Additional Information

Candidate Survey Responses

RESPONSES TO THE 2026 ATPE CANDIDATE SURVEY:

Please describe any specific goals or legislative initiatives you would pursue to strengthen the state’s public education system.

My top priority is transparency of school funding. The reason for this is because getting traction on more difficult changes will require significant pressure from organizations like yours and cooperation from those currently celebrating the passage of SB 2. What I want to do is shine a light on the where everyone's tax dollars are going. Then, if possible, work to repeal SB 2 and return to the previous funding model and work to improve funding levels and quality of education.

My second priority is to allow teachers to teach with some control over how they teach it. We require students to learn certain things for good reason, but I don't want my kids to be indoctrinate in nationalist ideologies, or shown an only rosy version of Texas history. America, and Texas has made mistakes and it isn't anti-patriotic to criticize and learn from mistakes. Another aspect of this is standardized testing. I did not know the horrors of the STAAR system until a couple years ago when my older son came to live with me. Kids experience real anxiety, and passing, failing, grade level equivalency an shifting from low achieving track to high achieving track should not be dependent on these. Also, teachers should not be graded on their students' scores in terms of a performance review. Rather than teaching the test, teach my kids. Use standardized should be used for observing aggregated trends and informing policy decisions, and not used on an individual level.

My third priority is to role back overreaching laws that the state has passed in regards to classroom and library content, and student privacy. In plain English - separation of church and state - Teaching children about religion and pushing religious values is the right of the parents. Discussing sensitive topics such as religion is great for developing critical thinking skills and can be allowed, but we don't need to explain what coveting your neighbors wife is all about to kindergarteners. In the same category of overreach, the privacy of students should be protected. We don't need to require gender verification, or teachers to be bathroom police. This is an issue about wasting resources and privacy.

The 89th Legislature passed an $8 billion school funding bill, HB 2. However, despite years of unanswered “inflationary challenges, a large majority of that funding was earmarked to specific programs and did not supply districts with significant flexible funding, leaving the majority of Texas students in districts with deficit budgets and other significant funding challenges. Do you believe Texas public schools should receive additional funding? If so, how should the state pay for it, and should that funding be earmarked at the state level or provide districts with flexible dollars?

Texas isn't broke, we’re sitting on a revenue surplus. We most likely don't need to raise taxes, just rework the earmarked funds into a basic allotment that can be controlled by those who know where it is needed, the districts. Basic allotment should be tied to inflation, we need to stop local district budget micromanagement from Austin.

Then if we still need more funding, we can discuss all options.

Education savings accounts (ESAs) redirect public funds to private or home schools. How do you believe Texas should fund public schools, traditional and charter, alongside ESA vouchers? How should ESA spending be held accountable to taxpayers?

I’m always willing to listen and learn regarding charter schools, but I view the voucher issue through a lens of risk and efficiency. Education is infrastructure, not a retail commodity. It does not meet the economic conditions required for a successful free market, and forcing that model will result in inefficiencies and higher costs for taxpayers.

My goal is to stop vouchers cold. However, if the political reality shifts and we are stuck with them, we must adapt. That means shifting public school funding to be based on capacity and enrollment, not just daily attendance. It also means we may need to look at targeted revenue measures for those opting out of the system while taking public funds. We cannot allow a voucher scheme to cannibalize the budget for the vast majority of Texas students

Under HB 2, passed in 2025, all educators in core content courses (math, English, science, and social studies) must be certified by 2030. While this is a good start, more can and should be done to ensure high-quality teachers continue to enter the classroom. What are your suggestions to improve the quality of the new teacher pipeline?

Pay for it.

I looked into becoming a teacher when I was younger. I saw the pay, realized I couldn't make ends meet even as a single guy, and went into cybersecurity instead. 

I had some great teachers that inspired me with their passion for teaching. Their passion plus their spouse's income kept them afloat, but we cannot rely on this model. We are kidding ourselves if we think we can mandate higher certifications and 'better quality' while paying teachers like entry level clerks. If you want professionals, you have to pay for professionals.

The 89th Legislature passed legislation creating a new mechanism to provide only classroom teachers with tiered raises based on early years of service and their district’s student enrollment. While the raises were significant, they did not apply to all campus educators, and the program created a significant negative funding stream at the district level due to unfunded increased costs for non-salary compensation tied to payroll, such as TRS retirement contributions. Do you support a state-funded across-the-board pay raise for all Texas educators? How would you ensure that compensation keeps pace with inflation and remains competitive with other professions?

Teacher pay should be based on the job they do, not the enrollment numbers of their district. A math teacher in a small rural town works just as hard as one in a massive district, and they deserve equal support.

I absolutely support a state funded raise for all public school educators. But we have to stop playing games with the math. When we talk about inflation, we need to use the full Consumer Price Index (CPI), not just core inflation. Real families spend money on food and fuel. If the price of gas and groceries goes up, the Basic Allotment needs to go up with it—automatically and annually. We shouldn't have to fight for a correction every two years.

The high cost of health insurance for active and retired educators continues to reduce take-home pay, with educators shouldering the vast majority of their ever-increasing heath care costs. How would you address the affordability and sustainability of educator health care, particularly the TRS-ActiveCare and TRS-Care programs?

Right now, the state is shifting the entire risk of rising healthcare costs onto the backs of individual teachers and school districts. I’ve seen this in the private sector, and the result is always the same, you lose your best talent.

We have to insulate educator salaries from the ever increasing cost of the insurance. My approach would be to decouple the two:

Base Salary: Adjusted annually for the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to cover 'eggs and gas.'

Benefits Allotment: Adjusted annually based on healthcare inflation, which often moves faster than the CPI.

If we don't separate these variables, every raise we pass in Austin will just get washed out by rising premiums before it ever hits a bank account.

Do you believe the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) should remain a defined-benefit pension plan for all current and future members? If not, what is your plan to provide a secure retirement for Texas educators, particularly considering that state law has been set up such that most districts do not participate in Social Security?

Honest answer, A pension is hard to beat, and for Texas teachers, it is non-negotiable.

I saw the shift from pensions to 401k-style systems (like the TSP) during my time in the Army. While portable plans have their place for short-term service, they are not always the best tool a career workforce that we are desperate to retain. If we convert TRS to a defined contribution plan, we  are asking teachers to accept lower public-sector pay and  market risk in retirement. This could both encourage and facilitate teachers leaving Texas.

On another note, social security penalties for teachers have been rolled back, so I would encourage open discussion  with those affected - the teachers. My goal as a representative is to do exactly that, represent the will my constituents, may of which are teachers. They would have to contribute to Social Security, but they would then be eligible for another guaranteed income stream during retirement.

The Legislature has passed a new “through-year” multi-test model under HB 8. What role should standardized testing play in evaluating students, teachers, and schools? Should test results continue to determine A–F accountability ratings or teacher pay?

1. Students - This should be used for large aggregate measures of instruction effectiveness - not used to assess individuals. These test are a huge source of stress and anxiety for students that they don't need.

2. Teachers - let the managers (principals) manage. They know which teachers shouldn't be teaching and it shouldn't take a bunch of kids getting a bad education and bad standardized test results.

3. Schools - I think standardized testing is important to diagnose issues that might affect an entire school or school district, or trends over time. Not necessarily tied to funding though. This could encourage gaming the system to get more funding. I am for adopting a more blame free / seek to understand viewpoint on lower performing schools so we can actually identify the root cause and fix it.

Recent legislative debates have focused on “parental rights” in education. In your view, what is the appropriate balance between accommodating the often conflicting wishes of individual parents while maintaining policies that reflect the broader community’s educational priorities and still providing consistency and an appropriate level of professional deference to educators?

I think it is sufficient to continue to teach in accordance with the communities educational priorities. If there is subject matter that is controversial, then parent's can opt their children out of the subject matter, or they can put them in home school.

I believe students should have the same privacy standards for school mental health treatments as they would with any other medical practitioner or mental health care provider. 

Teachers should be able to use whatever 3rd person pronouns they choose simply because that is the nature of the 3rd person.

Prop 15 - I don't really understand why this is needed. Parents are liable for their children's actions, so naturally they are in charge of decision making. Now, as a parent, does my will for my child extend past my child and interfere with the lives and education of others? No. I can always opt-out, or homeschool.

HB 3 (2023) imposed new school safety requirements but did not fully fund them. Although the 89th Legislature increased the School Safety Allotment, many districts continue to face substantial unfunded staffing and facility costs associated with school safety laws. How would you make schools safer and ensure the state provides adequate funding to meet safety mandates?

Unfunded mandates are really just suggestions. These mandates must be funded by the state if they are to be mandated by the state.

Don't give teachers the gun and put them in a position to shoot a student during a crisis. Funding should be increased to support the mandate by employing appropriately trained security and de-escalation professionals like school resource officers.

What do you believe is the proper role of the State Board of Education, the Texas Education Agency, and local school districts in setting curriculum standards and selecting instructional materials?

Simple answer, the state board of education should set standards, and the local school board should select instruction materials, then schools should refine the lesson planning.

State law allows educators and other public employees to voluntarily join professional associations such as ATPE and have membership dues deducted from their paychecks at no cost to taxpayers. Do you support or oppose allowing public employees to continue exercising this right? Why or why not?

I support anyone in America's first amendment rights. Membership dues can easily and cost effectively be handled by payroll, so if the educators make that choice, then absolutely.

Additional Comments from Candidate on Survey

COMMENTS SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO THE 2026 ATPE CANDIDATE SURVEY:

My mom, aunt, and grandmother were all teachers. I respect the profession, and as a father I see the importance. My top priority is education. I do not know everything about everything, so I am always open to hearing from educators and organizations that support them to learn more.