Two years ago, the Del Valle ISD Board of Trustees made a pivotal decision to bring in new leadership under Superintendent Dr. Matthew Gutierrez. This sparked a wave of positive, overdue changes across Del Valle ISD. As your Single Member District (SMD) 8 Trustee, I am running for re-election because true progress requires steady, experienced leadership to see it through. We have built a powerful trajectory for our students and teachers; now is the time to protect that momentum, maintain our stability, and ensure our shared vision becomes a lasting reality.

Qualifications: What specific training and experience prepared you for this position?
I have been a DVISD Trustee since May 2011; completing hundreds of hours of trainings with Texas Association of School Boards, National School Board Association, MASBA: School Board Members for Latino Equity and TEA covering topics of good governance, equity, school law, policy, safety and finance.

Teachers: How would you attract, retain, and cultivate effective and highly-qualified teachers?
Since I have been on the board, I have taken a fiscally responsible approach to ensure our district attracts high-quality educators by keeping DVISD competitive in the Central Texas region; consistently voting for the highest starting salaries and annual pay increases while covering medical insurance for every employee to reduce the rising costs of living. I will continue to uphold these values.

Facilities: How would you deal with the challenge of adjusting the number of facilities (whether by closures or by new construction) to match changing enrollment and financial constraints?
Balancing facilities with changing enrollment and state funding requires a data-driven approach centered on long-term fiscal responsibility and community transparency. Fortunately, DVISD has never had to close a school or lay off teachers and this would continue to be a priority for me.

Students: What are your top priorities for improving student outcomes?
My top priority is student success. While collaborating with fellow Trustees, I helped set clear board goals with targeted specific student outcomes, to be monitored quarterly. As a district, we must continue focusing on strong, effective teachers, quality instruction, early intervention, safe schools, and college and career pathways while using data to close achievement gaps every day.

Budget: Given current financial shortfalls, what ideas do you have to balance the budget while protecting student learning?
Budgeting is one of the most difficult challenges since we are expected to do more with less and it requires tough decisions. Fortunately, we have avoided school closures and layoffs. My priority is using data driven tracking to ensure every dollar directly supports strong instruction, early intervention, and student opportunities.

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