Austin Independent School District elections (2014)
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Five seats on the Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees were up for general election on November 4, 2014. Districts 1, 4, 6, 7 and At-large Position 9 were on the ballot. Runoff elections for District 1, District 6 and At-large Position 9 were held on December 16, 2014.
Only one incumbent, Robert Schneider in District 7, filed for re-election. He defeated one challenger, civic leader and Austin ISD parent, Yasmin Wagner. Theresa Bastian originally filed for the seat, as well, but withdrew on August 25, 2014, citing personal reasons.[1]
In the District 1 race, four candidates faced off for the seat held by Cheryl Bradley. That race included retired educator P. Kevin Bryant, University of Texas professor Edmund T. Gordon, associate commissioner at the Texas Department of Insurance Stanton Strickland and minister David “D” Thompson. Gordon and Thompson advanced to a runoff election where Gordon defeated Thompson.
Two candidates, PTA officer Julie Cowan and dietician Karen Zern Flanagan, sought the District 4 seat held by Vincent Torres. Cowan previously ran for the board in 2010 for an at-large seat, losing out to Tamala Barksdale. The 2014 general election, however, was a success for Cowan, who won the open seat.
Three candidates filed for the seat held by Lori Moya in District 6. That race included former educator Kate Mason-Murphy, Austin Council of the PTAs President, Monica Sanchez and campaign consultant and activist, Paul Saldaña. Saldaña has been a frequent critic and commentator of current Austin ISD Superintendent, Meria Carstarphen. Murphy and Saldaña advanced to a runoff election; Saldaña was triumphant in that race.
The at-large position held by Tamala Barksdale drew five challengers: youth empowerment coach Nael Chavez, local business owner Kendall Pace, Jelani Consulting founder Kazique J. Prince, educator Hillary Procknow and retired educator Andy M. Trimino. Barksdale endorsed Prince for the seat.[2] Photographer Joan Brook originally filed for the seat, but withdrew her application on September 5, 2014.[3] Pace and Procknow advanced to a runoff election, where Pace overcame Procknow.
About the district
Austin Independent School District is located in Travis County, Texas. The county seat of Travis County is Austin. Travis County is home to 1,024,266 residents, according to the United States Census Bureau.[4] In the 2011-2012 school year, Austin Independent School District was the fifth-largest school district in Texas and served 86,528 students.[5]
Demographics
Travis County overperformed in comparison to the rest of Texas in terms of higher education achievement in 2013. The United States Census Bureau found that 44.9 percent of Travis County residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree compared to 26.7 percent for Texas as a whole. The median household income in Travis County was $58,025 compared to $51,900 for the state of Texas. The poverty rate in Travis County was 17.4 percent, compared to 17.6 percent for the entire state.[4]
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Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Voter and candidate information
The Austin ISD Board of Trustees consists of nine members elected to four-year terms. Seven members serve by specific geographic district, and two members serve the district at-large. There
was
no primary election, and the general election
was
held on November 4, 2014. Five seats
were
up for election in 2014.[7]
Runoff elections for District 1, District 6 and At-large Position 9 were held on December 16, 2014, as no candidate received 50 percent plus one of the votes in the general election for those seats.
Candidates began filing nominating petitions on July 19, 2014. The filing deadline for school board candidates to get on the ballot in the general election was August 18, 2014.[8]
Elections
2014
Candidates
District 1
- P. Kevin Bryant
- Retired educator
- Edmund T. Gordon
- Chair, African and African Diaspora Studies Department, University of Texas
- Associate professor, University of Texas
- Stanton Strickland
- Associate commissioner, Texas Department of Insurance
- David “D” Thompson
- Minister, Austin Stone Community Church
District 4
- Julie Cowan
- Officer, Austin Council of PTAs
- Former PTA president at elementary, middle and high school levels
- 2010 AISD school board candidate (defeated)
- Karen Zern Flanagan
- Graduate, Texas A&M University
- Licensed and registered dietitian
- Parent and volunteer, Austin ISD
District 6
- Kate Mason-Murphy
- Graduate, University of Texas
- Former educator, Austin ISD
- Monica Sanchez
- Former president, Austin Council of PTAs
- Austin ISD parent
- Paul Saldaña
- Campaign consultant and activist
- President and principal, Saldaña Public Relations
District 7
- Robert Schneider
- Incumbent
- Retired, computer engineer, University of Texas at Austin
- Yasmin Wagner
- Civic leader
- Austin ISD parent
Note: Theresa Bastian originally filed for this seat, but withdrew her campaign on August 25, 2014.
At-large Position 9
- Nael Chavez
- Austin ISD parent and foster parent
- Founder, Enlightened Warriors
- Youth empowerment coach
- Kendall Pace
- Graduate, University of Texas at Austin
- Local business owner
- Austin ISD parent and volunteer
- Kazique J. Prince
- Graduate, Prairie View A&M University; Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; Georgia State University; and The University of Georgia at Athens
- Founder, Jelani Consulting, LLC
- Hillary Procknow
- Graduate, The University of Texas at Austin, Louisiana State University
- Educator, University of Texas at Austin
- Program coordinator, Texas Success Initiative (TSI)
- Andy M. Trimino
- Retired educator
Note: Joan Brook originally filed for this seat, but withdrew her campaign on September 5, 2014.
District map
Election results
District 1 Runoff Election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan |  Edmund T. Gordon |
55.9% | 3,168 | |
| Nonpartisan | David “D” Thompson | 44.1% | 2,499 | |
| Total Votes | 5,667 | |||
| Source: Travis County Clerk, "Austin Independent School District Cumulative Results," accessed December 30, 2014 | ||||
District 6 Runoff Election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Paul Saldaña |
53.2% | 3,059 | |
| Nonpartisan | Kate Mason-Murphy | 46.8% | 2,691 | |
| Total Votes | 5,750 | |||
| Source: Travis County Clerk, "Austin Independent School District Cumulative Results," accessed December 30, 2014 | ||||
At-large Position 9 Runoff Election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Kendall Pace |
65% | 28,868 | |
| Nonpartisan | Hillary Procknow | 35% | 15,515 | |
| Total Votes | 44,383 | |||
| Source: Travis County Clerk, "Austin Independent School District Cumulative Results," accessed December 30, 2014 | ||||
District 1 General Election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Edmund T. Gordon |
34.5% | 3,624 | |
| Nonpartisan | David “D” Thompson |
28.4% | 2,984 | |
| Nonpartisan | P. Kevin Bryant | 18.7% | 1,967 | |
| Nonpartisan | Stanton Strickland | 18.3% | 1,917 | |
| Total Votes | 10,492 | |||
| Source: Travis County Clerk, "Austin Independent School District Cumulative Results," accessed December 30, 2014 | ||||
District 4 General Election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Julie Cowan |
77.4% | 18,939 | |
| Nonpartisan | Karen Zern Flanagan | 22.6% | 5,528 | |
| Total Votes | 24,467 | |||
| Source: Travis County Clerk, "Austin Independent School District Cumulative Results," accessed December 30, 2014 | ||||
District 6 General Election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Paul Saldaña |
35.2% | 5,550 | |
| Nonpartisan | Kate Mason-Murphy |
34.2% | 5,394 | |
| Nonpartisan | Monica Sanchez | 30.6% | 4,822 | |
| Total Votes | 15,766 | |||
| Source: Travis County Clerk, "Austin Independent School District Cumulative Results," accessed December 30, 2014 | ||||
District 7 General Election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Robert Schneider Incumbent |
52% | 9,937 | |
| Nonpartisan | Yasmin Wagner | 48% | 9,169 | |
| Total Votes | 19,106 | |||
| Source: Travis County Clerk, "Austin Independent School District Cumulative Results," accessed December 30, 2014 | ||||
At-large District 9 General Election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Kendall Pace |
39.7% | 37,916 | |
| Nonpartisan | Hillary Procknow |
24.2% | 23,142 | |
| Nonpartisan | Nael Chavez | 16% | 15,273 | |
| Nonpartisan | Kazique J. Prince | 11.9% | 11,324 | |
| Nonpartisan | Andy M. Trimino | 8.3% | 7,905 | |
| Total Votes | 95,560 | |||
| Source: Travis County Clerk, "Austin Independent School District Cumulative Results," accessed December 30, 2014 | ||||
Endorsements
District 1 candidate Edmund T. Gordon, District 4 candidate Julie Cowan, District 7 candidate Yasmin Wagner and At-large Position 9 candidate Kendall Pace were endorsed by the advocacy group, Austin Kids First.[9][10] Cowan was also endorsed by current District 4 incumbent Vincent Torres.[11] Wagner was also endorsed by withdrawn candidate Theresa Bastian.[12] Tamala Barksdale, current At-large Position 9 incumbent, endorsed Kazique J. Prince since she did not seek re-election.[2] District 6 candidate Paul Saldaña was endorsed by Education Austin, the Austin Central Labor Council, the Worker's Defense Action Fund, the Laborers' International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 753 and the Liberal Austin Democrats (LAD).[13]
Campaign finance
Candidates must file reports with the Texas Ethics Commission or the appropriate county clerk. They must disclose the amount of each contribution (or the value and nature of any in-kind contribution), the name and address of the individual or political committee making the contribution and the date of the contribution. Filers must also report all expenditures, including the date of an expenditure, the name and address of the person to whom the expenditure is made and the purpose of the expenditure.[14]
Candidates received a total of $106,992.29 and spent a total of $30,231.88, according to the Texas Ethic Commission.[15]
In the District 1 race, candidates received a total of $12,997.68 and spent a total of $2,683,44.
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| P. Kevin Bryant | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Edmund T. Gordon | $5,741.40 | $0.00 | $5,741.00 |
| Stanton Strickland | $450.00 | $249.49 | $200.51 |
| David “D” Thompson | $6,806.28 | $2,433.95 | $4,372.33 |
In the District 4 race, candidates received a total of $13,234.60 and spent a total of $2,967.49.
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julie Cowan | $12,904.60 | $1,958.10 | $8,866.90 |
| Karen Zern Flanagan | $330.00 | $1,009.39 | $330.00 |
In the District 6 race, candidates received a total of $12,880.00 and spent a total of $6,607.48.
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kate Mason-Murphy | $100.00 | $108.62 | $0.00 |
| Monica Sanchez | $1,500.00 | $874.30 | $625.70 |
| Paul Saldaña | $11,280.00 | $5,624.56 | $5,955.07 |
In the District 7 race, candidates received a total of $11,045.00 and spent a total of $3,236.95.
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Schneider | $3,410.00 | $1,200.00 | $2,210.00 |
| Yasmin Wagner | $7,635.00 | $2,036.95 | $3,974.58 |
In the At-large Position 9 race, candidates received a total of $56,835.01 and spent a total of $14,736.52.
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nael Chavez | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Kendall Pace | $43,805.01 | $14,736.52 | $13,548.31 |
| Kazique J. Prince | $13,030.00 | $0.00 | $13,030.00 |
| Hillary Procknow | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Andy M. Trimino | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Past elections
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2012
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What was at stake?
Issues in the election
Superintendent search
In March 2014, Austin ISD Superintendent Meria Carstarphen was chosen to lead Atlanta Public Schools. Dr. Paul Cruz was chosen as interim superintendent while the district board of trustees began a search for Carstarphen's replacement. She served the district since 2009; she was the district's first African American leader, in addition to being the first woman. Her style was described as hands-on, and the district praised her ability to build relationships with students, community members, and parents. She was also applauded for weathering state budget cuts and helping to improve the graduation rate in the district. Conversely, in 2011, Carstarphen came under criticism when budget restraints forced discussions on closing schools to save $11.3 million. Hundreds of parents protested the proposal.[16]
Carstarphen's contract would have expired in June 2015. The board of trustees reviewed Carstarphen in December 2013, and that evaluation was generally very positive. However, it didn't call for an extension to her contract, unlike her previous two reviews. According to Drew Scheberle, senior vice president for the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, finding a replacement for Carstarphen was “going to test a board that doesn’t like to make decisions."[16]
In December 2014, Cruz was chosen to fill the position permanently. His contract was finalized during a board of trustees meeting held on January 26, 2015.[17] Initially he was ineligible for candidacy because of his interim superintendent status. The board cited Cruz's leadership and compassion as the reason for making an exception and considering him for the appointment. Once he was named a finalist for the position, the two other finalists withdrew.[18]
Cruz's career in education began in 1987. He served as a teacher, campus administrator, and as superintendent in several school districts across Texas. He earned a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Texas and a master's degree in educational administration from Corpus Christi State University. He went on to receive his Ph.D. in educational leadership from the University of Texas where he served as a fellow in the Cooperative Superintendency Program, which focused on the administration of schools in urban areas. He also served as the deputy commissioner for dropout prevention with the Texas Education Agency.[19]
Issues in the district
2013 bond proposal worth $892 million
In May 2013, Austin ISD put the largest bond proposal ever attempted in Central Texas to the vote, a package worth $892 million. Half of the package succeeded and half was turned down by voters. The package was split into four different propositions: Propositions 1, 2, 3 and 4. Proposition 1, totaling $140.6 million, passed by just a few hundred votes and is planned for technology upgrades, energy conservation initiatives and new equipment. Proposition 2, worth $234 million, which did not pass, would have relieved overcrowding in district schools through the construction of three new schools. Proposition 3 passed as well, the most substantial at $349 million, and is planned to go toward various renovations in the district. Proposition 4 was turned down, which would have pumped $168.6 million into the district for academic programs, fine arts and athletics. This proposition also had some controversy surrounding it, due in large part to plans to create an all-boys school. The election was significant in that it had record turnout for a stand-alone proposal on a May ballot. Early voting in and of itself nearly doubled the turnout for the May 2010 trustee election. It was the first district bond proposal since 1989 to be rejected, or partially rejected, by voters.[20]
Media:Example.ogg====84th legislative session==== The 84th legislative session convened on January 13, 2015, and addressed many topics across the district, including school funding, vouchers, accountability and assessment. During the 82nd legislative session in 2011, cuts made to the Texas school finance formulas compelled Austin ISD to absorb nearly $96 million in revenue, which would have gone towards maintenance and operations across the district. The cuts significantly affected the 2012 and 2013 school years. The 83rd legislative session restored some of the cuts made in 2011, however the total restored was less than 20 percent. In June 2014, the district released a document entitled "Legislative Priorities for the 84th Legislative Session," which was approved by the board and addresses the following stance:
| “ |
AUSTIN ISD SUPPORTS
Accountability
Local Control & Flexibility
Pre-K
Unfunded Mandates
|
” |
| —"Legislative Priorities for the 84th Legislative Session" Austin Independent School District website (2014)[22] | ||
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Austin Independent School District election in 2014:[8]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| July 19, 2014 | First day to file for place on general election ballot |
| August 18, 2014 | Last day to file for place on general election ballot |
| October 6, 2014 | Voter registration deadline |
| October 20, 2014 | Early voting begins |
| October 31, 2014 | Last day of early voting |
| November 4, 2014 | Election Day |
| December 16, 2014 | Runoff election day |
Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: Texas elections, 2014
This election shared the ballot with general elections for U.S. House seats, Texas state executive offices and one seat in the U.S. House Senate. It also shared the ballot with other county and municipal elections. There was one statewide measure on the ballot regarding the diversion of oil and gasoline tax revenues from the state's "Rainy Day Fund" into transportation funding.[8]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Austin + Independent + School + District + Texas"
See also
- Texas
- Austin Independent School District, Texas
- Texas school board elections, 2014
- List of school board elections in 2014
- School board elections, 2014
- Travis County, Texas ballot measures
- Local ballot measures, Texas
- Austin ISD heads to runoff for three seats
External links
- Austin Independent School District
- Austin Kids First
- Travis County, Texas
- Travis County Clerk
- Texas Secretary of State
- Texas Ethics Commission
Footnotes
- ↑ Impact News, "Bastian drops out of AISD board District 7 race, supports Wagner," August 27, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Austin Chronicle, "AISD: Barksdale Will Not Run Again," August 11, 2014
- ↑ Impact News, "CANDIDATE ROUNDUP: Eighteen candidates file for Austin ISD board of trustees," August 26, 2014
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 United States Census Bureau, "Travis County, Texas," accessed July 31, 2014
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed July 31, 2014
- ↑ Travis County Clerk, "Election Results," accessed December 30, 2014
- ↑ Austin Independent School District, "Board of Trustees," accessed July 31, 2014
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2014 Election Dates," accessed July 31, 2014
- ↑ Austin Kids First, "Endorsement: District 1," accessed September 19, 2014
- ↑ Austin Kids First, "Endorsement: District 4," accessed September 19, 2014
- ↑ Julie Cowan for Austin Schools, "Home," accessed October 14, 2014
- ↑ Yasmin Wagner for AISD District 7, "Supporters," accessed October 14, 2014
- ↑ Paul Saldaña for AISD District 6, "Endorsements & Supporters," accessed October 14, 2014
- ↑ Texas Ethics Commission, "Campaign Finance Guide for Candidates and Officeholders Who File With Local Filing Authorities," September 1, 2013
- ↑ Austin Independent School District, "Candidate Campaign Finance Reports," accessed October 22, 2014
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Statesmen.com, "Austin school Superintendent Meria Carstarphen leaving for Atlanta job," March 27, 2014
- ↑ kxan, "Dr. Paul Cruz appointed superintendent of AISD," January 26, 2015
- ↑ kxan, "AISD Board unanimously selects Dr. Paul Cruz as superintendent," December 15, 2014
- ↑ Austin ISD, "Superintendent biography," accessed August 26, 2016
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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