Every Texas school district has a school board, and each school board is made up of elected Trustees who volunteer their time (unpaid) to make significant decisions for school districts. School boards must vote on issues like purchasing district property, contracts, bonds, the district budget, local school tax rates, and policies that guide the district Superintendent and administration. School boards are also responsible for hiring the Superintendent and for hearing grievances filed against the district.
School boards also play an important role in the quality of Texas GT programs! Several requirements in the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students apply directly to Trustees. These include Sections 2.1, 2.7, 2.8, 2.14, 3.7, 3.9, 6.1 (board responsibility for approving policies on GT identification, transfer, furlough, exit from services, credit by examination, early graduation, and dual and concurrent enrollment), along with Section 6.8 (evaluation of GT services). Trustees are also tasked with “ensur[ing] program accountability” based on the State Plan (5.10) and must complete training. To meet “exemplary” under the State Plan, school boards must review GT policies at least once every three years (2.1.1) and are encouraged to “pursue professional development” on the State Plan (5.10.1). Yet despite this involvement in GT programs, the role of school boards can still be a mystery to parents who don’t know a Trustee personally.
Fortunately for students, a number of Texas districts have dedicated Trustees who care deeply about GT education. We are grateful for the opportunity to interview a few current and former Trustees and to learn more about their roles and recommendations for GT families. Each of these individuals has worked tirelessly for Texas students, and GEFN is grateful for their gift of their time and talent!
Thank you very much for your work for your school district! Can we ask what inspired you to run for school board and to volunteer as a Trustee?
Karen Clardy: I was an employee of Richardson ISD for 26 years. When I retired, I decided to run for the school board. I felt my experience and knowledge in education would be an asset. I believe that the relationships that I built over the years with the community, teachers, and staff made me approachable.
Angie Hanan: I am now in my second term. I ran for the school board because I believe that soliciting and using authentic and meaningful feedback from students, staff and parents to help improve the district is needed. I knew my expertise as a career educator would help the board ensure that programs are evaluated adequately and that the results of the evaluations were used to drive improvement. Finally, my overarching goal for running was to make sure every student receives a relevant, meaningful and appropriately challenging learning experience.
Tracy Fisher: After co-founding the Coppell Gifted Association, I began regularly attending monthly school board meetings to better understand the role of board members and their impact. Very few people attended board meetings after the recognition portion at the beginning of meetings, so I got to know all of the members. I never planned on running for the board, but after six years of meetings, I decided my viewpoint could help our community and was elected to four terms.
Can you share with families a little bit about who you represent, and how you view the responsibility of your role as Trustee, especially regarding your vision and support for strong GT programs and services?
Karen Clardy: My priority was to the students of our district to ensure that all students have programs to help them grow. My next priority was our teachers and staff. I felt strongly that they needed to have the tools they needed to teach our students. Parents play an important role in the success of GT programs by sharing with the administration and board if their child’s growth and needs are not being met. Not all GT students are the same, they have different needs, and identifying those needs is critical. I believe our GT program in our district has come a long way in the past 5 years. I give our parents the credit for those changes by making the board aware of the weaknesses in our GT program. There is still much work to be done.
Angie Hanan: The school district I’ve been elected to serve is the 6th largest district in Texas with just over 80,000 students and almost 12,000 employees. Our population is about 42% at-risk, 18% Bilingual/ESL, 11% Special Education, and 6% gifted and talented. The ethnic diversity of the district is approximately 28% African American, 27% Hispanic, 15% White and 26% Asian. My responsibility is to represent every child in every program on every campus. Knowing policy and what the Texas State plan says districts are expected to do is important in advocating for the district. My vision is to provide more acceleration programming for GT and for highly capable learners. That vision has not yet come to fruition, but I believe one day it will. I am also advocating for optional testing for students (approved by parents) that has a ceiling at least 2 grade levels above a student’s grade level. Our assessment system in my district is not designed to determine if students are functioning above grade level. Above level testing would also help determine if students should be placed in advanced math as now required by state mandate if they score in the top 40 percent on the fifth grade STAAR.
Tracy Fisher: Trustees aren’t “representatives” per se, but I strongly advocated for all kids. My prior experience serving on the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented board, attending GT educator and parent conferences, and reading many books helped develop my capacity for advocacy. Our district evaluated our programs against the State Plan for the Gifted to improve our services. I realized through all this that gifted strategies help ALL kids. So, I often speak about gifted education truly being the R&D of schooling. That helped others listen and respond in meaningful ways. Strong superintendent leadership and understanding are also critical. Having served with three different superintendents, one understood gifted education. Most educators don’t receive in-depth training in giftedness in school; as a school board member, hiring the right leader and building capacity is essential.
As Trustee, do/did you want to be in contact with GT parents in your district? If so, what kinds of things would you want to hear about from parents, and what would be the best way for parents to get in contact with you?
Karen Clardy: Absolutely! As a trustee, it is imperative to be available to parents to voice their concerns. When I meet with parents, it gives me an invaluable opportunity to give them direction regarding the next steps to take and to also make me aware of a possible issue. I would always follow up with our Superintendent after meeting with a parent and then follow up with the parent.
Angie Hanan: Many parents are hesitant to reach out to a board member for fear of retaliation against their child. I want parents to know this fear should never, ever deter them from connecting with the teacher, principal, other staff or board members. I want to hear from constituents and my personal cell phone is listed on the district’s public facing website along with my district email. I’d love to hear what positive things are happening for their children. I invite any parent or student to contact me with concerns or ideas for improvement as well.
Tracy Fisher: Of course! As a trustee, I attended GT Parent meetings and was always available to parents in the district. I attended our district’s annual “State of Gifted Education” parent meeting to stay up with service changes after my kids had graduated. I was open to hearing any questions. Parents need to build capacity as well and need to advocate for their children. No child is alike; parenting is hard work.
We know that not all Trustees are knowledgeable about GT education. Are there positive ways that GT parents could advocate to increase local school board knowledge about best practices in GT programs? How could parents go about increasing board interest in the quality of their GT program?
Karen Clardy: Most trustees have a huge learning curve when they take office. They are bombarded with facts and figures that are overwhelming. Did you know that Trustees are required to log in more professional development hours than any other elected official in Texas? The most effective way to become knowledgeable about any program is to be immersed in the program. In other words, arrange for some school visits and “show” the board “GT”. Show them “the awesome” and show them the “needs improvement”. Provide a nice lunch. I promise you they will remember and take a personal interest. It’s not about the numbers, it’s about the success and growth in the classroom.
Angie Hanan: Historically, the number of board members who advocate for GT are few and far between. Unfortunately, we are in a political climate right now where some board members are not open to understanding the needs of highly capable learners and the gifted student. Inviting board members to see Texas Performance Standard Projects and providing board members with positive experiences that a gifted child has encountered in the classroom to meet their needs would be the best way to advocate for the program. When a child is not receiving differentiated learning opportunities and the campus is unwilling to work with your child, find out which board member is likely to help you advocate for your child’s needs.
Tracy Fisher: I strongly advocate for local GT parent groups. These organizations build capacity in parents, educators, and school board members.
- Host a candidate introduction at a highly attended GT parent/student event in early March (after filing has closed). The candidates would watch the program, introduce themselves, and submit answers to a few questions in writing, which the organization emails to its membership and posts on its website after the meeting. Everyone learns.
- Speak in an open forum – hand out research findings. Share great stories or products created. (Involve kids.)
- Ask school board members to attend your meetings or gift them a scholarship to a GT conference.
If parents believe that their district is not in compliance with state GT requirements, and if they feel they have exhausted appeals—if they have already spoken with the campus principal, the district GT Coordinator, and other administrators—can they appeal their concern to the district’s school board? Do you have recommendations (both “dos” and “don’ts”) for parents who find themselves in this situation?
Karen Clardy: If parents feel that they have hit a wall after going up the ladder then as a trustee, I would want to be contacted. We are all in this together and we need to work together to solve the problem. The “how” to approach a trustee is important. Do reach out by email to the President of the Board, and give a brief overview of the issue. Be careful not to be accusatory but instead approach it as needing guidance from them on the next steps. Many times I met with parents. Most trustees will say they will look into the issue for them before commenting. Be sure and ask them to follow up with you and try to get a timeframe when they will call you back. A word of appreciation for our service goes a long way. Emily is a perfect example of how to communicate with the administration as a parent!
Angie Hanan: If a parent has gone through the proper channels (teacher, principal, GT leadership) and is not satisfied with actions to improve GT programming, certainly reaching out to the school board is an option; however, I would recommend going to the staff member who is over curriculum and instruction (or teaching and learning) before reaching out to the board. If I could recommend one thing to parents, it would be to document what is or isn’t happening for your child by keeping a factual record. For example, if you know your elementary child is receiving work that is not rigorous or meaningful, keep examples of what your child is being asked to do. If work isn’t coming home, ask to see graded work. If your child isn’t receiving opportunities for small group reading instruction, document that information. To be a good advocate for your child or the program, you need to be able to articulate exactly the outcomes you believe are appropriate for you child or the GT programming on your campus. Finally, know your district’s GT policy (EHBB local), your district’s GT procedures, and the State Plan for the Gifted.
Tracy Fisher: Each district is unique. Advocacy is hard work, and you need to find the right ear to guide you. Working with your campus GT specialist or classroom teacher is the most impactful. As a GT parent, you must stay on top of your child’s learning differences and encourage and supplement their journey. They are gifted 24-7, not just the 6 hours they spend in class.
What challenge(s) do you think public schools are currently facing that parents of GT students should be most concerned about and can help with?
Karen Clardy: Funding is always a problem and so is finding teachers who know how to teach GT students. I believe that ALL students need to grow and I feel that sometimes GT students are left out of that equation. Parent assistance in contacting and informing our state officials about GT and funding needs is essential. They will want to know why it is so important, and why they need a special program. You all know the answer!
Angie Hanan: While I believe funding is a problem, I believe limited access to GT programming for the typically underserved student continues to be a huge problem. Providing multiple and varied learning and enrichment opportunities inside the classroom and outside the classroom to help students discover their gifts and talents can help bridge this divide (in addition to the use of local norms during identification for GT services).
Tracy Fisher: Funding is purposefully an ongoing concern. Our state leaders have been trying to privatize our public schools for 25 years. Between recapture expansion, tax rate increase limits, recent homestead exemption increases, and lack of inflation adjustments, the state has made board work difficult and increased deficit budgets. When budgets are tight, it isn’t easy to support anything but the basics of education. Parent engagement with academic competitions can help. Parents can help fund speakers/training through fundraisers and scholarships for teachers. Parents can be substitutes while teachers participate in local GT professional development.
We know that serving as a trustee is an enormous (and sometimes thankless) job, and your work is incredibly important. Are there some ways that GT parents can get involved in supporting district Trustees in positive ways?
Karen Clardy: It always meant so much to me when a parent came up to the podium during a board meeting and said something positive. Parent support of our district legislative initiatives is very helpful.
Angie Hanan: Addressing the board at a regularly scheduled meeting is always meaningful to Trustees whether you are sharing a positive or negative concern. As a GT advocate, volunteer on your child’s campus or on district committees or with your local GT advocacy group. Being involved helps you make connections with other parents. Parents who are positively involved help trustees do their job of promoting student success.
Tracy Fisher: There are many ways to get involved – participate in district committees, attend board meetings, send thank you notes, or help during campaign season. Reach out for coffee. January is School Board Appreciation Month every year. Send cards to your good board members – unfortunately, that’s not always every board member these days. Advocate for your child, teachers, district, and board members. Run for school board if it makes sense for you and your family.
GEFN wishes to thank each featured Trustee for taking the time to share their advice and experiences with families! We also want to encourage families to be proactive in building relationships with these important leaders. Trustees can also be partners in advocating for GT education in many ways, including setting the vision for strong GT programs, establishing goals, and encouraging innovative solutions. Families do not need to wait until problems arise to contact Trustees—they are working for students throughout the year. Please join us in thanking them for what they do!
About our featured trustees:
Karen Clardy served as Trustee in Richardson ISD from 2017 to 2021, including service as Board President.
Angie Hanan has served as Trustee in Fort Bend ISD since 2021.
Tracy Fisher served as Trustee in Coppell ISD from 2012-2022, including service as Board President.
Gifted Education Family Network 