Elizabeth Trevino is running against incumbent Margie Villalpando in the race for the District 3 seat on the San Marcos CISD board of trustees. Early voting in the race run April 24-May 2. Election day is May 6. For more information on polling locations click here.

Why are you running?

I believe that my involvement with my community and my life experience would benefit our district as a whole. I have a personal interest in preserving and improving the quality of our school system. I believe in quality education for all our current and future students. Above all, I want to work with our parents, teachers, district staff and board colleagues to achieve the board’s goals in our students' overall academic performance. As a member I can be a conduit for the concerns and interests of the teachers and parents.

What will be your top priority if elected?

Reducing the achievement gap is a top priority of mine. A part of my mission is to engage all students, and in pursuit of this, a creative and proactive approach is needed in order to ensure that all students are engaged, supplemental educational needs are met, strategic partnerships are created, and a strong bond between parents and teachers is fostered. I will work to bridge gaps and listen effectively.

Why do you think you are qualified to be a trustee?

I believe that I can represent different groups within the community and ensure that others have a voice in making educational and administrative decisions. I am an effective communicator and a good listener. I have a desire to work toward a stronger relationship between the district and the public it serves. I am committed to the time and energy required for this seat. I understand that the board sets the climate for the entire district.

San Marcos CISD has made a financial commitment to a full-day pre-kindergarten program that is largely funded by the district rather than through paid student tuition. Do you believe this commitment should be re-examined as part of the budgeting process for the 2017-18 school year? Why or why not?

Research has shown that students who attend pre-kindergarten programs benefit academically, thus contributing to their future academic success. Prekindergarten studies have shown a reduction in the achievement gaps, and has shown to reduce the dropout rates. Our district has able to provide the opportunity to those children less fortunate in our district to attend prekindergarten. We should not take this opportunity away from our children who are our future.

Do you support the district’s 2017 bond and the projects included within the bond package? Why or why not?

Yes, I support the district’s 2017 bond package. We currently have a capacity issue on some of our campuses. We are currently at 8,100 students in our district with a projected student population increase of 1,000 students within the next five years. This bond addresses the larger special education and bilingual compliance needs along with additional classroom space within our secondary and middle school campuses. This will help to keep the teacher-to-student ratio low, thus improving student learning.