Additional Information

Running for Texas House District 118 in the 2026 Democratic primary election. Ran unsuccessfully for the same seat in 2024.

Former aide to Rep. Abel Herrero (D–Robstown).

Endorsed by pro-public education groups. Participated in TRTA candidate forum.

Her education platform emphasizes increasing state investment in public education, supporting teachers through improved pay and working conditions, and ensuring classrooms are adequately resourced. Carranza has also voiced concern about policies that divert public funding to private education programs, positioning herself as an advocate for keeping taxpayer dollars in traditional public schools. 

Endorsed by the editorial board of the San Antonio Express-News in the 2024 Democratic primary election.

Candidate Survey Responses

HAS NOT RESPONDED TO THE 2026 ATPE CANDIDATE SURVEY.

RESPONSES TO THE 2024 CANDIDATE SURVEY:

1. If elected, what are your top priorities for public education?

My top priorities for public education are making sure that our public education system is fully-funded, holding the line against private school voucher schemes, and expanding school safety nets for working families such as free meal programs, afterschool programs, and summer school programs.

2. Voucher programs take many forms (tax credits, scholarships, education savings accounts, etc.) and are either universal or aimed at specific subpopulations (special education students, lowincome students, students attending schools with poor A-F accountability ratings, etc.). Would you vote to create a voucher program of any type to pay for students to attend non-public K-12 schools, such as private or home schools?

No, I would oppose private school vouchers of any form. Public dollars should only be spent on the public schools that our state constitution requires we support. Private school vouchers are a scam that pull taxpayer resources from already underfunded public schools and use them to subsidize private school tuition. This forces community schools to shut their doors and destabilizes neighborhoods. I am firmly opposed to any and all voucher schemes no matter how they are packaged and sold to the Legislature next session.

3. In 2023, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill (HB) 3 requiring a number of new school safety measures. However, many believe the Legislature did not adequately increase funding to cover the cost of the mandates in HB 3 or other locally adopted school safety measures. How would you work to make schools safer and ensure such initiatives are properly funded?

School safety is a top priority, but Governor Abbott vowed to veto public education funding if it didn’t mean also passing his private school voucher scheme, which is why HB 3 remains an unfunded mandate. Mandates without funding are empty promises. I talk to voters in House District 118 and almost everyone has some connection to public schools and they fear for their safety when they go to school and when they go to work. That is unacceptable. To truly make our schools safe, I would advocate for increased state funding for school safety measures and mental health resources.

4. Despite a record-breaking surplus of $38 billion during the 2023 legislative session, school funding formulas were not increased to keep pace with inflation since they were last adjusted in 2019. Do you believe Texas public schools should receive additional funding? If so, how should the state pay for it?

Yes, Texas public schools need additional funding. Public schools across my district and across the state are closing down due to a lack of funding. This needs to be a top priority of the 89th legislative session. We need to reallocate a portion of our record-breaking surplus to increase the basic allotment and make sure school funding adjusts for inflation so our school districts and educators can keep up with rising costs.

5. Texas has faced growing teacher shortages in recent years, with many schools hiring uncertified teachers to fill the gaps. How would you work to ensure Texas public schools have an adequate number of trained and certified teachers?

We can only set up our students for success when we set up our educators for success. Texas must improve teacher pay and working conditions if we are going to be able to recruit and retain the talented and passionate individuals that become teachers. It’s what our students, teachers, and communities deserve.

6. Inadequate compensation hampers the recruitment and retention of high-quality educators. Do you support a state-funded across-the-board pay raise for all Texas educators?

Yes, I support a state-funded pay raise for all Texas educators. This will be one of my top priorities if elected. Low compensation is one of the major factors driving teacher shortages and turnover across the state. We need to use our budget surplus to increase teacher salaries by at least $15,000 across the board along with raises for all of the support staff, paraprofessionals and school district employees. As someone who has experienced firsthand the power of public education, I’m committed to fighting for fair wages for our educators that reflects the vital role they play in shaping our communities and the future of Texas.

7. The high cost of health insurance available to educators is a significant factor decreasing their take-home pay. How would you address the challenge of rising health care costs facing Texas educators and ensure access to affordable health care?

Teacher health care costs are skyrocketing, taking up more and more of teacher take-home pay that is already far below the national average to begin with. The Legislature needs to lower the teacher’s share of premiums by increasing the state contribution percentage and allowing school districts to choose from multiple health care plans to meet teacher needs. Supporting teachers also looks like comprehensive mental health care and childcare support.

8. What do you feel is the proper role of standardized testing in the Texas public education system? For instance, should student test scores be used as a metric in determining teacher pay, school accountability ratings, evaluating teachers, measuring student progress, etc.?

We need assessments to measure individual growth, but they should be one of many tools we use to measure the quality of our education systems. A single test score doesn’t define a student’s potential or a teacher or school’s effectiveness. We should shift toward more holistic assessments that account for student growth, classroom participation, extracurricular activities, and skills mastery. An overemphasis on standardized testing puts too much pressure on students and teachers, and does not account for all that goes into making a good school.

9. In your opinion, what is the proper balance between accommodating an individual parent’s or student’s wishes and the taxpaying community’s interest in directing and maintaining an optimal educational environment for the student population as a whole?

Educators are trained and experienced professionals that are committed to nurturing students in an environment that is safe and that promotes their well-being. While individual parent and student wishes should be respected around sensitive issues, we need to trust that our educators are capable of guiding students through the stages of their educational development and make sure we are giving them the resources they need to do so.

10. Do you believe the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) should be maintained as a traditional defined-benefit pension plan for all future, current, and retired educators, or do you support converting TRS to a defined-contribution structure that is more like a 401(k) plan, in which future benefits are not guaranteed?

I believe the TRS should remain a traditional defined-benefit pension plan for all future, current, and retired educators.

11. State law allows educators and other public employees to voluntarily choose to join professional associations such as ATPE and have membership dues deducted from their paychecks at no cost to taxpayers. Do you support or oppose letting all public employees continue to exercise this right?

I fully support the right of educators and public employees to voluntarily join professional associations and have their dues deducted from their paychecks. There is no good reason to restrict this right.

Additional Comments from Candidate on Survey

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