Advocacy at the Texas Capitol: two district leaders champion public education

Two Ector County ISD leaders, Bowie Middle School Principal Amy Russell and Director of Digital Learning Lauren Tavarez, spent two days at the State Capitol in Austin just before Spring Break, meeting state legislators and offering a firsthand perspective on the challenges and successes experienced within our school district, highlighting the crucial need for supportive educational policies.

Both Russell and Tavarez are alumni of Raise Your Hand Texas initiatives, and they were selected for this event from a pool of applicants from across the state. They were given two pathways – public testimony or office visits with Representatives and Senators.

Russell joined a group that spent a day visiting the offices of elected officials, expressing support for public education, sharing personal experiences, and discussing the potential impacts of legislative decisions on our classrooms. Among those she visited, promoting support for HB (House Bill) 2 and HB 26, were Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows, Representative Gina Hinojosa, our Representative Brooks Langraf, plus Senators Royce West and Kevin Sparks.

“It was impressive to see what goes into changing funding, and also rewarding to see non-educators stand up, speak up and work to make change happen for Texas schools,” said Russell. “We really enjoyed being a voice for ECISD students, staff and families and value the impact we felt we made on such an important topic affecting so many of us.”

Tavarez volunteered to give testimony to the House Committee on Public Education about HB 2, which is related to public education and public school finance. She spoke for three minutes and then answered questions from members of the committee. You can watch her testimony here; her comments start about 17:00 into the recording - https://house.texas.gov/videos/21220.

“It was a great day, we learned a lot and were so proud to have the opportunity for our voices to be heard,” said Tavarez. “This was a unique platform to gain valuable insight, forge important connections, and contribute meaningfully to the dialogue about public education.”

The efforts of our school district leaders at the Texas Capitol exemplify outstanding leadership and commitment to the betterment of our educational system. Their representation underscores the importance of advocacy and the continuous pursuit of excellence in education for the benefit of our students, educators, and the broader community.

 

Photo courtesy of Raise Your Hand Texas