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Place 2 on the Leander ISD board of trustees is one of five school board seats up for election Nov. 8.
Two candidates—incumbent Gloria Gonzales-Dholakia and challenger Brandi Burkman—are running for this position.
All seats on the LISD board of trustees are at large, meaning each trustee represents the entire school district, and voters in the school district can cast a ballot in each race.
Early voting will run from Oct. 24-Nov. 4.
Read Q&A's with Gonzales-Dholakia and Burkman below. Candidates were asked to keep responses under 75 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.
*Incumbent
Why are you running for the Leander ISD board of trustees?
I was compelled to get involved when the school board was considering TASB suggested edits to the medical policy that would have allowed the district to remove a child from campus for a medical procedure and not inform the parents. Since then, I have spoken against the obscene book selections, psychological exams in the form of social emotional surveys, and lack of academic rigor. I want to see our educational system focusing on education.
If elected, what are your goals for Leander ISD?
Many people moved to Leander ISD specifically for the quality of the schools. I intend to steer the district back to a focus on academics instead of the current social justice focus. I also want to see the district be a better partner with the community through fiscal responsibility, by analyzing the non-instructional spend, so that tax dollars can be redirected to the classroom instead of administration.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve noticed within Leander ISD, and how would you work to address them?
There is a lack of trust between parents in the community and the district. Many parents do not approve of the direction the district is going, but instead of being heard, the board cut citizen comment time in half. In order to restore trust, the district needs to operate in full transparency, welcome citizen comments, provide notice of public hearings in a format that engages the community and respects parental rights.
Do you support the upcoming voter-approval tax rate election ballot item (Proposition B)? Why or why not?
The problems I’ve experienced with the district cannot be resolved with more money. It’s not fair that teachers are being led to believe their jobs may be in jeopardy. While it may be uncomfortable, we all deserve to better understand the noninstructional spend and examine how the district can be better stewards to the taxpayer. Appraisals have already seen an exorbitant increase, and the VATRE will be a tax increase that I don’t support.
How should the district plan for future growth?
There are wait lists for local charter and private schools, with four more slated to open in the next few years. I believe the recently resigned CFO referenced LISD as being moderate growth now, no longer fast growth. The latest demographer report shows growth in the next four years could be as low as 2,500 or as much as 10,000. We need a clearer understanding of expected growth before asking taxpayers for another bond.
Why are you running for the Leander ISD board of trustees?
I initially ran for school board because teachers changed my life and my family’s trajectory, and I wanted to help do the same for others. COVID[-19] represented one of the biggest challenges ever faced by our teachers, students and families. Recovery is underway, and filling those gaps and supporting our educators requires continuity of leadership. I also want to continue working to advance goals not fully realized in the face of those challenges.
If elected, what are your goals for Leander ISD?
We need to retain our great teachers and give them the resources they need to support all students. I will advocate at the state level for more support. We must continue working with students, families, educators and others to identify and expand program and/or campus options for all students. We need to engage our community to explore replacing the high-stakes STAAR exam with a local community accountability system matching the values of our district.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve noticed within Leander ISD, and how would you work to address them?
Our experiences during COVID[-19] confirmed most students learn best mostly in a classroom, not virtually, and we are working to fill gaps left in its wake. We must support educational and mental health needs of our students and staff, and that requires resources and time. Teachers also are being used as political pawns, and if we want to put students first, we can’t put educators last. They need higher salaries, increased support and more respect.
Do you support the upcoming voter-approval tax rate election ballot item (Proposition B)? Why or why not?
Through VATRE, we can reduce our overall tax rate—the maintenance and operations side will increase to help fund teacher salaries while reduction in the interest and sinking side will more than offset that. This will help us retain and reward teachers. It will provide more funding flexibility for our district. And it will support the needs of the entire LISD community. For all those reasons, I personally am voting yes.
How should the district plan for future growth?
The board recently approved a five-year strategic plan focused on five areas: empowered student learning, empowered staff, impactful family engagement, equitable access and safe and innovative learning environments. The plan reflects the district’s graduate profile, core beliefs, vision and mission—all designed to ensure a solid foundation for our diverse and growing student population. It also is guiding the district’s long-range facility plan to maximize existing facilities and resources while saving taxpayer dollars.
