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.
* indicates incumbent
Travis Boldt
Experience:
Oversees multimillion-dollar budgets, wife is an AISD teacher, kids attend AISD schools, active community organizer
Occupation:
Small-business owner (At Your Side Home Care and Donkey Punch Hot Sauce)
Candidate Website:
https://www.facebook.com/TravisforAISD
Contact Information:
281-989-3675
What are your priorities, if elected?
My priorities include focusing on teacher retention, mental health support and producing career-ready graduates. Additionally, heavy-handed tactics from Austin are trying to force the Culture Wars into our classrooms. We need leaders willing to stand up to these bullies and provide inclusive support for all students and teachers.
What changes, if any, would you make to the district’s budget?
We need to find funding for projects within the existing budget by identifying waste and prioritizing programming that leverages our growth instead of relying on taxpayers to shoulder the burden.
What programming, if any, would you like to see changed, adjusted and/or added?
I would like to see programming at JB Hensler Career Academy expanded so we can produce more career-ready graduates. We need to make sure that every campus has adequate support for the mental health of both teachers and students.
What do you think can be done to help the district keep up with its growth?
Alvin ISD is one of the fastest-growing districts in the state. We can’t settle on being "a decent school district for rural Texas" anymore; we need to be building a world-class education system. That requires creating a culture that values our thriving, diverse community.
Would you support the district going out for a bond within the next year?
Overcrowding is already a serious concern on our campuses. A bond is necessary to fund additional infrastructure, including a fifth high school, as well as maintain existing schools. We need a plan that keeps us competitive with neighboring districts and leverages our growth to minimize the impact on taxpayers.
Cory A. Scott*
Experience:
Current Alvin ISD board trustee for the past three years; served on several district committees
Occupation:
Funeral director
Contact Information:
281-585-1000
What are your priorities, if elected?
Over the past three years on the board, our district priorities have been aligned to the academic needs of our students. We need to continue to focus on the academic success we are achieving since the pandemic and the extracurricular opportunities we offer each student across the district.
What changes, if any, would you make to the district’s budget?
Prioritize the raise that we have given all staff. Our superintendent and staff examine the district needs. Rising costs of electricity, fuel and the unfunded state mandates are costly. The Legislature did not fund additional dollars to schools for unfunded mandates. We will continue to prioritize instructional classroom funding.
What programming, if any, would you like to see changed, adjusted and/or added?
As a current board member, I am amazed at all of the exceptional programs and the variety of them that Alvin ISD offers our students. At this time I do not see a need for change.
What do you think can be done to help the district keep up with its growth?
As a board, we collectively, at our February meeting, approved a Citizen Advisory Committee to examine and review recent data to address the needs of growth in the district. They will make a recommendation to the board.
Would you support the district going out for a bond within the next year?
I would have to wait to see if our CAC recommends one to the board after reviewing all of the data. Our district has done a great job managing the rising costs of construction with previous bond dollars, without raising our tax rate and actually reducing it.
