter Olaf South Billy Sparks Ty Sparks Lynda Speak Aubrey Spear Bobby Spence John Spies Kevin Spiller Gregg Spivey Chester St. Clair R. Stafford J. Stambaugh R. Standefer J. Stanfield Norris Starkey Joe Starnes Robert Stathem Byron Steele Diane Stegall Douglas Steger Kenneth Stein Bennie Steinhauser Clifton Stephens Ernest Stephens Lu Anna Stephens W. Stephenson Houston Stevens

Michael Stevens Sid Stevenson Gailen Stewart Irene Stewart James Stewart Marvin Stewart William Stewart Wade Stidevent William Stidham Delton Stilley Larry Stinson Richard Stockman Craig Stockstill Roy Stockstill Donald Stockton Eugene Stoever Vernon Stokes Martha Stone James Story W. Story O. Stowe Geraldine Strader Marian Strauss W. Stribling Chester Strickland Ben Stricklin Donn Stringer John Strnadel Morris Strong L. Sturgeon Leo Stuver Billy Sullins F. Sullivan Kip Sullivan Barbara Sultis Rick Summers Jim Surratt Ben Sustr John Sutton Stan Swann Kenneth Sweatt Shelley Sweatt Graham Sweeney Richard Swetnam W. Swinburn Donald Sykes Wanda Talasek Maurice Talbert James Taliaferro James Talley Ramón Tanguma P. Tanksley Norris Tanton C. Tarter Delvin Taska Earl Tate

Jon Tate Carroll Tatom Carl Taylor Dale Taylor Danny Taylor Donald Taylor Gordon Taylor James Taylor Larry Taylor Leslie Taylor Orace Taylor Wesley Taylor Carroll Teague Clyde Teague Richard Tedder William Teel Ronnie Teichelman Tom Templeton R. Tenney Rick Teran Charles Tergerson James Terry Harlan Thacker George Thigpen James Thigpen Carrol Thomas Charles Thomas Dee Thomas Jimmy Thomas John Thomas Luther Thomas Michael Thomas Wiley Thomas Jack Thomason Charles Thompson G. Thompson George Thompson James C. Thompson James W. Thompson Jay Thompson John Thompson Marion Thompson Marvin Thompson Max Thompson Ray Thompson Sam Thompson W. Thompson Jesse Thornton Larry Threadgill Annette Tielle Virgil Tiemann G. Tillerson M. Tilley Coy Tindel Joe Tison Thomas Tocco

R. Tolson Steven Tom Thomas Tope John Townley Dennis Townsend Rod Townsend Donald Trant Paula Traynham Elizabeth Treadway Lloyd Treadwell Vidal Trevino Bob Tribble John Trice Thomas Trigg Z. Trout Philip Troutman Paul Trull Johnny Tubb L. Tubb James Tucker W.R. Tucker Roy Tully George Turner Jeff Turner Joe Turner Michael Turner Rhonda Turner Robert Turner Vernon Turner Daniel Twardowski Gifton Underwood Matt Underwood Ronald Urbantke Enrique Uribe Charlie Uselton John Uxer Alvie Vaden C. Vail William Valigura Leslie Vann Bill Vardeman P. Vardy Grady Vaughn Jerry Vaughn Karl Vaughn Larry Vaughn Lamont Veatch Lloyd Verstuyft Johnny Veselka Bill Vestal Jessie Vick Maria Vidaurri Mac Vincent Walter Vincent Joe Vinyard Carla Voelkel

James Vornberg Kenneth Voytek Paul Vranish Fred Waddell Stephen Waddell Carl Waddle Linda Wade Linda Wadleigh G. Wadzeck Charles Wages Kay Waggoner Justin Wakeland C. Walker Christie Walker Jeff Walker Thomas Walker William Walker Easton Wall Elizabeth Wall H. Wallace Michael Wallace Jim Waller Robert Waller Frank Walter James Ward Mary Ward Joe Wardell James Warlick J. Warren James Warren Ryder Warren Michael Wartes Max Washington Sidney Wasson David Watkins Harroll Watkins Keith Watkins Floyd Watson Forrest Watson Hoyt Watson Ben Watts Maxie Watts Fred Weaver Gilbert Weaver John Webb Robert Webb Tom Weeaks Arnett Weeks Jim Weeks Mark Weisner N. Welch Truman Welch Jack Weldon Kevin Weldon Billy Welkener Nola Wellman

Pam Wells Pepper Wells Robert Wells Kenneth Welsch Joseph Wenke C. West Ed West Ted West Jane Westbrook Cal Wester James Westfall Richard Westfall H. Wetzel Reggie Whalen Hubert Wheat Jesse Wheat C. Wheeler Henry Wheeler Stanley Whisenhunt Aaron Whitaker Burl Whitaker J. Whitaker Jerry Whitaker Crystal White Jim White Joe White Kenneth White Melvin White T. White W. White H. Whitehurst Mary Ann Whiteker Thomas Whiteley Ray Whitley Tommy Whitlock Laura Whitson Don Whitt Pari Whitten Paul Whitton Pearl Wier Bill Wiggins George Wilcox James Wilcox E. Wildman T. Wilemon Fred Wilkerson Odell Wilkes Robert Wilkin William Wilkins H. Wilkinson Edgar Willhelm Alvin Williams Angi Williams Charles Williams Dana Williams Darrell Williams

David Williams Don Williams Donald Williams Doug Williams Gene Williams Jackie Williams James Williams Marvin Williams Melvin Williams Nat Williams R. Williams Robert Williams Tony Williams Walter Williams Dave Williamson Joe Williamson Lee Williamson Lester Williamson Louie Williamson Gilbert Willie Walter Willingham Cecil Willis Randy Willis Marion Wills Barbara Wilson Ben Wilson Harvey Wilson Jamie Wilson John Wilson Roy Wilson W. Wilson Arthur Winkelman Dwight Winkler Clarence Winn Travis Winn Wayne Wise Winnie Wisener Joddie Witte Orlie Wolfenbarger Bennie Wolff Roy Wollam William Wolston Bill Wood Bruce Wood David Wood James Wood Phil Wood Roy Wood Joe Woodland L. Woods E. Woodward Tom Woody William Wooldridge Newell Woolls Levis Worsham Kevin Worthy

Ernest Wranosky Franklin Wray George Wright Howell Wright Jim Wright Linus Wright Telena Wright Elbert Wuthrich Guy Yarborough Charles Yarbrough Mel Yates J. Yeager Charles York Dwain York Coy Young Crandall Young David Young James Young Royce Young Erwin Youngblood Herbert Youngblood B. Younts Fred Zachary Ernest Zamora Roberto Zamora Charles Zeigler Charles Zeller Charles Zepeda Michael Zolkoski George Zoller

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Meet TASA’s Inspiring Leaders Now more than ever, Texas public school staff members are looking to leaders to inspire them in their day-to-day work as we all cope with an ever-changing educational landscape. TASA’s “Inspiring Leaders” tagline is not just a reminder of TASA’s commitment to leadership development — it describes our members themselves.

In this and future issues of INSIGHT, you’ll meet some of those Inspiring Leaders, and it’s our hope that they will guide you and invigorate you in the work that you do. To nominate a leader for inclusion, email drivers@texasschoolbusiness.com.

Frank E. Alfaro In Alamo Heights ISD, Dr. Frank Alfaro serves as assistant superintendent for administrative services, and those who work with him say that his dedication to leadership helps inspire them.

"There is no challenge that Frank cannot solve,” says Dana Bashara, superintendent in the district. “His support for me personally as well as our entire administrative team is so appreciated. I'm incredibly grateful he shares his talents with us in AHISD.” What makes Alfaro proud of his district is the way AHISD functions as a pillar of the local community.

“Many of our parents and grandparents attended Alamo Heights and their own children represent several generations of families who have chosen to make this community their home, in large part because of our schools, our tradition of excellence, and our focus on the well-being of all children,” he says. “As a community, we see all children as our children. We celebrate each other’s victories, and we come together to support each other during times of challenge.”

As a leader, Alfaro says that being of service to others helps keep him going when the work gets challenging.

When he struggles with motivation, he finds his spirits lifted when he is able to help a coworker or district parent with something that is important to them.

“Leadership, when done well, isn’t about you; it is about those you serve,” Alfaro says. “There may be certain things that only you can do for the organization, as the leader, and each leader certainly has personal strengths that make them unique. In the final analysis, however, my role as a leader is to serve the larger group and the greater good.”

To Alfaro, mentorship and support are key components of leadership. He says that he loves to help others maximize their own strengths and bring forth their unique skills to allow them to have the most impact on their schools.

“This is challenging work,” Alfaro says. “To be effective as a whole, we need each individual to contribute their unique talents. There is gold in each of us, and that gold might look different from one person to another, but it is there. We must bring out the best in each other to do the important work of public education.”

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Toby Cox Toby Cox is executive director of student services in Joshua ISD and has worked in the district for more than three decades. Among his peers, he is known as a master at building effective, meaningful relationships.

“Toby Cox is truly one of the most genuine people I know,” says Debra Brakel, executive director of human resources in Joshua. “His ability to lead with both respect and kindness has created a strong sense of belonging and mutual respect among all of us who have the privilege of working with him.”

Cox is exceptionally proud of his district, pointing to the work those in the district have done and continue to do to serve students.

“Joshua ISD has always made family and people a priority and treated the staff and students like they are what is most important,” he says. “Joshua ISD continues to maintain a high standard for students and staff academically as well as professionally.

When the work gets tough, as it often does in public ed, Cox relies on his personal commitment to serve others to keep him going.

“I believe it is important to help people in any area that I can and try to make a difference, even if it is in the smallest way,” he says. “I hold on to things that people have given to me or said to me throughout my career and pull them out to re-read from time to time. It reminds me of my purpose.”

In his career, Cox has served as a teacher, counselor, elementary administrator, secondary administrator, and now central office administrator. He says that every step of the way, he has benefitted from unofficial members, and now he devotes himself to paying that support forward to others.

“The best part of my job is the relationships that have been built and seeing the kindness in others and their passion for education. I truly enjoy spending my days with my work family.”

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Inspiring leader from TASA history Edward T. Robbins: TASA president with 60-plus years of membership In 1985, TASA conducted an informal search to identify the school leader who had been a TASA member for the longest time. The search revealed that Past President Edward T. Robbins had been a member since 1926 — 60 years of membership at the time!

After earning his BBA from the University of Texas at Austin, Robbins served as the superintendent of Hearne ISD from 1926 to 1935, earning his master’s degree in 1933. From there, Robbins went on to become superintendent of Taylor ISD, where he served from 1935 to 1947. Later that year, he became superintendent of Alamo Heights ISD, where he stayed until 1966, when he joined the staff of Trinity University in San Antonio.

Robbins served as TASA president in 1951-52, having been passed the gavel when TASA President W.T. White (1950-51) announced he was resigning his TASA presidency because he was also serving as AASA president at the time and felt that he wasn’t able to focus enough on his TASA work. At the time, TASA was heavily involved in working with Commissioner of Education J.W. Edgar and the Texas Education Agency to implement the sweeping new Gilmer-Aikin legislation.

Robbins became an Honorary Life member of TASA in 1976 and worked as an educational consultant in the 1980s.

For more on J.W. Edgar and TASA's history, be sure to check out "Texas Association of School Administrators: A Century of Inspiring Leadership" by the late TASA Executive Director Emeritus Johnny Veselka at https://bit.ly/TASA-History.

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HIGHER EDUCATION An era of opportunity: pathways and promises for aspiring Texas educators

by Stacey Edmonson and Abbie Strunc

S

chool districts and universities continue to invest in strengthening the Texas teacher pipeline through innovative, contextually specific, and high quality educator preparation strategies. And, in a major show of support, the Texas Legislature has joined in this investment, notably through the passage of House Bill 2 (HB 2), which has significantly expanded support for aspiring teachers through multiple pathways. As we mentioned previously, the Texas Education Agency reported that 32.9% of the teachers who were employed and certified in the 2023-24 school year were prepared through an alternative certification program (Landa, 2024), and in the same school year, a reported 38,257 uncertified teachers were employed across Texas school districts. In other words, almost half (43.8%) of teachers in schools last year were alternatively certified or not certified at all (Ghazzawi et. al, 2025). For school and district administrators as well as for higher education, this isn’t just a statistic — it’s a call to action. The investment into high quality educator preparation pathways (EPPs), with meaningful connections across EPPs and school districts, is a clear first step in meeting the critical needs of today’s classrooms with well prepared teachers who can have a positive impact on students, Day 1.

HB 2 introduces transformative opportunities that both school districts and higher education institutions must embrace. Specifically, in addition to many other considerations, HB 2 provides financial support for teacher residency programs, alternative certification support, and grow-yourown programs.

Teacher residency programs HB 2 provides substantial funding for high-quality teacher residency programs, allowing teacher candidates to receive paid, in-classroom training under the guidance of experienced mentors.

These programs are designed to improve teacher readiness and retention, especially in high-need districts. The residency model provides immersive, mentored experiences that mirror the success of yearlong clinical teaching models. The PREP (Paid Residency Educator Preparation) allotment offers stipends for residents, outcome-based bonuses for preparation programs, and incentives for districts to participate. As many preparation programs have shifted to yearlong residency models to replace traditional student teaching, this funding provides investments that allow teacher candidates to earn living expenses while they gain invaluable experience as teachers in classrooms, as well as adding important instructional support opportunities for the classrooms they serve.

Alternative certification support To address immediate staffing needs, HB 2 also includes one-time financial incentives to help school districts certify existing staff through alternative certification programs. This support helps paraprofessionals and other school employees transition into full-time teaching roles, expanding the pool of qualified educators. Building meaningful, well supported alternative certification pathways is a direct opportunity for universities to partner with districts and offer high-quality, accelerated certification options.

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Grow your own programs

Agility in structure and support

HB 2 also enhances funding for Grow Your Own (GYO) initiatives, which aim to support future educators from within the context of their local communities.

These programs target high school students, paraprofessionals, and community members, offering structured pathways into the teaching profession. Formula funding to support these efforts is provided through HB 2, recognizing GYO as a long-term strategy to address teacher shortages in hard-to-staff areas. Higher education EPPs are uniquely positioned to support these efforts through dual credit courses, early field experiences, and tailored certification pathways.

Adapting the modality and structure of EPPs is key. The goal isn’t to replace traditional programs but to expand access. Long semesters and rigid entry points deter candidates — especially those already working in schools. Institutions like SHSU are leading the way with multiple entry points throughout the year, removing outdated barriers and building capacity.

Together, these investments reflect Texas’ commitment to building a sustainable, contextually relevant, and well-prepared educator workforce. Aspiring teachers now have more accessible, supported, and community-based pathways into the profession than ever before, and the opportunity to capitalize on these investments is paramount.

A call to action for teacher preparation Historically, higher education EPPs have led the charge in teacher preparation.

But the current landscape — and the growing teacher shortage — is a wake-up call. Today’s aspiring teachers prioritize flexibility, accessibility, affordability, and time-to-completion (2025). Innovation is no longer optional; it’s essential.

Fortunately, quality and quantity can coexist. We can meet both candidates and school districts where they are without compromising the integrity of teacher preparation.

Flexibility also means rethinking support.

Mentoring, coaching, and consistent feedback are proven to reduce attrition and improve teacher effectiveness. At SHSU, Professors of Practice serve as mentors, collaborators, and instructional coaches — helping candidates with everything from lesson planning to classroom management.

Affordability and time-to-completion Cost remains a major barrier. HB 2’s funding creates an opportunity for universities to reexamine pricing structures and make certification more accessible.

High-quality alternative certification programs must be affordable, sustainable, and scalable.

Time-to-completion is equally critical.

While traditional programs span years, many candidates need faster pathways.

With intentional design — mirroring residency models, leveraging district partnerships, and embedding mentorship — universities can offer accelerated programs without sacrificing quality.

The path forward The data is clear: Texas needs more teachers, and nearly half of them are entering through non-traditional routes. HB 2

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provides the resources and momentum to reimagine teacher preparation. Institutions of higher education must rise to the challenge — adapting, innovating, and leading the way toward a more inclusive, effective, and responsive system of educator preparation. For school administrators, this isn’t just a statistic — it’s a call to action.

Why this matters to district administrators District leaders are undoubtedly on the front lines of the teacher shortage.

Administrators see and feel the impact of teacher shortages, retention gaps, and lack of general preparation every day.

HB 2 provides supports to help address these challenges, but using these tools to build successful teacher pathways is up to all of us. We are responsible for building strong partnerships between districts and EPPs that build a more agile and effective teacher pipeline. The following strategies can be key components for next steps.

1. Partner strategically: Work with EPPs that offer multiple entry points, residency models, and alternative certification programs aligned with your district’s needs.

2. Leverage HB 2 funding: Use new state funding to support uncertified staff, host residents, and launch or expand GYO programs.

3. Prioritize support: Ensure novice teachers — especially those in alternative pathways — receive mentoring, coaching, and classroom-based support. SHSU’s Professors of Practice model is one example of how this can be done effectively.

4. Advocate for affordability and access: Encourage your higher education partners to keep costs manageable and programs

accessible. Affordability is a key barrier for many aspiring teachers.

5. Focus on time-to-impact: Accelerated, high-quality certification programs can help fill teacher vacancies faster without sacrificing teacher quality. Look for programs that mirror the structure and support of yearlong clinical teaching.

Moving forward (quickly!)

It continues to be critical that neither higher education nor school districts work in isolation. Becoming nimble, agile, and truly responsive to the needs of Texas students and schools requires building strong partnerships across candidates, campuses, districts, EPPs, and other institutions of higher education. The teacher preparation landscape is changing — and district and school leaders have a pivotal role to play. By embracing the opportunities in HB 2 and partnering with innovative EPPs, we help build a stronger, more sustainable educator workforce for your district. An era of opportunity awaits. Let’s reimagine what’s possible — together. n

Dr. Stacey Edmonson is Dean of the College of Education at Sam Houston State University. She was formerly Chair of the Department of Educational Leadership & Counseling and has been a teacher, principal, and central office administrator in Texas public schools.

Dr. Abbie Strunc is Associate Dean for Academic Administration & Enrollment in the College of Education at Sam Houston State University. She was previously chair of the School of Teaching & Learning at SHSU and a high school history teacher in Texas public schools.

References Ghazzawi, D., Olofson, M., Landa, J., & Eluru, M.S. (2024).

Uncertified teacher rates 2018 – 2019 through 2023 – 2024. Texas Education Agency. https://tea.texas.gov/reports-and-data/educator-data/uncertified-teachers-historic-2018-2019-to-2023-2024. pdf Landa, J. (2024). Employment of initially certified teachers 2019 – 20 through 2023 – 24. Texas Education Agency. https://tea.texas. gov/reports-and-data/educator-data/employment-of-initiallycertified-teachers-2023-2024.pdf

TSPRA VOICE The importance of partnerships

by Claudia McWhorter

M

y superintendent is Superman. On any given day, he is attending a STEAM Day at an elementary campus, chamber ribbon-cutting, Special Olympics competition, Education Foundation board meeting, Rotary Club luncheon, meeting at the Capitol, school carnival or one of many, many student awards assemblies. He even met families at a local barbeque restaurant on a weekend to hear input on a possible school closure.

But why this relentless engagement? Sure, he's a genuinely amiable man, but the truth runs deeper.

As a school district that sees 68% of its tax dollars go to recapture, Eanes ISD's reliance on community support is paramount. Relationships matter. Volunteers and support groups aren't just helpful extras; they are integral to our functioning, and ultimately, our success. These partnerships extend beyond mere financial aid, encompassing vital contributions of time and expertise, even extending to the intangible yet essential staff appreciation and recognition. Following are a few tips on ways we strengthen our partnerships in the community.

Collaborate and problem-solve together Every year we host an annual PTO/booster club boot camp for our incoming presidents and presidentselect. This one-day event introduces our operational intricacies but also serves as a forum for aligning efforts and rallying support for upcoming initiatives. Participants learn best practices, meet district go-tos, hear tips on campus relationships, fundraising, programs and events, parent involvement and more. This year, we introduced a new catering program spearheaded by our food services department.

Booster clubs have eagerly embraced this initiative, making it their go-to option for events and meetings. This small mention has yielded additional revenue for the school district.

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the school carnivals, galas, and ribbon-cutting ceremonies hosted by our community allies. Remember that in some ways, our school district leadership is the chamber of commerce; we are intertwined with the fabric of the community, and that demands active involvement and support for our partners' endeavors.

Following boot camp, we host the leaders of these campus-based groups for a monthly Presidents’ Council meeting where we discuss reports from Board of Trustees meetings, bond projects and more. The meetings provide an opportunity to hear concerns in the community, problem solve and collaborate. We look to this group when considering a bond referendum, showing possible projects and getting feedback and buy-in before the bond proposal is finalized. In doing this, we are cultivating a network of allies who can lend crucial support when challenges inevitably arise.

Recently, my superintendent initiated a collaboration with ministers, clergy and religious leaders from 15 area faith organizations to discuss mutual challenges and topics of interest. Topics range from the concerning trends of suicide, politicization and discrimination to gaining insights into the specific hurdles faced by students and families within our Jewish community. This partnership has not only provided valuable awareness but has also proven instrumental in connecting families with financial or other support resources when needed.

And of course, the financial support is critical. With a slogan of “We Fund Teachers,” we are incredibly fortunate to have a strong education foundation that helps lessen the hit from recapture so we can provide supports in the classroom the state does not fund. We partner with the foundation in marketing and fundraising events to help leverage their messaging, and of course, my superintendent attends all their events — sometimes six or seven in a month during their busiest fundraising season.

Listen and respond By actively listening to our partners, we gain valuable insights into what meaningful involvement means to them. For instance, in response to feedback from our local rotary group, we recently expanded our educator appreciation program. Traditionally, the group awarded financial gifts to our educators of the year during an annual luncheon. However, they expressed a desire to

increase their support by offering monthly gifts to educators and visiting campuses.

This simple adjustment has yielded remarkable results. Not only do our educators receive delightful surprises throughout the year, but it also creates opportunities for Rotarians to engage meaningfully with both staff and students on our campuses. These interactions foster deeper connections within our community and contribute to a culture of appreciation and collaboration.

So yes, my superintendent will give up many weeknights and weekends, always with a smile. Whether it's enduring a pie to the face for a school fundraiser (yes, that happened) or lending a sympathetic ear to concerns, his boundless spirit and genuine commitment resonate deeply with our schools and community. It is a symbiotic relationship — one where his generosity of spirit enriches us all.

And if you want to see just how much he gets out around the community, follow him on Facebook @eanessupt. n

Claudia McWhorter is chief communications officer in Eanes ISD.

Show up But it’s more than boot camp and meetings. It’s showing up for your partners, too. Which is one of the reasons my superintendent is so busy. True partnership means showing up — literally — at

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TECH TAKE Surviving deficit budgets by the TETL Next Digital Shift Committee

Defining the problem Many districts across Texas are experiencing some financial challenges. Inflation costs have increased an average of 3.57% per year, which has resulted in a cumulative price increase of about 23.45% from 2019 to 2025. The Texas state basic funding allotment to school districts has not increased since 2019. Thus, districts are faced with the challenge of compensating for increased costs with static funding. Meanwhile, the mission of technology leaders remains the same. As technology leaders, we will support and enhance the educational experience for students and staff by providing reliable and secure technology solutions. Technology leaders will continue to ensure digital equity, work with other departments to integrate technology into the curriculum, and maintain a secure and efficient IT infrastructure. The goal is to create a safe and secure environment that supports learning and prepares students for the future.

The opportunity is for us as technology leaders to provide a safe and secure environment while operating on a reduced or static budget. These budget challenges will require us to be more resourceful, strategic, and innovative in managing limited resources while striving to meet the organization’s technology needs and goals. This paper is a collaborative response from districts across Texas. It discusses how different technology departments are addressing the budget challenges while providing and maintaining a secure and efficient IT infrastructure.

Contributing districts Cypress-Fairbanks ISD (CFISD) is Texas's third-largest school district, with 118,057 students, 19,000 employees, and 96 campuses. The district is a 1:1 device per student. CFISD maintains the fourthlowest administrative costs in the state of Texas. Currently, taxpayers receive a 20% local homestead of optional exemption with a tax rate of $1.0869.

Schertz-Cibolo Universal City Independent School District (SCUCISD) has 14,914 students and 16 schools. While the district’s residential developments are growing, the student population is slightly declining. This lowered student enrollment, combined with the challenge of having and celebrating the largest veteran population — which results in significant residential and deserved tax exemptions that are not held harmless by the state — has exacerbated the funding concerns. SCUCISD will continue to partner with the local community to seek prioritization on funding expenses and community input into future revenue options.

Mineral Wells ISD (MWISD) has 3,300+ students, 500+ employees, and six schools. MWISD is a rural district with approximately 73% of its students classified as economically disadvantaged. The district’s student enrollment has remained relatively static over the past decade. The most significant overall financial issue that the district faces is the lack of an increase to the basic allotment since 2019; a substantial increase to the basic allotment would help offset inflationary increases that have skyrocketed costs since the last increase.

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Montgomery ISD (MISD) has an enrollment of 9,864 students with 1,660 active employees. The district is a 1:1 kindergarten through 12th grade district, with 12 school sites and five auxiliary sites. The adopted tax rate is $1.0912.

Strategies from the contributing school districts Our findings indicate that thriving districts in all circumstances are optimizing financial management and being good stewards of equipment, resources, money, time, and staff. By prioritizing projects and minimizing waste, technology departments will continue to get the most value for their money. Leveraging technology assets in strategic ways, as outlined below, will allow technology leaders to optimize their costto-value ratio.

Student device replacement — master schedule Establishing an ongoing strategy for device replacements is an additional challenge for technology departments weathering the budget crisis in Texas. Other options are being explored as we use the standard processes of re-evaluating usable device lifecycles, in-house repairs, and lowerquality replacements. One option that bears promise is strategically replacing student devices based on the percentage of necessary classroom usage for those devices. SCUCISD calls this a "needs-based 1:1" replacement. In this process, student devices remain on campus, which aids in minimizing breakage, and the devices are shifted between standard classroom environments for the highest availability possible, with fine arts and athletics instructional spaces having less availability. This dynamic reassignment of devices throughout the school day allows districts

to purchase replacement student devices based on a percentage of each campus’ student enrollment rather than a device for every student. The process minimizes the issue of idle devices found in traditional 1:1 deployments, while still meeting the core academic needs of students.

As more online activity is required by students for state testing and advanced academics, districts will need to shift their expectations for the number of days within each testing window that must be devoted to testing on a given campus.

Without the excess of devices in daily instruction, testing windows will need to be leveraged to provide students with the necessary opportunities to pursue college credit, demonstrate their learning on the STAAR test, or provide local district data on annual growth.

MWISD is a 1:1 district with cart-based prekindergarten (PK)-6 and take-home 7-12; PK is iPad, and K-12 is Chrome (nontouch). MWISD will test touch Chrome devices for PK this upcoming school year in hopes of being Chrome-based PK-12.

MWISD is three years in on attempting to have all Chrome devices be in service for a six-year lifecycle. This was initially planned when the Chrome Auto Update Expiration (AUE) went to eight years, it’s now a 10-year AUE. Devices are more likely to survive six years in the cart-based deployments versus the take-home model. Understanding this, MWISD purchases a set number of devices each year for the incoming seventh grade class; typically, this class ranges from 240260 students, so 275 devices are purchased and remain with that group of students.

These student numbers hold fairly steady through freshman year and then slowly decline during the last three years of high school with the average graduation class being about 180-200 students. Devices from the original purchase of 275 that are no longer used by those students remain

with that group and replace devices that do not physically make it to graduation, whether because of unrepairable damage, damages too costly to justify, or because a device is lost or stolen. When students graduate, devices still have two to three years left on the AUE, so those devices either get moved into loaner pools, spare testing carts, replacements for other devices across the district, or sold via a buyback program with a third-party vendor (e.g., AGI, Bluum, Chromebookparts, etc.).

Once the AUE is reached, any remaining devices are sold via a buyback program. Besides consistently purchasing the same amount of devices each year for incoming seventh grade students, the district replaces the devices for each of three elementary schools at one school every other year. This keeps student device purchasing consistent and allows the department to coordinate increases in purchasing staff devices and classroom technology in years in which student device purchases are reduced.

CFISD is a 1:1 Lenovo Chromebook district. The district has Accidental Damage Protection (ADP) and the manufacturer’s warranty on the devices.

Devices are currently on a five-year refresh cycle. The district became a 1:1 district as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Devices were delivered, enrolled, prepared, serviced, and deployed from a centralized location. Buses were used for transportation to and from schools.

When students returned to campus, the department moved to another location but still operated in a centralized model: technicians on campuses hot-swapped devices and non-working devices came back to the centralized location for triage where a determination was made whether to send out the device for service or repair it (power-wash) at that location.

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Analysis of resource data and support tickets indicated that this was not a sustainable model so the district moved to a decentralized support model whereby technicians were trained on power washing and Chromebook support, technician staff at the central location were assigned to buildings, and schedules were made with the warranty vendor for pick-up and delivery schedules. Moving to a decentralized model has allowed the department to provide better service time, and decrease the number of support tickets. Ticket analysis shows that most devices are now repaired through accidental damage protection versus warranty. CFISD’s vendor partners, Prime Systems and Lenovo, have worked extensively with the district to reduce service times and provide better communication to schools regarding service pick-ups and returns. Moving to a decentralized model and leveraging vendor resources has allowed CFISD to sustain this program.

Montgomery ISD is also a 1:1 Lenovo Chromebook district with Accidental Damage Protection and a manufacturer’s warranty on the devices. Devices are currently on a five-year refresh cycle.

Administrative device replacement MWISD lifecycles Windows devices every five years on a three - year purchasing cycle. Devices at two facilities are replaced each year (HS/JH one year, two elementary schools one year; and one elementary school with the district office, cafeterias, libraries, and labs in one year). Similar to student device purchasing, this keeps purchase projections relatively consistent.

The district is completing the removal of many Windows labs, except CTE, and replacing any necessary labs (basically one lab per campus) with Chrome devices. Over the past three years, the district has reduced the Windows device 40

INSIGHT

count from 850 to 550 total devices, which helps further reduce costs on items such as PDQ (Windows inventory and software management/deployment) and EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) licensing.

In CFISD, most of the administrative fleet is a Dell Windows laptop or desktop device. A five-year Dell manufacturer warranty covers the Dell Windows devices. Dell provided training to all of the district’s technicians and they all have access to a Dell support portal. Technicians can elect to have a part shipped to their location and complete the repair. If they need assistance, they can escalate the ticket, and a Dell technician is dispatched the next day to complete the repair onsite. The district only had a handful of Dell devices that needed to be repaired off-site and GTS Technology Solutions, Inc., assisted in those instances. This service model was a lower-cost option than a third party performing the manufacturer's warranty support. This has also allowed the department to decrease device support turnaround time for administrative devices.

Break/fix MWISD deals with a lot of damage, particularly with take-home Chrome devices for secondary (seven-12) students. The department uses work-in (zipper) cases for take-home devices and clamshell cases on cart-based devices for grades K-6. In 2019, all Chrome device repairs were being done by AGI, taking roughly two to three weeks from damage until return, and the district only took the standard one-year warranty with Chrome device purchases (this did not cover most damages). After evaluating four-year warranties with accidental damage versus the annual costs of paid repairs (actual collection from students was not considered — each year, the district ends up collecting about 35% of what is charged to students

for damages), it was determined to be less expensive to continue paying for repairs as they occurred. After COVID-19, the district began transitioning to in-house repairs, and by 2023 MWISD was no longer sending any repairs to a third party.

With the reduction of actual expenditures by purchasing parts and managing the amount of labor spent doing repairs, along with the roughly 35% collection rate, the department ended in the black with repairs for the school year 2023-24. Additionally, a repair is generally completed within a day, two to three days at most, instead of a two- to three-week turnaround, which puts less strain on loaner pools and allows the department to reduce those device allotments in half.

CFISD uses two manufacturers, Dell and Lenovo, and two local resellers, Prime Systems and GTS Technology Solutions, Inc. Prime Systems services the Lenovo machines with a next-business-day warranty. Additionally, Chromebooks are covered by accidental damage protection.

Support ticket analysis showed no difference in tickets on Chromebooks covered with a case versus those without a case and following discussions with the manufacturer and vendor, the district decided not to continue to purchase cases for new devices this year. Existing cases would, however, remain on existing devices. This resulted in a cost savings of about $29 per device. The district’s Dell machines are covered with a Dell warranty, and the first line of support are CFISD technicians with the Dell Support portal. Splitting the fleet between the two manufacturers has allowed the district to navigate many of the pandemic supply chain issues and leverage vendor/manufacturer relationships to provide better support service.

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Continued from page 40

Reducing printer, paper, or cartridge costs (personal printers) CFISD: It is well documented that color prints cost more per page than monochrome. Paper and ink costs are part of the total cost of ownership of any printer. For many years, the district worked extensively with instructional technology to standardize the printer fleet. Each school has a large color multifunction device in the library and other color printers are deployed based on curriculum needs. Printer drivers can be set for monochrome with the option to choose color. CFISD moved to shared network printers versus printers in each office or classroom.

Additionally, the district has leased copiers in large-volume shared areas (e.g., workrooms). Printing is an area which the district continues to revisit. It is an area in which the district works to minimize waste while maintaining educational value for the money spent. CFISD has been able to reduce some printing through the implementation of an electronic document management solution. Records and needed information are retained digitally versus storing paper copies.

MWISD: Printers are primarily a campus-level expense, with technology simply supporting the printer fleet and approving any printers before purchase by a campus to maintain support. The technology department purchases or replaces very few printers district-wide. The district has a copier contract with a local vendor and each campus is financially responsible for the number of copiers on its campus. Printers and toners are then maintained from campus budgets; again, with technology approval for purchase, deployment, and support.

SCUCISD: Many cost-saving opportunities exist with printing services, but one that has had a significant impact has been secure document release. Print jobs sent to multi-function copiers do not automatically print with this arrangement but must be released by a secure PIN or RFID badge. A significant number of print jobs are never released, sometimes in the hundreds of pages per job.

Without secure print release, these costs would have been incurred even though the print job was deemed unnecessary by the staff member.

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Use E-Rate, grant, or bond funding to support district technology efforts MWISD uses E-Rate funding to the fullest potential. The infrastructure lifecycle is based on manufacturer EOL (end-of-life) in conjunction with five-year Category 2 E-Rate funding cycles and budgets. The district uses Category 1 E-Rate funding for Internet and WAN services, but does not use funding for hotspots due to the low number of hotspots needed for student use. MWISD applied for the Cybersecurity pilot program, but was not accepted.

The district hopes for that to become permanent in the near future. MWISD finds having an E-Rate consultant extremely helpful and valuable in watching the current Texas legislative session for potential increases in safety and security funding, as well as an extension of funding from the expiring cybersecurity initiative (hopefully with fewer restrictions), and/or restoration/increase in IMTA funding.

Montgomery ISD uses a combination of funding sources: E-Rate Category 1 funds WAN and DIA services. E-Rate Category 2 funds some infrastructure lifecycling replacements such as UPSs, Firewalls, and core switching.

Category 2 also helps to fund MIBS for Firewall and switch monitoring. The district passed a bond in 2022 which has been used to upgrade switching, WAPs, classroom technology, VoIP, and security cameras. Grant funds will be used for SPAT summer of 2025.

CFISD uses a combination of Category 1 and Category 2 E-Rate funding. Our E-Rate consultant, E-Rate Central has helped us maximize the reimbursement money coming back to the district. Additionally, we have recently viewed a demonstration of a product from TitanTech. This company’s product aims to provide a consolidated repository of grants, E-Rate, and other programs that align with your district’s profile criteria and areas of interest.

Additional input from smaller districts in the San Antonio area revealed other unique situations causing funding concerns. The school districts located on the Joint Base San Antonio military bases are public schools, but they lack the local residential tax revenue. These districts rely on additional federal funding to cover the overhead of administrative costs which cannot be scaled back, such as a campus administrator for their high schools. Although enrollment may be much smaller than other local districts, with very few non-base residents transferring into the

JBSA districts, they still need to maintain minimum administrative staff and operate buildings. In recent news, these districts have expressed concern about the loss of federal funding which could make the continued operation of their schools no longer viable.

Software reduction With the pressure of budgets increasing, one method of creating additional space for necessary costs is to evaluate software usage and make necessary cuts. There are tools available for districts to track software usage, SCUCISD uses Classlink's Analytics tool to gather this data. In addition to specific applications available through the single-sign-on platform, this tool provides insight into common domains visited by both students and staff. If users are accessing paid tools outside of the expected method, their usage is still captured.

Additionally, if an alternative tool is being consistently accessed, it can be reviewed as a possible cost-saving replacement to one or multiple paid options. SCUCISD has adopted a three-year process for evaluation of effectiveness according to the pattern: software tool selection and rollout in the first year, integration of professional development and usage analytics in the second year, and assessment of possible student impact in the third year, which results in the necessary data to determine if the software’s fiscal burden is making an impact worthy of renewal.

CFISD has reviewed software for the 202526 school year via a digital resource review committee, which reviews applications for House Bill 18 compliance and district application compliance. The process helped the district identify applications that perform similar functions, allowing the district to consolidate applications, provide more standardization, and reduce the overall spend. Through this approved list of resources, the district has allowed a small number of school-funded approved

applications. By closely reviewing orders, the department realized that some of the small orders required more work support effort than larger bulk orders, thus the department worked this year with end customers to bulk up orders for next year. This will allow contract consolidation, single entry of requisition, anticipated lower pricing from bulk orders, single PO issue, and single rostering of data. The anticipated outcome is reduced costs to the end customer and reduced efforts of time from employees supporting application orders (through contract review, order entry, data rostering, and application push out). Additionally, CFISD uses a product called Digital Insight from Lightspeed Systems. This tool shows usage and assists the district with Return on Investment (ROI) calculations.

MWISD is using ClassLink Analytics+ for the same purpose as Digital Insight–usage & ROI. (Learn Platform from Instructure also does usage & ROI calculations). The district plans to implement AppTrack from ClassLink when it gets released this summer, which will allow an update to the current software vetting process. ClassLink appears to be working on bringing in badges for this edtech software approval process from trusted evaluation vendors such as 1EdTech and ISTE. Montgomery ISD uses Classlink Analytics+ for usage and ROI. The Technology Planning Committee meets a minimum of three times a year to review applications for House Bill 18, changes to COPPA, and evaluation of district AI policy for both staff and students.

management, and creative problemsolving, districts are finding ways to stretch limited funds while still delivering high-quality, safe, and secure technology solutions. By prioritizing what matters most — student learning, staff support, and long-term sustainability — these districts are not only surviving, but actively transforming to ensure that their technology infrastructure continues to support educational excellence in the evolving financial climate. n

Steve Barnwell is the Director of Technology for Schertz-Cibolo Universal City ISD. Kim Bowlin is the Assistant Director of Technology Support Services/ Purchasing for Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. Amanda Davis is the Executive Director of Technology and Digital Learning for Montgomery ISD. Justin Lascsak is the Director of Technology for Mineral Wells ISD. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/ in/justin-a-lascsak/

References In2013Dollars. (n.d.). U.S. Inflation Rate, $1 in 2019 to 2025.

Retrieved Feb. 19, 2025, from https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/ inflation/2019?amount=1

G-Suite transition from MS — turning older Windows devices into Chromebooks In conclusion, while Texas school districts continue to face the ongoing challenges of reduced or static budgets, technology leaders across the state are demonstrating resilience, innovation, and strategic foresight. Through collaborative planning, careful resource

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TEACHER PERSPECTIVE More than content: why teachers are irreplaceable in today’s classrooms

by Kristi Leff

Teaching is academic, social, and emotional labor all in one, and yet, despite the increasing demands placed on educators, teachers persevere.

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ach day across Texas, educators step into classrooms armed with far more than a lesson plan.

They carry with them compassion, resilience, creativity, and an unwavering belief in their students. As the 2025 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year, I am often recognized for my efforts in education, but this honor is not mine alone. It belongs to the thousands of educators across our state who teach with heart, lead with purpose, and persevere through challenges to do what is best for children.

In an age dominated by digital innovation and rapidly advancing technology, it's tempting to believe that screens and software might replace aspects of traditional instruction, but no matter how advanced a device becomes, it cannot replace the human connection that defines teaching. It cannot replicate the presence of a teacher who knows when a child needs a word of encouragement, a moment of redirection, or simply someone who believes in them because teaching is more than delivery of content. Teaching is the shaping of the whole child.

The work behind the scenes Teachers are often seen standing at the front of a classroom, delivering instruction, but the true impact of an educator stretches far beyond what’s visible. Teachers are constantly tuning in to more than just academic progress. We scan the faces of our students for signs of distress, withdrawal, or worry. We create safe routines for students who crave consistency, and we modify expectations for those who are carrying invisible burdens. We help children navigate friendship, conflict, failure, and growth. All of this happens while we also analyze assessment data, align to standards, differentiate instruction, and creatively rework lessons to meet the needs of 25 different learners in a single room.

This is the reality of teaching: It is both head and heart work. Teaching is academic, social, and emotional labor all in one, and yet, despite the increasing demands placed on educators, teachers persevere. They stay after school to tutor. They spend their own money to stock classrooms. They call home to celebrate small wins. They attend games, concerts, and events because they know that being present matters.

Why human educators matter now more than ever Technology will always be a useful tool, but it will never replace the irreplaceable; the human connection between teacher and student. Artificial intelligence can solve math problems, generate essays, and automate feedback, but it cannot celebrate a student’s improvement with joyful tears. It cannot ask a child how their weekend was and listen with empathy when the answer reveals a deeper need. It cannot model patience, flexibility, or integrity.

In a world where many children are navigating trauma, instability, or disconnection, the steady presence of a caring adult in the classroom becomes not just important; it becomes life-changing.

Teachers humanize the learning experience. They offer a mirror for identity, a window into possibility, and a bridge to the future.

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The unseen courage of educators This profession is not for the faint of heart. Teachers face increasing scrutiny, changing standards, and the emotional weight of a job that never truly ends when the final bell rings, but even amid those challenges, they continue. They show up for the student who’s been absent more than present. They adapt when the plan falls apart. They celebrate every milestone, no matter how small. They believe in students when students haven’t yet learned to believe in themselves. It is this deep, unwavering commitment to the success and well-being of each child that makes teachers essential. Not just valuable. Essential.

As I reflect on being named Teacher of the Year, I do so with humility and perspective. This award represents the collective courage, passion, and perseverance of a profession that often works without fanfare. Texas teachers are not just delivering instruction. They are building futures. They are growing leaders. They are shaping hearts.

While technology continues to evolve, and as systems shift and adapt, let us remember this: the strength of our schools still rests in the hands of the educators who walk into classrooms each morning with hope, resolve, and the audacity to believe that every child can succeed because we do not just teach content.

We teach the future. n

Kristi Leff is the 2025 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year. She is a fifth-grade science and English/language arts teacher at Humphrey’s Highland Elementary in Amarillo, where she has taught since 2015.

Learning Find Your

ABILITY

DYSLEXIA • ADHD • AUTISM • EXECUTIVE FUNCTION CHALLENGES

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LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVE Gratitude beyond the glass

by Quintin Shepherd

When schools face budget cuts, staff shortages, or public criticism, when families are hurting and students are struggling, it is not easy to summon a sense of thankfulness.

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ratitude is one of those words that feels deeply personal yet universally understood. We know it when we feel it, and we admire it when we see it in others. But what does it actually mean?

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, gratitude is “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” A simple definition, but it invites deeper exploration because gratitude is not just an emotional response. It is also a practice, a discipline, and even a form of resistance against despair.

Consider how gratitude is understood within Buddhist philosophy. It is not simply about being thankful for what is pleasurable or beneficial. In fact, Buddhist teachings often emphasize being grateful even for suffering, because it can be a teacher. Gratitude in this context is not contingent upon comfort or gain. It is a way of being present and accepting what is, without clinging or aversion. This spiritual perspective is echoed in other traditions as well. Many Indigenous communities, for example, begin each day with expressions of thanks … not for a particular outcome, but simply for the gift of life, the land, the sky, and each other. Gratitude is communal, embodied, and expansive.

This deeper sense of gratitude brings us to a familiar metaphor: Is your glass half full or half empty? The phrase is often used to distinguish optimists from pessimists. Optimists see what is there and pessimists see what is missing. It’s a tidy way to frame our outlook, but it is also reductive. Because what if, in the moment, we’re neither? What if the glass is almost empty, and the room is dark, and no one is coming to refill it?

In those moments, gratitude can feel elusive. When schools face budget cuts, staff shortages, or public criticism, when families are hurting and students are struggling, it is not easy to summon a sense of thankfulness. A half-empty glass in education can feel like an indictment: Why don't we have more? Why is it so hard? Where is the justice?

But gratitude is not denial. It does not ask us to pretend things are better than they are. Instead, it invites us to anchor ourselves in what is, even if what is feels insufficient. The glass may be half-empty, yes ... but we still have something to work with. We are still here. The students are still showing up. The work still matters. That, too, is enough.

And when the glass is half full, when we have what we need, or nearly so, gratitude becomes a wellspring. We are thankful not because everything is perfect, but because we are aware of what we have. In this frame, gratitude amplifies joy. It builds resilience. It allows us to move forward not in fear of losing, but in celebration of what has been given.

Yet, even this dichotomy, half full or half empty, misses something essential.

The deeper truth is this: real gratitude is being thankful that you have a glass at all. Before the contents, before the conditions, there is the simple fact of existence. You are here. You are alive. You are capable of giving and receiving. That, in itself, is a miracle.

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This shift, from focusing on the contents of the glass to appreciating the glass itself, is more than wordplay. It is a change in orientation. It allows us to move beyond optimism or pessimism and toward something more enduring: perspective.

In leadership, in education, and in life, this form of gratitude becomes a compass. It does not erase hardship, but it transforms how we meet it. It roots us in presence. It reminds us that the people around us are not problems to be solved but gifts to be honored.

And it challenges us to find something to be thankful for even on the hardest days, perhaps especially on those days.

As we begin another chapter in our schools and communities, may we look not only at how full our glass is, but at the simple fact that we have one. May we teach our students not just to count their blessings, but to see them in the first place. And may we remember that gratitude is not a passive feeling. It is a deliberate practice … one that starts not with what we have, but with how we see. n

Dr. Quintin Shepherd is the superintendent of Pflugerville ISD. He works as an adjunct professor at University of HoustonVictoria and has served as superintendent for the past 19 years in three states.

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