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We need new leaders to uplift our Texas students. Thomas is that leader for the State Board of Education.
Our Platform
From my seat at the State Board of Education, I can improve statewide learning standards, approve instructional materials, and guide the Texas Education Agency on policies & procedures. Beyond my primary duties, I pledge to work with our state lawmakers and school board members to improve our public schools.
You deserve to know where I stand: I am against school vouchers that place public dollars in private hands. I am against the state-developed Bluebonnet Learning curriculum. I am against using the STAAR to grade public schools’ accountability scores.
I am for funding increases to Texas public schools and pay increases for school workers. I am for enhancing and expanding family engagement programs. I am for expanding access to licensed mental health professionals in public schools. I am for improving the quality of early childhood programming.
At its core, our campaign stands on these 3 pillars in our fight for public education.
Empower parents through programs and projects
As the son of a single mother, I know the power of family engagement. That’s why I support programs that truly empower parents, such as Dallas ISD’s “Parent University.” I also support volunteer projects that empower parents to read to students, talk about their jobs, and mentor children at school.
Communication is key to empowering parents. School districts should ensure they are reaching out to families consistently, not just during emergencies. Text messages, emails, phone calls, and parent portals all help to reach families with different needs. Bilingual communication should also be offered so no parent is excluded.
I believe parents’ voices should matter in the decision-making process at local schools. When students enroll in a school district, families should receive clear information on how to get involved with student initiatives and how to give feedback to school leaders.
The problem isn’t the book on the shelf. It’s the supercomputer in our pockets.
As an author and a publisher, I understand parents’ concerns about age-inappropriate books in school libraries. I believe these concerns should be addressed to their school librarians, principals, and board members. I believe local communities should have the freedom to decide what books belong in their own school libraries. Parent empowerment happens through local power.
I’m more concerned about the supercomputer in our pockets. Smartphone addiction, social media, and online safety are much more pressing issues. These problems are linked to rising mental health problems and shortening attention spans. If the federal government isn’t going to stand up against Big Tech, we need to step up at the state and local levels.
Public schools must work with parents to protect our students from excessive screentime, inappropriate social media content, and online predators. Digital literacy should be taught in more classrooms. I also believe reading programs should help students strengthen their focus by practicing deep, distraction-free reading. Our family engagement programs should raise awareness about the mental health impacts of social media and provide families strategies to reduce screentime at home.
College for all? No. College access for all? Yes.
After 12 years of helping students apply to college, I know a simple truth: College is not for all students. However, I do believe in college access for all.
I believe in college access for all because every student deserves a fair shot. That means every student deserves the chance to apply to college, which means receiving high-quality counseling and resources no matter their income level or zip code. That’s why I support programs that raise awareness about college, navigate students through the application process, and support students through college.
Promote the trades
College isn’t the only path to a fulfilling life. I believe in promoting career and technical education (CTE) programs and destigmatizing the trades. All students should understand that these careers are crucial to our country.
I support CTE programs that enable high school students to gain internships and apprenticeships with local industries. This hands-on experience is key to ensuring our students are truly prepared for the workforce.
With the rise of artificial intelligence, our CTE programs must teach the skills our students need to work and compete with AI technologies. I support forming partnerships between public schools, community colleges, and employers to ensure our learning standards are meeting 21st-century workforce demands.
Stand against bullying
As a former high school teacher, I understand the importance of receiving clear guidelines and rules for preventing bullying at school. The anti-bullying language in our legislation and administrative code must be followed by clear and effective implementation.
I will approve instructional materials and learning standards that educate students on bullying prevention. I will work with state lawmakers to strengthen anti-bullying standards, including cyberbullying, in the Texas Education Code. I will advocate to the Commissioner of Education to adopt rules and policies that implement these anti-bullying standards.
Prioritize school safety
I will work with our Texas Education Agency personnel and state lawmakers to ensure school safety is a priority. School safety standards must be backed up with clear guidelines from the Texas Education Agency and funding from the Texas Legislature. These safety standards must be communicated effectively to school district leaders, and I intend on serving as the leader school board trustees can turn to for guidance and clarity from the Texas Education Agency.
Bring the community into the classroom
I support programs that enable parents and community leaders to give back to local schools. I believe bringing the community into the classroom would enable students to receive mentorship, wraparound services, and extracurricular experiences that enhance their education. From mental health services to career talks, these programs improve our public schools.
Treat school workers like heroes
Our public schools are run by community heroes: teachers, counselors, librarians, paraprofessionals, cafeteria workers, nurses, bus drivers, and so many more people. Yet, so many of our school workers are not treated like heroes.
I will work with our state lawmakers to stand up for our school workers. These community heroes deserve higher pay, better working conditions, fewer administrative tasks, and more respect.
Make Health class a high school graduation requirement
Statewide, health courses are considered optional for graduation. I support legislation that would require make Health a mandatory credit for high school students. These health courses should contain at least one unit on mental health.
Make Ethnic Studies courses count as Social Studies credits
Mexican American Studies, African American Studies, and Native Studies help students achieve a more complete history education. However, they are only considered elective credits. I support legislation that would make Ethnic Studies courses count toward the Social Studies credits required for high school graduation.
Reject school vouchers
I do not support Governor Abbott’s school voucher program. Parents have every right to enroll their child in a private school, but I do not believe this choice should be paid for by Texas taxpayers. I support school choice in the form of open-enrollment public schools.
Rural schools across Texas can struggle with implementing open-enrollment policies for a range of reasons, from transportation to staffing. These are the challenges we should be addressing. The solution to improving our public schools is to invest more, not to defund them through voucher programs.
In Texas, too many students fall behind in math and struggle to read at grade level. It’s time to change that. Other states like Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi have made reforms. And they worked.
In 2022, Alabama passed a new law focused on improving math instruction. The state trained K–5 teachers on best math practices, approved high-quality instructional materials, and funded math coaches for schools. The result? Alabama significantly improved in 4th grade math on the Nation’s Report Card.
In 2025, Louisiana received national attention for improving reading scores after the pandemic. How did they do it? Louisiana used reading programs based on the science of reading. Educators practiced phonics skills, helped students in differentiated groups, and worked together each week by sharing student data.
Starting in 2013, Mississippi went from close to the bottom in reading to one of the top states in the nation. How? They focused on training educators in the science of reading and approved learning tools that are proven to work. Their success has been called the "Mississippi Miracle."
Texas can do the same. It’s time for our Texas Miracle. Here's my plan to help make that happen.
Our students need a strong foundation in math to succeed in the 21st century. Our approaching to teaching math should be based on bringing math to life with practical and purposeful learning experiences.
That's why I'll ensure K-5 math instruction focuses on the basics: number sense, place value, fact fluency, patterns, and problem-solving. I'll support learning tools that make math come alive to students through touching objects and visualizing concepts. I'll work to move our learning standards away from rote memorization and toward applying math to real-world situations.
We need to teach our students to read at grade level. Our approach to teaching reading should be based on what works, not on political or religious beliefs. Our students have different learning needs, and our efforts must help all students succeed at reading.
That's why I’ll ensure our learning standards and textbooks rely on research-based practices. I'll focus on improving the way we teach phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. I’ll fight for more reading resources for students with disabilities, including dyslexia.
I’ll support early screening and extra help for students struggling with reading. I’ll ensure training is appropriate for each grade level. I’ll advocate for training that supports students who speak more than one language.
Our reading training should help educators teach effectively, not just raise STAAR scores.
That's why I’ll fight to reform the Reading Academies so they actually help educators improve reading outcomes. I’ll advocate for better training rooted in real coaching and useful resources. I’ll support phasing out online-only modules in favor of skilled trainers who can work directly with educators across the state. I’ll also support training that helps educators to become master teachers.
When elected to the State Board of Education, I intend on spearheading projects and programs in District 2 year-round. Just as I have done throughout my career in education, I will involve families in my efforts to increase math and reading proficiency.
That's why I’ll work with schools and community groups to give families access to math and reading resources at school and at home. I'll partner with nonprofit organizations to host math and reading workshops for the entire family. I’ll collaborate with community groups to place more books in households.
My work at the State Board of Education will include working with state legislators on meaningful reforms and funding to make the Texas Miracle a reality. I believe the role of Member is more than showing up at board meetings; it's about showing up for District 2 at the Texas Legislature.
That's why I’ll advocate for funding for math and literacy coaches, math and literacy training for teachers, and high-quality instructional materials rooted in what works.
“I wish I had learned this in school.” I hear people say this all the time, and I bet you do, too. So why aren’t our students gaining the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the workforce, in college, or in the military?
Because our schools are teaching to the test. STAAR scores heavily influence how the Texas Education Agency grades public schools. As a result, our learning standards and instructional materials are focused on helping students raise their STAAR scores.
I believe we need to stop teaching to the test. But it’s not enough to move away from STAAR. I have a vision for what knowledge and skills our students should learn to succeed in the 21st century.
Here are my 4 pillars of knowledge and skills that I will advocate for while updating our Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and approving instructional materials.
No matter their life paths, students need a core set of skills to thrive in the 21st century. The good news? These skills can be taught in public schools. The bad news? They are taught inconsistently across academic subjects, and educators lack support from the state to teach them effectively. It’s time to set learning standards and approve instructional materials that focus on life readiness.
Soft Skills: Enhancing conversational skills, maintaining eye contact, communicating across varying mediums to diverse audiences, and managing time and deadlines.
Financial Literacy: Simulating budgeting scenarios, comparing loans with varying interest rates, understanding credit scores, and learning about stocks and investing.
Digital Literacy & Safety: Monitoring screentime, identifying factual vs. biased information, understanding algorithms, and practicing online safety.
Mental health education is often vague, unhelpful, and optional at many Texas public schools. Mental health is mentioned throughout our statewide learning standards, but we need more detailed and grade-appropriate instruction. It’s time to integrate more mental health topics into our academic subjects and help students improve their wellbeing.
Mental Health Literacy: Understanding depression & anxiety, learning how to prevent suicide, and reviewing how drugs and alcohol affect mental health.
Emotional Intelligence: Regulating emotions & learning coping strategies, reducing stigma & developing empathy, and managing conflict.
Digital Media and Wellness: Understanding social media’s impact on mental health, protecting attention spans, and reducing digital distractions.
Our Texas students are competing for jobs not only nationally, but also globally. We need to update our learning standards and transform our instructional materials to prepare our middle school and high school students for global competition. It’s time to teach 21st-century skills in the classroom.
Artificial Intelligence: Using AI tools ethically & responsibly, practicing prompt engineering to improve learning, and identifying AI hallucinations.
Service Learning: Connecting classroom lessons to issues in local communities, learning about local community service organizations & initiatives, measuring qualitative and quantitative impact, and presenting on impact & reflections to a general audience.
Critical Thinking: Practicing perspective-taking skills, analyzing information from varying sources, and identifying & overcoming cultural barriers.
The ultimate goal of public education is not to produce good students and workers; it’s to produce good learners and human beings. Teaching students to love learning must be our top priority. It’s time to prioritize creativity and innovation in our teaching and learning.
Creative Expression: Writing across genres, producing visual narratives, and performing narratives.
Innovation: Designing projects to address school or local issues, practicing design thinking and prototyping solutions in STEM, and producing business or product plans.
Digital Production: Storytelling through multimedia formats, producing digital artifacts like websites or podcasts, and coding to create games or animations.
