INSIGHT - Summer 2026

TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PROFESSIONAL JOURNAL

Get to know TASA’s 2026-27 officers page 10

SUMMER 2026

INSIGHT

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SUMMER 2026

INSIGHT

Volume 42 No. 2 FEATURE ARTICLES & COLUMNS Get to know TASA’s 2026-27 officers

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Meet TASA’s Inspiring Leaders

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HIGHER EDUCATION A regional partnership model for rural success: from isolation to ecosystems

by Stacey Edmonson, Shonda Gibson and Kim Rynearson

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TSPRA VOICE Celebrate Texas Public Schools: powered by We Go Public in partnership with TSPRA

by Patti Pawlik-Perales

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TECH TAKE Wrangling student data privacy by the TETL Communication Committee

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TEACHER PERSPECTIVE The beautiful, heavy work: rest, reflection, and renewal

by Vickie Wright

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LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVE The Texas Promise: cultivating intentional excellence

by Tory Hill and Dana Bashara

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OFFICERS

Roosevelt Nivens, President, Lamar CISD Jeannie Meza-Chavez, President-Elect, San Elizario ISD Walter Jackson, Vice President, La Porte ISD

DEPARTMENTS

Chris Moran, Past President, San Angelo IS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

TASA Professional Learning Calendar

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Vacant, Region 1 (pending election)

President’s Message

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Michelle Cavazos, Region 2, Gregory-Portland ISD

Executive Director’s View

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Jo Ann Bludau, Region 3, Hallettsville ISD Paula Patterson, Region 4, Crosby ISD Stacey Brister, Region 5, Little Cypress-Mauriceville CISD Jeff Pack, Region 6, Livingston ISD Carnelius Gilder, Region 7, West Sabine ISD

INSIGHT EDITORIAL STAFF

Bobby Rice, Region 8, Harts Bluff ISD Brad Owen, Region 9, Burkburnett ISD Kevin Brown

Georgeanne Warnock, Region 10, Terrell 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

Chris Skinner, Region 12, Teague 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. © 2026 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 Michael Valencia, Region 18, Forsan ISD Rosy Vega-Barrio, Region 19, Tornillo ISD John Chapman, Region 20, Comal ISD

AT-LARGE MEMBERS

About TASA

Michelle Barrow, Newton ISD King Davis, Killeen ISD

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

Tory Hill, Channelview ISD

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

Vacant Pending Appointment

Nicole Poenitzsch, Bellville ISD

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Laurelyn Arterbury, Advocacy Roland Hernandez, Legislative Michelle Rinehart, Professional Learning

EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Walter Jackson, La Porte ISD, Chair Laurelyn Arterbury, Advocacy Vacant Pending Appointment Roland Hernandez, Legislative Michelle Rinehart, Professional Learning Stacey Edmonson, Texas State University 4

INSIGHT

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

Date

Event

Location

9-10

First-Time Superintendents Academy Session 1

Round Rock

14-15

N2 Learning Executive Leadership Institute Session 1

Tomball

14-15

N2 Learning Principals' Institute Session 1

Tomball

23-24

Texas Public Accountability Consortium (TPAC) Meeting

Royse City

6

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

Cypress

6

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

Clyde

7

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

Tyler

7

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

Royse City

8

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

Georgetown

8

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

Justin

8

N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, East Houston Cohort

Channelview

8-11

txEDCON 2026 (TASA/TASB Convention)

Houston

15

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

San Antonio

20-21

N2 Learning Principals' Institute Session 2

Frisco

20-22

CMSi Curriculum Management Audit Training, Level 1

Austin

27-29

Future-Ready Superintendents Leadership Network (FRSLN) Kickoff Event 1

Texarkana

28

N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, Virtual Cohort, Session 1

Online

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INSIGHT

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LEADING WITH PURPOSE, KEEPING OUR PROMISE

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here has never been a more important time to lead public education.

Across Texas, school leaders are navigating extraordinary complexity. We are managing growth in some communities and declining enrollment in others. We are balancing fiscal realities, legislative changes, workforce challenges, student needs, and increasing public expectations, all while remaining steadfast in our commitment to educational excellence.

Roosevelt Nivens

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE The partnerships we develop strengthen not only our organizations but the students and communities we serve.

These realities can be overwhelming if we view them as isolated challenges. I believe they become opportunities when we face them together.

That is one of the greatest strengths of the Texas Association of School Administrators. TASA has always been more than a professional organization. It is a community of leaders committed to learning from one another, sharing solutions, and advancing public education across our state.

As I begin my service as president, we will continue to foster a culture where collaboration outweighs competition, where innovation is shared generously, and where experienced leaders intentionally invest in those who are just beginning their leadership journey.

Our profession is built on relationships. The conversations we have with one another often become the ideas that improve our districts. The encouragement we offer one another helps sustain leaders through difficult seasons. The partnerships we develop strengthen not only our organizations but the students and communities we serve.

This year, let us all continue to focus on what unites us. Regardless of district size, geography, or demographics, we all share a common mission: preparing students for successful futures and ensuring every child has access to an exceptional educational experience.

That shared purpose is reflected in The Texas Promise, a vision created by Texas educators that reaffirms our enduring commitment to students, families, and communities. At a time when public education faces increasing complexity and outside forces continue to shape the conversation around our schools, The Texas Promise reminds us what must remain at the center of our work: ensuring every student has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.

As educational leaders, we have both the privilege and the responsibility of keeping that promise to our students. Regardless of the challenges before us or the changing landscape around us, our commitment to students and the communities we serve cannot waver. Every decision we make, every relationship we build, and every opportunity we create should reflect our unwavering belief in the transformative power of public education. I'm a living witness to the powerful influence of educators.

I am honored to serve as your president, and I look forward to listening, learning, and serving alongside our fantastic leader, Kevin Brown, TASA executive director, and other educational leaders across Texas. Together, we have an opportunity to strengthen our profession, support one another, uphold The Texas Promise, and continue building a future that reflects the very best of Texas public education. Thank you for the privilege of serving this remarkable organization. Let's remember to keep kids first and they will be great!

Roosevelt Nivens TASA President Superintendent, Lamar CISD

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FROM VISION TO ACTION: BUILDING TASA'S NEXT STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

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n the video that launched The Texas Promise: A Vision for Public Education at the 2026 TASA Midwinter Conference, then-TASA President Chris Moran offered a powerful reminder: “We don’t drift toward excellence. Moving toward excellence requires courage and the ability to state what we truly believe in as a public school system.”

Kevin Brown

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S VIEW At a time when school leaders face constant challenges and distractions, The Texas Promise provides a clear anchor: a shared commitment to meaningful learning, student success, strong communities and a thriving democracy.

The Texas Promise does exactly that. Developed by more than 100 Texas public school superintendents and administrators, it articulates a shared vision for the public education system our students, educators and communities deserve. Across the state, school leaders are already using its aspirations to guide strategic planning, professional learning and conversations about the future of their districts.

Now, The Texas Promise is helping shape TASA’s future as well.

This summer, more than 100 superintendents and administrators gathered at the John D. Horn Leadership Summit to help develop a new strategic framework for our association. Their charge was to identify how TASA can best equip, connect and advocate for school leaders as they work to bring the aspirations of The Texas Promise to life in their communities.

Their conversations were candid, ambitious and deeply rooted in the realities facing Texas public schools. Participants considered the professional learning, services, resources and advocacy school leaders will need — not only to respond to today’s challenges, but also to lead public education toward a stronger future.

The framework is being shaped by the results of a comprehensive member survey, input from TASA leaders, and the collective thinking generated at the summit. TASA staff will use that guidance to develop a draft, which will be refined with feedback from the TASA officers and the Executive Committee before it is unveiled at the 2027 TASA Midwinter Conference.

At a time when school leaders face constant challenges and distractions, The Texas Promise provides a clear anchor: a shared commitment to meaningful learning, student success, strong communities and a thriving democracy. TASA’s new strategic framework will define how your association will support you in advancing that promise over the next decade.

The vision belongs to all of us. Together, we are building the capacity, courage and collective action needed to make it real.

Kevin Brown TASA Executive Director

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Get to know

TASA’s 2026-27 officers Roosevelt Nivens, president 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.

Nivens was named 2026 National Superintendent of the Year after being named the 2025 Texas Superintendent of the Year. 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 served on the Executive Committee and Advocacy Committee.

Jeannie Meza-Chavez, president-elect Jeannie Meza-Chavez is superintendent of San Elizario ISD, a position she has held since 2017. Now in her 29th year in education, Meza-Chavez previously served as superintendent of Tornillo ISD. She began her career in education as a middle school English and reading teacher and an assistant principal in Socorro ISD before moving to San Antonio to serve as the inaugural planning principal of the Young Women's Leadership Academy in San Antonio ISD. 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.

She has been honored twice as the ESC Region 19 Regional Superintendent of the Year, first while serving at Tornillo ISD in 2017 and again at San Elizario ISD in 2022.

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INSIGHT

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 also served as the Chair of the Regional Advisory Committee for Superintendents, as a Region 22 Fine Arts Executive Committee Member, and has been invited to serve on the TASA Higher Education Committee.

She has also participated on the design team for TASA's Future-Ready Superintendents Leadership Network and the TASA Member Engagement Committee. She also serves locally as a founding Board Member for the Gaspar Enriquez Cultural Center in San Elizario, Texas.

Walter Jackson, vice president Walter Jackson has served as superintendent of La Porte ISD since 2020. Jackson has worked in Texas public education for three decades, beginning his career in Alief ISD as a teacher, then serving as an assistant principal, principal and area superintendent before making the move to Brenham ISD. Jackson holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas Southern University, a Master of Education degree in Administration from Prairie View A&M University, and a doctorate in education from Baylor University.

His post-graduate studies have taken him to the Harvard Graduate School of Education four times, and he has earned the university’s esteemed Professional Leadership Certificate. He also holds an Advanced Management Certificate from Rice University.

In 2019, he was named as the Region 6 Superintendent of the Year and was a finalist for Texas Superintendent of the Year. In 2024, the Texas School Public Relations Association honored him with its esteemed Key Communicator Award. In 2025, he was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus from Liberty ISD, where he graduated from high school. In July 2026, the Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators honored him with the esteemed Pinnacle Award at their Summer Conference.

Chris Moran, past president Chris Moran served as TASA president for the 2025-26 school year.

In January 2024, he was hired as 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, and now superintendent in districts in Regions 7, 4, and 15.

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.

SUMMER 2026

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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.

Duana Brashear Duana Brashear has been superintendent of Rogers ISD since 2024, bringing with her more than 20 years of work in public education. Amanda Dodd, curriculum director in Rogers ISD, nominated Brashear as a TASA Inspiring Leader, pointing to the way Brashear helps others see new possibilities while building trust and relationships to create meaningful change without losing sight of the people at the heart of the work.

“What makes Duana exceptional is not simply the positions she has held or the results she has achieved,” Dodd says. “It’s the way she accomplishes those results. Throughout her career, from classroom teacher to superintendent, she has led with authenticity, vision, and an unwavering belief that students deserve exceptional opportunities and educators deserve support to do their best work.”

Since becoming superintendent in Rogers, Brashear has led the district through transformational work, including the passage of a $31 million bond through a process that kept staff and community members involved and resulted in a 71% approval vote. Driving this work is Brashear’s wholehearted belief in the importance of public education.

“At my core, I believe we have a moral responsibility to provide an exceptional experience for every person who walks through our doors,” she says. “For our students, an exceptional experience goes beyond academics. Our staff deserve an exceptional experience as well. They should feel valued as professionals, honored as servant leaders, and treated with the respect they deserve. When we intentionally create an exceptional experience for our staff, they are better able to create exceptional experiences for our students.”

As a leader, Brashear builds up those around her and leads by example, inspiring others to do the same.

“Personally, Duana has inspired me by showing that leadership is not about having all the answers,” Dodd says.

“It is about serving others, making difficult decisions with integrity, and helping people become more than they believed they could be. She leads with high expectations and genuine care, proving that accountability and compassion can exist together.”

For Brashear, part of leadership is mentorship, and she mentors others to pay forward the gift of mentorship she has received in her career.

“I believe one of the greatest responsibilities we have as educational leaders is to invest in the next generation of leaders because none of us reaches a leadership position alone,” Brashear says. “I have been incredibly fortunate to learn from outstanding mentors, particularly Rick Kershner and Glenn Barnes. They invested their time, wisdom, and experience in me, challenged my thinking, and modeled what servant leadership looks like. Their guidance has shaped not only the leader I am today but also the leader I continue striving to become.”

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Kathy Rollo Since 2018, Kathy Rollo has served as superintendent in her home district of Lubbock ISD, where she has spent all 38 years of her career in education. Chris Moran, superintendent of San Angelo ISD, says Rollo is an Inspiring Leader because of her expertise and professionalism, as well as her loyalty to the entire Lubbock community.

“Kathy is well-respected locally and at the state level,” Moran says. “Her integrity and love for public education shine daily, and she is so personable with every person she meets. Her humility is only outpaced by her tenacity to provide a great education for all of her students.”

In a career that can be isolating, it’s Rollo’s connection to her community that keeps her inspired in the face of challenges.

“As a lifelong Lubbockite, my love for this community is deeply embedded in who I am as a leader and human,” she says. “My passion for building a strong future for Lubbock and West Texas gives me the courage to lead through even the most stressful and challenging issues we face. My faith and my family provide me with the fuel I need to keep charging ahead.”

Rollo says her involvement with TASA has helped her build connections and develop a strong network of thought partners and problem solvers.

“I cannot imagine serving in this role without the relationships I have made through TASA,” Rollo says. “Serving on the TASA Advocacy Committee over the last several years has been a powerful way to build my understanding of the political landscape and how to best advocate for public schools in general.”

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INSIGHT

HIGHER EDUCATION A regional partnership model for rural success: from isolation to ecosystems

by Stacey Edmonson, Shonda Gibson and Kim Rynearson

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pproximately 40% of the school districts across Texas are considered rural, and more than 2,000 school campuses are located in rural contexts. Similarly, almost 1 million Texas public school students are educated in rural schools, more than any other state in the nation. These numbers demonstrate the urgency with which the needs of rural schools, rural communities, and rural students must be addressed. Translating good intentions into meaningful action isn’t just important for Texas education, it’s an imperative.

Still, most opportunities for improvement are geared toward larger populations and contexts. Rural communities are too often asked to fit into models developed elsewhere, frameworks frequently designed for organizations with levels of capacity, resources, and infrastructure that many rural districts simply do not possess. The factors that influence educational opportunity in rural communities differ widely across regions, shaped by contextually unique geographic, demographic, economic, and institutional conditions, as well as distinct workforce demands and community strengths. As a result, a single strategy or approach to “what works” is unlikely to effectively generate results in most rural settings. Meaningful and sustainable improvements in college access and cradle-to-career success therefore require approaches that are responsive to local conditions rather than one-size-fits-all solutions.

The Texas Rural Education Collaborative (TREC) takes this idea of meeting the unique needs of rural communities seriously. Developed by the Texas A&M University System, TREC is designed to support locally grounded, cross-sector alignment in rural regions. The model is scalable and transferable because it is built around shared design principles and priorities rather than rigid implementation, allowing communities to adapt the work to their own contexts while contributing to a broader framework for rural transformation and student success. TREC has a single “North Star” focus: expanding postsecondary success for rural Texas students by strengthening pathways and building durable community “backbone” capacity. To accomplish this, TREC actively shifts away from isolated, single-institution “program change” and moves with intention toward collaborative, cradle-to-career “population change.”

The work of TREC is grounded in a simple but powerful shift from isolated programs to a regional ecosystem design. With TREC, the fundamental question shifts from “What initiative should we implement” to “How do we align the partners and resources we already have to create a clearer pathway for students?” To do this work, the TREC model brings together key, place-based groups committed to a rural community: (1) K-12 school districts, (2) regional higher education partners, (3) workforce and industry partners, and (4) community-based organizations. These partners work together to create shared goals, identify shared challenges, and collaborate on approaches to support students through these challenges and towards post-secondary success. The approach is built on the importance of shared ownership of and shared responsibility for the success of students. An additional key aspect of the model is that it provides a framework for supporting long-term student success, not a script. Each community determines its own starting point, its own priorities, and its

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own strategies. Again, the key is shared ownership of contextually unique and contextually important challenges and success. This balance between shared structure and local adaptability is what makes the model both scalable and responsive.

Pillars of priority for creating change While each community defines its own specific challenges and strategies, the TREC approach is anchored in four common pillars that address critical points along the student success journey from education to workforce. These pillars include early awareness, academic readiness, teacher preparation, and leadership development.

Early awareness. In many rural communities, students’ exposure to college and career pathways may not begin until high school, simply because of access and scale.

By that time, however, course selection and preparation gaps may already limit options. To address this potential gap, TREC approaches early awareness with a focus on: • Introducing college and career concepts in elementary and middle school • Expanding family engagement around postsecondary opportunities • Connecting students to local examples of success, including alumni and industry partners • Identifying partners such as LevelUP Texas, designed specifically to support younger students see postsecondary education and career pathways as attainable For superintendents in rural districts, this work is less about adding new programs and more about embedding consistent 16

INSIGHT

messaging and experiences across grade ill-prepared teachers who may not have the experience needed to effectively serve levels and districts. students.

College readiness. College readiness remains a central goal for all school dis- Leadership preparation. Sustainable tricts, yet readiness is often treated as a improvement depends on strong leaddistrict- or school-level responsibility ership at every level, including campus, rather than a shared community out- district, and community. However, leadcome. Within the TREC model, college ership development is often fragmented readiness becomes a shared commitment or limited to formal programs that may not even be accessible in some rural areas. across partners: With TREC, focused attention to the • K-12 and higher education partners importance of rural leadership preparaalign expectations around academic tion includes: preparation • Developing aspiring leaders within districts and communities • Dual credit and early college opportunities are expanded in ways that reflect • Creating cross-sector leadership regional access and capacity networks that include education, workforce, and civic partners • Data are used collaboratively to identify gaps and improve transitions • Aligning leadership development with regional priorities This shared ownership helps move readiness efforts from isolated interventions to This broader definition of leadership helps a coordinated strategy. ensure leaders are grounded in their comTeacher preparation. Though teacher munity, prepared for the challenges of shortages exist statewide, these challenges their campus and district, and grounded reach critical levels in many rural commu- in the specific student context they serve. nities. Teacher recruitment and retention Leadership development is not left to are consistent concerns, and traditional chance; it is an intentional investment. teacher pipelines often do not produce enough educators who are prepared and Core design principles willing to work in rural settings. With TREC, these challenges are addressed for superintendents through partnership approaches to The work of TREC is still in early impleteacher preparation such as: mentation stages, but superintendents can • Building grow-your-own pathways apply several of the TREC design principles in their own contexts to begin the that start with local students work of place-based change.

• Strengthening partnerships between districts and educator preparation Start with listening. Effective alignment across community partners begins with programs understanding, and thus a focus for the • Aligning clinical experiences with the TREC communities is prioritized listening.

The TREC model depends on engaging realities of rural classrooms higher education institutions with superThese approaches present an opportunity intendents, educators, community leaders, for rural district leaders to shape teacher and industry partners to understand local pipelines in ways that reflect local needs, aspirations and challenges. For district rather than needing to hire uncertified or leaders, this might include:

• Convening cross-district conversations

• Align existing initiatives to those priorities

• Engaging families and community stakeholders

• Use shared language to facilitate collaboration

• Identifying shared concerns and opportunities across neighboring systems

The TREC model is built upon the idea that coherence and autonomy effectively co-exist in a place-based model.

Active and intentional listening builds trust and ensures that the work reflects real needs rather than assumed ones. It also builds trust across groups and is a critical first step in developing shared ownership of student success.

Build structures for ongoing coordination. Partnerships require more than a “one and done” approach or even occasional meetings. Sustained alignment depends on intentional structures, such as:

Map assets before gaps. Rural communities often focus on what they lack.

While challenges are real, an assetbased approach shifts the conversation to what already exists. Regional asset mapping can include:

• Cross-sector steering committees

• Existing partnerships and programs

These structures help move collaboration from informal relationships to sustained practice.

• Local industries and workforce opportunities

• Regular data-sharing protocols • Joint planning sessions across campuses and community partners

• Postsecondary access points

Insights from early implementation

• Community organizations and supports

1. Alignment takes time

This process helps leaders identify opportunities for alignment and reduces duplication of effort. Everyone wants and needs a win, and asset mapping is a key way to encourage shared points of pride and celebration.

Building trust and shared understanding across partners cannot be rushed. Early investment in relationship-building pays dividends later.

Organize around shared priorities.

Alignment does not require uniformity; as mentioned previously, one size is rarely designed to fit all, and the uniqueness of the challenges, opportunities, and needs facing each community is critically important.

What is key to the process is organization around common goals. With this in mind, superintendents can:

Simply naming shared priorities and mapping existing efforts can reveal opportunities to streamline and strengthen work already underway.

• Identify district or regional priorities that resonate across contexts

2. Clarity reduces fragmentation

3. Regional identity matters When school districts and partners see themselves as part of a broader community or regional effort, collaboration becomes more natural and sustainable.

4. Small wins build momentum Early successes help demonstrate the value of the work and build commitment.

Toward an ecosystem-driven future for rural education Rural communities have long demonstrated resilience, innovation, and a deep commitment to their students. The challenge is not a lack of dedication, but a lack of alignment across the systems intended to support students’ success. A placebased, regional partnership approach offers a way forward. By organizing around shared priorities, leveraging local strengths, and building intentional collaboration, superintendents and district leaders can help move their communities from fragmented efforts to coherent pathways. This work is not about adopting a new program. It is about rethinking how we work together as communities to ensure that every student has a clear and supported journey from cradle to career.

For rural Texas and the students served in rural communities, the opportunity is significant. When alignment replaces fragmentation, the result is not only stronger student outcomes, but stronger, more vibrant communities prepared to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.

This effort is a team sport, and TREC also invites engagement, partnership, and other types of feedback or suggestions from districts, leaders, and others committed to rural student success. n

Stacey Edmonson is Assistant Vice Chancellor for Place-Based Partnerships in the Texas A&M University System.

Shonda Gibson is Executive Associate Vice Chancellor & Chief Transformation Officer in the Texas A&M University System.

Kim Rynearson is Assistant Vice Chancellor for Faculty Innovation in the Texas A&M University System.

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TSPRA VOICE Celebrate Texas Public Schools: powered by We Go Public in partnership with TSPRA

by Patti Pawlik-Perales

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he Texas School Public Relations Association and We Go Public are thrilled to launch a new season of Celebrate Texas Public Schools! Join us in spotlighting the incredible achievements of Texas students, educators, and school communities. Whether you're a parent, educator, or advocate, this is your opportunity to be part of a powerful movement supporting public education.

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✅ 10 months of pre-made, customizable social media posts ✅ Voucher Toolkit with messaging, graphics, and ready-to-share facts ✅ Ratings Toolkit to help your community understand school performance ✅ February CTE Campaign with tools to spotlight your programs Just $625 for the year. That’s $52/month!

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Let’s keep building together. n

Patti Pawlik-Perales is executive director of TSPRA. 18

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TECH TAKE Wrangling student data privacy by the TETL Communication Committee

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n K-12 schools, ensuring student safety has always been a critical priority, and that responsibility now extends equally to protecting the data housed within our digital systems. As technology tools have evolved from centralized servers to cloud-based tools run by third-party providers, school technology departments have adapted to continually support student safety. While practices differ between districts, the goal remains the same: protect student data, even when it is entrusted to external providers.

Wrangling data privacy succeeds silently when we consistently evaluate privacy agreements, terms of service, audit retention policies, and work collectively. In the cases when we fail, or our vendors fail to secure student data, that failure is public and potentially deeply impactful to the students and families we serve. This committee has collected our best practices, stories of success, and lessons learned to help other districts hone their own data privacy processes. Contributors from this committee represent districts ranging from 1,800 students to 115,000 students and the challenges are universal.

Managing the flood: volume, workflow, and staff expectations For many districts, the most immediate challenge in data privacy management is volume. At Northside ISD, Leann Kidd, Executive Director of Technology Services, leads a dedicated data privacy team that works alongside academic technology leaders to review instructional tools and manage Data Privacy Agreements (DPAs). In large districts, the sheer number of applications in use—or requested—justifies having staff focused almost entirely on this work.

The challenge of volume is felt differently across district sizes, but it is felt everywhere. Northside ISD has responded by limiting student device application request periods to four windows per year. These windows are communicated through the district newsletter and to key campus staff, setting a clear expectation that software requests are not processed on demand. At Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City (SCUC ISD), Technology Director Stephen Barnwell experienced a similar realization: rolling software requests, where any member of the organization can submit at any time, create an expectation of response similar in speed to an email reply. In practice, curriculum planning, budget cycles, and data privacy reviews all require a structured runway that rolling requests simply do not provide.

For smaller districts, the volume challenge takes a different shape. Mineral Wells ISD (MWISD), a rural district of 3,200 students west of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, manages the process through a single instructional technologist who serves as the primary reviewer. What Justin Lascsak, technology director at Mineral Wells, found is that the application request problem is not always about quantity; it is about misaligned expectations among staff regarding what requires a formal review in the first place. Not every website visit requires a DPA, but every tool that creates a student account does. MWISD now communicates a clear framework to staff: websites requiring user accounts must be vetted; those using only class codes or first names without personally identifiable information do not; and websites viewable without either of those conditions do not require vetting. When staff are unsure, they are instructed to submit a request rather than make the call independently.

Across districts, one lesson stands out: annual training for new staff is not sufficient. Returning teachers need refreshers too. Mineral Wells now provides annual refreshers for all staff, not just new hires. SCUC

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ISD requires all staff to complete training obligations required under HB1605 and the SCOPE Act before submitting a software request. Creating a culture of understanding among teaching staff and campus leadership is an ongoing effort, not a one-time rollout.

Privacy policy language and limitations Carefully reading privacy policies, rather than skimming for a signature, reveals practices that might concern any parent or administrator. Across the districts surveyed, reviewers have encountered policies that claimed the right to read all metadata stored on an iPad, providing no explanation for why that data was needed or what would be done with it. In another case, a creative arts application's policy stated it would share collected metadata with more than a dozen companies, and one of those companies appeared on both federal and state banned lists for government use. These are examples of the real risks discovered through thorough review processes.

Data storage practices present a related concern. Districts have encountered vendors whose policies disclosed that personally identifiable information would be printed and stored in physical filing cabinets in another country. More broadly, policies that permit data to move internationally introduce legal complexity that most districts are not equipped to navigate. When student data is transferred to a server abroad, it may become subject to that country's laws rather than those of the United States or Texas. Districts may have limited legal recourse if a breach occurs to data housed outside the United States.

Browser-based tools present another layer of risk. In early 2026, security researchers

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identified over 300 malicious Chrome extensions actively leaking or stealing user data. Districts that permit unrestricted extension installation in managed environments may be unknowingly exposing student information through tools that never went through any approval process. Without active monitoring and a clear approved-extension policy, even a well-vetted software catalog can be undermined by what staff or students add to their browsers.

Contracts also require careful attention.

Kimberly Bowlin, Assistant Director of Technology Acquisitions at CypressFairbanks ISD (CFISD), has documented cases where subsequent documents, such as quotes or invoices, include terms and conditions intended to negate or alter a previously executed DPA. Training staff who process purchasing documents to recognize and flag these clauses is as important as training those who conduct the initial privacy review.

The NDPA framework: protection with fine print The Student Data Privacy Consortium (SDPC) provides districts with a powerful framework for managing agreements. In Texas, the TX-NDPA supersedes standard vendor terms, ensuring that changes to a vendor’s privacy policy do not override the contract. It also establishes clear breach notification requirements and prohibits practices such as targeted advertising or the sale of student data.

Bowlin at CFISD clearly states the value of this: “If a vendor changes its privacy policy overnight, the NDPA remains in effect.” The agreement also establishes specific breach notification timelines, typically requiring vendors to notify the

district within 48 to 72 hours, whereas standard vendor policies frequently leave this undefined. Critically, the TX-NDPA explicitly prohibits targeted advertising and the sale of student personally identifiable information, protections that apps marketed as "free" often do not include in their standard terms.

The SDPC's Exhibit E provision allows districts to join existing agreements rather than negotiate from scratch, significantly reducing the time and legal expertise required. However, districts new to the process should be aware of procedural risks that contributing districts have encountered directly. Tricia Merritt, Instructional Technology Specialist at Lorena ISD, has documented errors in the SDPC registry where agreements were uploaded incorrectly, outdated versions were left active alongside the current TX-NDPA-V1, and the same vendor appeared under multiple names, with Canva as a notable example that has caused confusion across districts.

The rules governing Exhibit E carry important restrictions. Under Exhibit G, Section 7 of the TX-NDPA, if a vendor has made any changes to the standard agreement, those changes are listed in Exhibit H, and that agreement is no longer eligible for Exhibit E piggyback signing. Each district must negotiate its own agreement with that vendor. Districts that sign an Exhibit E on a modified agreement may believe they have legal protection when, in fact, the receipt they receive may not constitute a binding contract. This is one of the most consequential errors a district can make, and it is not always visible without careful inspection.

Dates matter as well. All NDPAs carry a three-year term from the date of the original agreement, not from the date a district signs Exhibit E. A district joining an agreement two years into its term

has only one year of coverage remaining.

Cross-referencing agreement dates before joining is a simple step that prevents districts from operating under expired coverage without realizing it.

When vendor redlines do appear, pay particular attention to breach notification timelines and data deletion requirements upon contract termination. Northside ISD’s Leann Kidd identifies these as the two clauses most altered by vendors and the two with the most direct impact on the district when an incident occurs. Vague language like "reasonable amount" replacing specific breach reimbursement terms, as Merritt at Lorena ISD has encountered, can create significant financial exposure for smaller districts with limited legal resources.

Vetting in practice: varied approaches, common goals The districts contributing to this article use a range of tools and structures, but the underlying process is consistent: a formal request, a privacy review, a DPA check, and an approval or denial with documented reasoning.

CFISD has built one of the more formalized processes in the state. Their Digital Resource Review committee has identified eight elements from 1EdTech's TrustEd Apps Management Suite that align with the Texas Education Code and the SCOPE Act. These elements evaluate data collection transparency, ownership, retention, security, third-party sharing, and protection against targeted advertising. If any element is out of compliance, an executed NDPA is required before the review proceeds. The district additionally requires vendors to complete a cybersecurity rubric before resources advance to a second evaluation phase involving teams from Instructional Technology, Network,

Desktop Support, Rostering, Data Integration, and Acquisitions.

Northside ISD uses Lightspeed Digital Insight to manage the end-to-end approval workflow alongside the SDPC for agreement management. The district has also established a Risk Acceptance Form pathway for situations where a vendor declines to sign a DPA or is unresponsive, but a department or campus leader determines the tool is instructionally necessary. This approach formalizes the leader’s acknowledgment of risk to the district rather than allowing informal workarounds to accumulate without documentation.

Mineral Wells ISD and Lorena ISD both operate with significantly smaller teams but maintain the same checkpoint structure. MWISD runs requests through ClassLink AppTrack and publishes approved and denied application decisions publicly through ClassLink's community portal, giving families direct visibility into the district's software ecosystem. Lorena ISD maintains a districtwide approved application list and integrates approved tools into Clever for single sign-on, reducing the likelihood that staff will default to unapproved tools simply because approved ones are harder to access.

Across all districts, one principle is clear: the process of obtaining a DPA is not simply getting a signature. It requires that reviewing staff, who are generally not attorneys, develop enough familiarity with the agreement language to recognize when a vendor's edits are routine and when they represent a meaningful shift in the district's protection. That capability develops over time, and it develops through consistent practice and training. Working collaboratively with other districts who may have a more mature process helps all data privacy practices grow in security.

A collective message to vendors The districts contributing to this article share a consistent message for the vendor community. Responsiveness is the most frequently cited need. When a district initiates an NDPA, having a named point of contact who can move the process forward, provide status updates, and escalate internally makes a material difference in whether the agreement reaches completion. Agreements that stall in vendor queues often result in staff continuing to use tools without coverage while districts wait, which is exactly the outcome the NDPA process is designed to prevent.

Vendors who upload executed agreements to the SDPC and enable Exhibit E signing are extending the value of a single negotiation across hundreds of districts statewide. Our contributing district leaders see this as more than a courtesy, but additionally a meaningful contribution to the shared infrastructure that makes data privacy management feasible for smaller districts with limited resources. Especially as software vendors navigate the unique needs of education, this practice reveals an effort towards understanding that goes a long way with district leadership.

Similarly, staying aware and ahead of upcoming changes to laws which impact schools is helpful as well. For example, Texas compliance deadlines are approaching in 2027 for smaller districts to establish or finalize ADA compliance.

Vendors who have compliance or a pathway to achieve it, should communicate that up front, saving districts significant time.

Tools and resources worth knowing Districts building or refining their data privacy infrastructure have a

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growing ecosystem of resources available. The SDPC registry is the foundational resource for Texas districts, housing the TX-NDPA framework and a searchable database of existing agreements. 1EdTech's TrustEd Apps Management Suite provides rubric-based privacy evaluations and a vetted application library. Lightspeed Digital Insight and ClassLink AppTrack both offer request and approval workflow management, along with the added benefit of a public-facing portal for community transparency.

CoSN's Trusted Learning Environment framework and its downloadable data privacy resources offer district-level guidance for policy and process development. The TLE resources also guide districts towards a nationally recognized and very rigorous seal of acknowledgement when their data privacy practices reach the highest levels. For districts without budget for dedicated vetting tools, the SDPC registry combined with a well-structured internal rubric, as demonstrated by Mineral Wells ISD, can still produce a defensible and documented review process. Texas Education Technology Leaders, TETL, also maintains member resources relevant to this work and offers a community of peers navigating the same landscape.

972-361-6303

keith.alberts@tpspool.org

Closing The work described in this article does not produce results that are easy to report in a school board presentation. When data privacy is working, nothing happens. No headlines, no breach notifications, no families asking how their child's information ended up somewhere it should not have been. The silence of a well-functioning privacy program is the point. These district leaders have invested in processes, tools, staff training, and vendor relationships precisely because the alternative is not acceptable. The practices outlined here are not exhaustive, and no district has perfected this work. But collectively, they represent a body of experience that any district, regardless of size, can draw from as it builds or refines its own approach to wrangling data privacy. n

Steve Barnwell is director of technology in Schertz-Cibolo Universal City ISD and co-chair of the TETL Communication Committee.

More Information

tpspool.org

TEACHER PERSPECTIVE The beautiful, heavy work: reflection, renewal, and the year ahead

by Vickie Wright

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s we approach the new school year, we find ourselves in a familiar place, rested, full, reflective, and hopeful all at once. Because this work, the work of pouring into children and supporting educators every single day, asks everything of us. And just like we tell our students, growth does not happen without moments to pause, to reflect, and to begin again.

A new season, the continuation of the work The start of a new school year is not simply a fresh calendar page; it is a vital checkpoint. It is a moment to carry forward the lives we’ve touched, the barriers we helped students navigate, and the strategic, quiet wins that may never show up in data but will echo in a child’s life and a teacher's practice forever.

It is also a moment to acknowledge something we don’t always say out loud: This work is heavy.

Whether you are leading a classroom or leading a campus, even the strongest educators feel that weight. So as leaders, as educators, as stewards of potential, we must enter this space having taken the time to do something just as important as pouring out — we must be refilled.

Because the truth is, education is deeply human work. It is carried in conversations after hard days, in early mornings, and in late nights worrying about the people we serve. It lives in the breakthroughs and in the moments we quietly wonder if we are doing enough. And yet, every year, educators and leaders return. Not because the work is easy, but because it matters.

Summer as a season of restoration Summer was not an escape from the work, it was an investment in it. It was the space where we reclaimed our energy, our creativity, and our sense of self beyond our professional titles. It was where we gave ourselves grace for the lessons that didn’t land, the decisions that felt stretched too thin, and the moments we wished we could redo. Grace is not lowering expectations; it is recognizing that systemic and personal growth both require rest.

Having had time to reflect deeply, we ask ourselves: Who did I become over the past year? How did my students and my team change me? What did I learn about resilience, patience, and the power of simply showing up? Because if we are honest, our experiences did more than challenge us. They transformed us.

And transformation is not always loud. Sometimes it looks like becoming softer where we once were rigid. Sometimes it looks like learning to lead with greater empathy, or realizing that being present matters more than being perfect. Education shapes the people who choose it. Every individual we encounter leaves an imprint on us. Their stories become part of our own.

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A journey that changed me This past year stretched me in ways I did not anticipate. It refined my purpose, sharpened my voice, and deepened my understanding of what it truly means to serve students, teachers, and our broader community. I have been reminded, again and again, that none of us can do this work alone. We are standing in the middle of a village.

A village of mentors, teachers, administrative leaders, and community members who have poured into me, challenged me, supported me, and reminded me of my “why” when I needed it most. For that, I am deeply grateful. None of us arrives fully formed.

We grow because someone invests in us, and I have felt that investment at every level.

I also witnessed the quiet strength of educators all around me. I saw teachers continue showing up for students while carrying burdens of their own. I saw leaders encourage and shield teams through uncertainty. I saw communities rally around schools because educating children is collective work. Those moments reminded me that hope is alive and well in education.

Carrying it forward So as we return this year, we do not come back the same. We come back stronger. More intentional. More grounded in purpose.

We take everything we have learned, every success and every struggle, and use it to go even harder for our students and our staff.

Not harder in exhaustion, but harder in impact.

We show up with clearer systems, deeper relationships, and an even stronger commitment to building the conditions our students and teachers deserve. Because the power of education is not just in what we teach or how we manage. It is in what we build together. And what we build today shapes generations tomorrow.

A renewed commitment to the village This year, we continue building the village. We continue pouring into teachers so they can pour into students, and strengthening leaders so they can sustain their teams. We must continue creating spaces where educators feel supported, seen, and valued. We must ensure that every child, no matter their circumstance, walks into a school where someone believes in them.

Because belief changes trajectories. We know this because we have lived it. We know what it feels like when someone sees potential in us before we see it in ourselves. We know the impact of encouragement at the exact moment it's needed. That is why this collective work will always matter.

Ready to begin Having taken the time to refill through rest, reflection, and renewal, we carry grace into this new season. Honor the work you have done in your classrooms and in your buildings, and trust that the seeds you have planted are already growing in ways you may not yet see.

Somewhere, a student is carrying forward a lesson you taught. Somewhere, a teacher is standing taller because you supported them. Somewhere, hope was restored simply because you chose to keep showing up.

And as this new year begins, we stand ready. Ready to pour. Ready to build. Ready to lead. For our students. For our teachers. For our communities. And for the enduring, transformative power of education. n

Vickie Wright is the 2026 Texas Teacher of the Year and a fifth-grade ELA teacher in Clear Creek ISD. She champions teacher mentorship, literacy access, and community partnerships across the state.

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LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVE The Texas Promise: cultivating intentional excellence

by Tory Hill "We are Channelview Independent School District — not a district of independent schools.” That belief has shaped how I view leadership, culture, and the conditions necessary for excellence to emerge.

The Texas Promise challenges educators to recognize that transformational systems are not built through compliance measures or top-down management. They are cultivated when people unite around a shared vision, strong values, and a collective purpose — our “why” — creating cultures grounded in trust, collaboration, and collective ownership so every student is empowered to thrive.

Sustainable excellence depends on interdependence and alignment across the entire system. Excellence becomes possible when everyone — from trustees to custodial staff, from classroom teachers to community partners — understands both the mission and their role in advancing it.

Like an engine, every part of a high-performing system works interdependently with clarity and purpose. Interdependence strengthens collaboration, deepens trust, and creates the collective ownership necessary for long-term success. This reflects the spirit of The Texas Promise and its call for shared responsibility, empowered local leadership, and organizational cultures intentionally designed to cultivate excellence rather than merely manage compliance.

A positive culture grounded in trust is critical to the daily experiences that shape systems of intentional excellence. Culture influences whether teachers remain passionate, students remain engaged, and communities remain connected to their local schools.

Culture is shaped less by slogans and more by leadership behaviors, aligned expectations, and systems that reinforce accountability and trust. Students, staff, families, and communities watch closely what leaders prioritize, celebrate, tolerate, and protect. High-performing districts intentionally align around values and collective commitments that shape communication, collaboration, and service.

In Channelview ISD, we refer to these values as I-CARE: integrity, community, accountability, respect, and excellence. These principles are not merely slogans; they are the ingredients for a culture of intentional excellence, shaping behaviors, guiding decision-making, and strengthening organizational trust.

Empowerment and shared leadership sustain long-term success. Intentional excellence requires moving beyond compliance-driven thinking to value every voice within the organization.

Innovation flourishes when educators, students, and parents are encouraged to contribute their ideas, experiences, and perspectives to the process. Sustainable progress cannot depend on one individual; it must be embedded within the culture and carried forward by leaders at every level of the system. The Texas Promise reinforces this idea by emphasizing that leadership should

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inspire learning, foster belonging, and create systems where all stakeholders are valued.

every individual feels empowered to contribute to something greater than themselves.

Public education is the foundation of our democracy and the catalyst that transforms lives, strengthens communities, and shapes the future of our society for generations to come. As educational leaders, we must intentionally cultivate environments where shared purpose drives the work, systems operate in alignment, cultures are grounded in trust, and

When schools are rooted in shared values, interdependence, collective ownership, and an unwavering commitment to students, excellence becomes more than an outcome — it becomes embedded in the identity, culture, and legacy of the organization. This is the enduring work of organizations that cultivate excellence and the bold future envisioned through The Texas Promise.

Learning as a leadership act

by Dana Bashara Learning is often framed as something leaders encourage in others, but the deeper truth is that learning itself is a leadership act. The willingness of a superintendent to learn publicly, reflect honestly, and remain open to growth shapes the culture of a school district far more powerfully than any formal leadership title or initiative ever could.

As superintendent of Alamo Heights ISD and chair of the TASA Future-Ready Superintendents Leadership Network (FRSLN) Design Team, I have the privilege of collaborating with inspiring school leaders across Texas who are committed to bold organizational transformation. At the center of this work is a shared belief that if we truly aspire to be “learning organizations,” then leaders themselves must model curiosity, adaptability, and continuous improvement.

Designing profound learning experiences for students requires the same dispositions from leaders that we hope to cultivate in classrooms. It requires humility to admit we do not have all the answers, courage to challenge outdated systems and mindsets, and the willingness to make sense of complexity alongside others. Leadership is less about having certainty and more about creating the conditions where learning, reflection, and innovation are prioritized.

This commitment to learning needs to be visible, intentional, and personal. It must also be grounded in hope. In today’s challenging educational landscape, hope is not blind optimism or wishful thinking. Hope is the belief that tomorrow can be better than today, and that meaningful transformation is possible when leaders remain focused on what matters most. Hope protects us against cynicism and inspires courageous action.

The Texas Promise is a vision that champions hope for all Texas school leaders. It serves as a reminder of what public education can and should be. Through our work with FRSLN, we design engaging learning experiences and visit districts across Texas that are actively transforming learning for students. These experiences challenge us to think differently about opportunity, student engagement, and the future of teaching and learning.

Prioritizing my own growth as a learner ultimately strengthens my leadership and the outcomes for students in my district.

When leaders embrace learning as part of their identity, the result is the creation of school systems where students and staff are empowered to take risks, innovate, and ultimately grow. n

Tory Hill is superintendent of Channelview ISD. He is the co-chair of the TASA Visioning Refresh Committee that developed The Texas Promise.

Dana Bashara is superintendent of Alamo Heights ISD. She is the co-chair of the TASA Visioning Refresh Committee that developed The Texas Promise.

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N2 LEARNING N2 Learning and TASA are excited to partner to help districts transform the learning experiences for students, teachers, and administrators.

Our strategic initiatives in partnership with TASA are designed to create learning opportunities for school leaders across Texas. These initiatives cultivate purposeful networks of leaders engaged in meaningful work that advances the principles in the New Vision for Public Education.

ELI

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TASA Corporate Partners TASA is grateful to our 2025–26 corporate partners for their support.

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