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Incumbent Chris Dillon and John Eason are running in the race for the Bastrop ISD trustee of Place 5 seat in the May 3 uniform election.
A closer look
Community Impact reached out to the two candidates who will be on the ballot for the seat.
Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.
More information on the BISD May 3 election can be found on the district's website.
What are your top three priorities that you would like to achieve if elected?
Restore order in the classroom, raise the academic scores and maintain adequate teacher-student ratios.
What challenges do you think Bastrop ISD is currently facing, and what is your plan to address those?
BISD is in a staffing crisis. High turnover rate among teachers. The answer to this challenge begins with this premise: Education takes place in the classroom; it is the hub of learning. Objective 1: Order must be restored in the classroom through implementing discipline, engagement and accountability.
Due to increasing student enrollment, schools are projected to be beyond capacity by 2030. As a trustee, how will you prioritize maintaining the quality of education in the district while keeping taxes low?
Bastrop is not the first community to experience explosive growth in Texas. I think it would be wise to consult with other communities that have experienced explosive growth and learn from their mistakes and glean from their successes. It is not the size of the district that is the problem it is the size of the classroom that makes the difference.
In the event of budget constraints, what are potential solutions you would advocate for to balance the budget?
To balance the budget, one must methodically walk through it making decisions that will impact both the present and future of the district. We must choose to cut first those things that least impact direct student education, meaning preserving those positions that offer classroom support.
What are your top three priorities that you would like to achieve if elected?
1. Student Success & Academic Excellence - Expand career and technical education opportunities to prepare students for college and the workforce. 2. Teacher & Staff Support. Provide teachers with the resources they need to help students succeed and advocate for competitive salaries. 3. Fiscal Responsibility & School Safety.
What challenges do you think Bastrop ISD is currently facing, and what is your plan to address those?
Financial Constraints – legislative inaction and inflation. I am committed to optimizing resource allocation, prioritizing classroom instruction, and enhancing student engagement to continue to boost attendance rates which have a significant impact on the bottom line and creates a supportive and effective educational environment for all students and staff.
Due to increasing student enrollment, schools are projected to be beyond capacity by 2030. As a trustee, how will you prioritize maintaining the quality of education in the district while keeping taxes low?
I have helped guide Bastrop ISD through a 50% increase in student enrollment. Under my leadership, voters have approved over $500 million in bonds, funding new facilities and infrastructure to support students and educators. All of this without an increase to the infrastructure tax and an overall tax rate decrease.
In the event of budget constraints, what are potential solutions you would advocate for to balance the budget?
Advocate for Smart, Student-Centered Solutions that protect classroom instruction, support teachers, and ensure student success. Prioritize keeping teacher salaries competitive to retain quality educators, make data-driven decisions on budget reductions, continue initiatives that result in more state funding. Using student-first decision-making, we can balance the budget while preserving quality education.