North Texas voters to decide school board races as districts face tough choices

As North Texas public schools confront tight budgets, changing demographics and political uncertainty, candidates across the region are running for seats on school boards.

The new trustees will come in at a precarious time for public education in Texas. Some suburban districts, such as those in Mesquite, Richardson and Frisco ISDs, have adopted budget shortfalls. Bleak enrollment projections, along with stagnant state funding that has failed to keep pace with inflation, mean school leaders must make difficult decisions. 

Related: Here’s what Dallas ISD trustee candidates say about what they’ll do for your kids 

A new school voucher-like program that allows state funds to flow toward private school tuition is expected to intensify competition for students. 

Related: If North Texas population is increasing, why are schools closing? Curious Texas explains 

Other North Texas districts, such as Celina ISD and DeSoto ISD, are at pivotal moments. Faced with recent scandals, these communities have called for more accountability and transparency from district officials. 

School board members work with superintendents to lead their districts and set long-term goals and vision. Trustees are generally tasked with evaluating the superintendent, passing budgets and setting district policy to serve students. 

Here’s a look at who voters will see on the ballot.

Election Day is May 2. Early voting begins Monday and runs through April 28. 

Celina ISD

Five candidates have thrown their hats in the ring for two contested trustee seats to lead Celina ISD after a tumultuous school year. Board members are elected at-large for three-year, staggered terms. 

The district was rocked last year when William “Caleb” Elliott, a middle school teacher, coach and son of acclaimed head football coach Bill Elliott, was arrested for allegedly recording middle school boys in a locker room. The aftermath has brought about tragic allegations, pending lawsuits, revealing investigations and broken community trust. 

Taken together with other accusations against district employees, these incidents have generated outrage in the community and calls for accountability from school leaders. 

Place 3

In Place 3, Vicky Hogue and Cameron Riggs are competing for Jeff Gravley's seat. Gravely, president of the board, is not running for reelection. 

Vicky Hogue, wife of David Hogue, is a parent in the district and on the executive committee for the Celina Education Foundation. 

“Now more than ever, Celina ISD needs strong leadership to move us forward,” she said in a video announcing her campaign on social media. 

Cameron Riggs served on the district’s 2025 bond steering committee and is a father of students in the district. He ran for the board last year and lost. In a post on Facebook, he said he is running this year to prioritize safety, transparency and accountability in the district. 

“I want to keep our Celina small town values regardless of the growth,” Riggs wrote. “Growth should never mean losing who we are.”

Place 4

In Place 4, incumbent and current board secretary Jennifer Driver is up for reelection against David Hogue and Erin Norris. 

Driver was elected to the board in 2023 and said in a Dallas Morning News candidate questionnaire she is committed to supporting teachers, strengthening consistent hiring practices and keeping parents involved as the district adapts to increasing demands. 

In a social media post announcing his candidacy, Hogue, a parent in the district and husband of Place 3 candidate Vicky Hogue, said he wants to build a strong future for students and the community. 

“Our district is growing quickly, and it’s critical that we plan carefully and build responsibly to support that growth,” he wrote. 

Erin Norris graduated from Celina High School, according to her website, and now homeschools her own kids in Celina. 

“Families also want a school district they can trust, one that protects students, communicates honestly, and leads with clarity when hard situations arise,” Norris wrote in a statement on her website. 

DeSoto ISD 

DeSoto ISD, which serves around 5,500 students, has faced financial challenges for years. The Texas Education Agency placed the district under a conservatorship in 2020 after it found the district mismanaged funds. The district is grappling with a projected $19 million shortfall, on top of a settlement to TEA, and potential layoffs. 

The district has also seen high levels of superintendent turnover, and officials are searching for a third superintendent in the last ten years. 

Place 5

Incumbent Abe C. Cooper, a senior pastor at Elijah Fellowship Community Church, is up for re-election. He is facing DeAndrea Fleming, a long-time educator who served on DeSoto ISD’s board from 2018 to 2024. 

Both candidates agreed that the district needs to build up its offerings for students to attract and retain families. Cooper is pushing to expand DeSoto’s specialized programs in high school to give parents more options. 

“The best thing for us is to become Amazon,” Cooper said. “We have to become a space where they can get what they want when they want it.” 

Fleming similarly advocated for a more “streamlined,” expanded system that helps students find the right path for them regardless of what school they are in. 

“How do we make sure that there's something for our students in all those spaces?” she said.

The two disagreed, however, on what the priorities and focus of the board should be. Cooper said he believed trustees don’t spend enough time discussing the district’s finances compared with student outcomes under Lone Star Governance, a Texas Education Agency improvement model for school boards that focuses primarily on student outcomes. 

“I think we still need to talk about the business side and not neglect it,” he said. “Let’s spend some time with this budget. Let’s not breeze through this piece so that our minutes talking about student data is more than us talking about business. The business side is going to drive student data at the end of the day. If we don’t have any money, we don’t have any student data worth anything.” 

Fleming said she supported following the Lone Star Governance model and prioritizing student achievement goals, noting the district showed academic growth during her time on the board. 

“I believe in staying strong, in creating the frameworks so that the board understands that this is how we move and here's the playbook,” Fleming said. 

Beyond balancing the district’s finances, Cooper said he would prioritize investing in the special education population and improve low-performing schools, while Fleming pointed to improving student outcomes and holding district leadership accountable. 

Frisco ISD 

Candidates are vying for two open positions on Frisco ISD’s board. The district, which serves over 65,000 students, was steadily growing for decades until 2023. Now, facing projected declines of 1,000 students per year for the near future, trustees are making tough decisions to save money. 

Board members are elected at-large for three-year, staggered terms.

Place 4

Incumbent Dynette Davis, who has served on the board since 2020, faces challenger Muni Janagarajan, who also ran for seats on the board in 2019, 2020 and 2025.

Davis, an educator and educational consultant, said she would continue to prioritize campus safety if she’s re-elected. Frisco and its schools are safe places, she said, but school leaders need to make sure they stay that way. Last year, the board approved a school marshal program that places retired law enforcement officers on campuses that don’t have school resource officers. Davis said she supports that program, but she thinks the district needs to do more to make sure schools are safe.

“It's not enough,” she said. “I won't sit and pretend like it is.”

The district’s budget represents another challenge, Davis said. Like many districts across the state, Frisco ISD is facing declining enrollment, which means lost revenue. The district also saw its 2024 bond issue fail. Those issues will likely mean the board has to make difficult financial decisions over the next few years, she said.

Janagarajan, an IT professional, said he would prioritize academic excellence if elected. He thinks parents are withdrawing their children from the district because they aren’t happy with the level of academic rigor.

Janagarajan also said he wants to balance the district’s budget and create long-term facilities plans so that families understand what the future looks like for the district’s campuses. Last year, the board voted unanimously to close Staley Middle School in the face of declining enrollment. Though he acknowledged school closures are likely inevitable, Janagarajan said the district needs to make sure those moves don’t take families by surprise.

Place 5

Babu Venkat, chief revenue officer for a technology company; Misty Wamhoff, a neuroscience health territory manager; and Sree Mouli Majji, a senior vice president of data and AI, are vying to replace outgoing board member Mark Hill, who is running for mayor of Frisco. All three candidates agreed that shrinking budgets brought on by declining enrollment represent one of the district’s biggest challenges.

One area where the candidates differed somewhat was in their thoughts on classroom technology. Like all districts across the state, Frisco ISD bars students from using cellphones during the school day. But students may still use district-provided Chromebooks and other devices during class.

Wamhoff said she’d like to see the district scale back its use of Chromebooks and other devices in class. She worries about how that amount of screen time is affecting development and sleep patterns for younger students. She also worries that they may miss out on hands-on opportunities that could be a richer learning experience than anything they’d experience through a screen. Chromebooks should still be available as tools, she said, but she doesn’t want students using them every day.

Venkat said he doesn’t think the district can institute a one-size-fits-all policy with regard to Chromebooks. Such devices may be inappropriate and distracting for younger students, he said. But as students get older, the district needs to be able to teach them how to use those tools appropriately.

Majji said he thinks it’s unlikely that school districts would have much success with their efforts to scale back the use of technology in the classroom. Students are digital natives, he said, and they’re accustomed to learning using devices. Schools should find the right balance between the use of technology and other learning opportunities, he said. He also thinks the responsibility of making sure kids have hands-on learning opportunities falls to parents.

Irving ISD 

Four candidates are seeking two single-member district seats in Irving ISD. The winners will work with other board members to hire a new superintendent to replace Superintendent Magda Hernández, who announced her retirement earlier this year. Incoming board members will also help oversee the construction projects and technology upgrades included in the $573.75 million bond issue voters approved in 2023.

Related: 3 D-FW school districts seeking new leaders after superintendents announce departures 

District 1

District 1 covers southeastern Irving. Incumbent Tom Robles was appointed to the board to fill a vacancy earlier this year. He faces challenger Kelly Snapp. 

Robles, a retired telecommunications manager, said he was happy with Hernández’s performance as superintendent. He expects the board will look for a similar leader as her replacement — someone with a professional demeanor who will prioritize working with parents and retaining students, he said.

Robles said Irving voters are concerned that the district won’t have enough funding to keep schools open. Like most districts, Irving ISD has seen its enrollment decline in recent years. In 2023, the district’s board voted to close Britain and Elliott elementary schools due to declining enrollment. Although he said that decision put the district in a better financial position, he worries that efforts to scale back school property taxes could have a dire effect on the district’s budget.

Snapp, a nonprofit program manager, said she’d be looking for a new superintendent with experience running a district that’s at least as big as Irving ISD, and demographically similar to the district. Chiefly, she wants the new leader to be focused on what’s best for students.

One of the biggest challenges the district faces is getting families involved in their kids’ schooling, Snapp said. A little over 85% of the district’s students are economically disadvantaged, according to the Texas Education Agency. That means many parents are working more than one job, Snapp said, so it’s difficult for them to devote time to their kids’ education. About 61% of Irving families speak a language other than English at home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Snapp said that means the district needs to be ready to communicate with those families in whatever language they need.

District 2

District 2 covers a swathe of central and eastern Irving. Heather Stroup and Mary Lewallen are vying to replace Michael Kelley, who isn’t seeking re-election. Neither Stroup nor Lewallen completed The Dallas Morning News’ candidate questionnaire, and neither candidate could be reached for comment.

During a candidate forum organized by the League of Women Voters of Irving, Lewallen, who is an Irving ISD teacher, said the district needs to have honest conversations with parents about the benefits and drawbacks of the state’s new education savings account program. By the program’s application deadline, 469 students who are enrolled in Irving ISD applied for Texas Education Freedom Accounts, the Texas Comptroller’s Office reported. Families know the program exists, Lewallen said, so the district can’t ignore it. By being willing to talk to families about the program, the district can help families understand that Irving ISD schools will make sure their children get the learning they need, she said.

During the candidate forum, Stroup said the district needs to get competitive about retaining its students. Irving ISD doesn’t have amenities like indoor practice facilities that some other districts offer, which Stroup said puts it at a disadvantage. The district needs to do a better job of partnering with the city of Irving and communicating with the public, she said.

Mesquite ISD 

Three board seats are up for grabs in Mesquite ISD, where the winners of those races will help oversee a district of more than 36,000 students that is dealing with declining enrollment and tightening budgets. 

The district recently announced it will slash at least $24 million from its budget for the next school year. That includes eliminating hundreds of positions, including nearly 200 teaching positions and more than 100 aide positions. 

Related:Mesquite ISD to slash budget by $24 million, lay off staff 

Board members are elected at-large for three-year staggered terms.

Place 3

Place 3 trustee Gary Bingham, a pastoral care minister who has served on the school board for the last 30 years, is facing challenger Cassandra Morris, a certified medical coder who attended Mesquite ISD schools and is a parent in the district. 

Bingham said he is running for re-election because he can provide the “stability and experience” needed during some of the “most challenging times” for public education, according to a News candidate questionnaire. 

He said he believed the best strategy to combat declining enrollment is to “continue providing a quality education experience for all our students, thus making Mesquite ISD a district that families will want to choose.” 

Morris said she is running after her experiences serving on several district committees, including those about budgets, facility planning and legislative advocacy, according to a News candidate questionnaire. 

She promised to advocate for universal prekindergarten to strengthen enrollment, as well as expanding existing programs, such as fine arts or online learning options, to retain families. 

To address rising costs and tightening budgets, Morris said she would “make every dollar count” by prioritizing “strong instruction, early literacy and safe, supportive campuses,” as well as regularly reviewing programs for effectiveness and sustainability. 

She also vowed to involve teachers in restructuring decisions and “protect instructional positions before expanding administrative roles.” 

Place 4

Place 4 trustee Greg Everett, who has sat on the board for more than a decade, is facing Pamela Mitchell, a former educator who now works in real estate and as a parent advocate. 

Everett said the district is primarily facing inadequate funding, declining enrollment and increased costs of employee health insurance. He said he supported extending online school options to students who live outside of the district in an effort to bring in more students, according to a News candidate questionnaire. 

Mitchell similarly wants to focus on navigating the budget shortfall, proposing prioritizing line items that “directly and positively affect academic performance,” she said in an email. She would prioritize retaining teachers by “ensuring that the needs of those who remain are met” and ensure student outcomes by focusing on mental well-being and safety. 

Place 5

Incumbent Robert Seward, who was elected to the board in 1993, will face Carrie Bruce, a longtime educator and librarian. Both candidates agreed that declining enrollment and financial instability are among the district’s most pressing challenges.

Seward, who attended Mesquite schools and now has grandchildren in the district, said he is running because he is eager to continue the progress started, according to a News candidate questionnaire. 

As a trustee, he said he has embraced prioritizing students over politics and ensuring “our community’s values guide our schools, not outside pressures,” he said in an email. He vowed to continue “advocating for fair and predictable state funding” and to “keep instruction … at the center of every decision.” 

A main priority for Seward is early literacy. He said he wants to make sure every child is reading on grade level by third grade, even as the district faces a tightening of resources. 

Related: Texas kindergarten readiness falls as state launches new early education task force 

Bruce, a product of Mesquite ISD and a 50-year resident, said she is running to ensure “schools remain the heart of our community,” according to a News candidate questionnaire. Bruce lost  school board races in 2025 and 2024. 

One focus for Bruce is better advertising the district’s successful alumni and expanding specialized programs, such as career and technical education and fine arts, to make Mesquite a top choice for families. 

She said she is well-positioned to lead the district due to her background, which includes two decades as an educator and librarian, and her education, which includes two master’s degrees, including one in business administration, and an expected doctorate in educational leadership. 

Richardson ISD 

Candidates are vying for two open positions on Richardson ISD’s board. Like other districts, Richardson ISD, which serves around 36,000 students, has experienced enrollment declines and budget challenges. 

Four Richardson elementary schools closed at the end of the 2024-25 school year in an attempt to save money. In April, the district approved cutting 95 full-time positions and further reductions to save an estimated $25.7 million. Estimates showed that if the district didn’t take steps, the projected shortfall could grow to $41 million in the 2026-27 fiscal year. 

District 3 

District 3 covers portions of southern Richardson, as well as portions of Far North Dallas. Euan Blackman, Nazlee Burney and Luis Fernando Rojas are vying to replace current District 3 board member Debbie Rentería, who isn’t seeking re-election.

Burney, a former Richardson ISD teacher, said one of her biggest priorities as a trustee would be to fight for fair state funding. During last year’s legislative session, Texas lawmakers boosted the per-pupil allotment they send to school districts for the first time since 2019, but school leaders across the state have said that adjustment still leaves them well short of the buying power they had before post-pandemic inflation drove costs up. Burney said she would advocate with local and statewide elected officials to continue to boost school funding.

Burney said she also hopes to help close achievement gaps in the district. She wants to see the district use data-driven strategies to help underperforming students catch up to their peers, she said.

Blackman, who teaches science in another district, said he would prioritize competitive teacher pay if he were elected. A former Richardson ISD teacher, Blackman worked with district leaders to develop a plan to boost pay for experienced teachers. He wants to see the district conduct audits to find areas where it could trim costs and redirect the savings toward teacher pay.

Blackman also said he wants to see the district emphasize play time, especially for elementary school students. He worries that, in their efforts to boost student achievement, districts have lost sight of the importance of informal interactions students have during recess in developing social skills. 

Rojas, a truck driver and former member of the district’s bond steering committee, didn’t fill out The Dallas Morning News’ candidate questionnaire or participate in an interview with The News’ editorial board. On his website, he writes that he wants to strengthen the district’s special education programs and raise teacher pay.

District 6

Incumbent Eric Eager faces challenger Blake Sawyer for Place 6, an at-large board seat. Eager has served on the board since 2020, when he was appointed to fill a vacancy.

Eager, the co-founder and CEO of a software company, said the biggest challenge facing Richardson ISD and most other districts is that state funding hasn’t kept pace with inflation. Eager said that’s made it more difficult for school districts to provide a quality education for all students.

Eager said he thinks school districts need to be more entrepreneurial in their thinking. Richardson ISD is an open-enrollment district, meaning families who live outside the district can apply to send their children to school in Richardson. That policy creates an opportunity that the district needs to capitalize on, Eager said. Many families aren’t looking for a one-size-fits-all experience like school districts have traditionally offered, and by introducing programs that fit a niche parents are looking for, districts like Richardson ISD can make themselves a more attractive option, Eager said.

Sawyer, a U.S. operations manager for a software company, wrote in The News' candidate questionnaire that he’d like to see the district do a better job of listening to the community. Anytime the district rolls out a new program, school leaders need to start by asking parents what they need rather than explaining what the district’s priorities are, he said.

Sawyer also said he thinks college and workforce readiness programs need to be distributed more evenly across the district. The programs the district offers through its magnet schools offer great opportunities, he said, but they require students to transfer away from their home campuses. He’d like to see more options that offer students the same opportunities while allowing them to stay closer to home.