Pearland Independent School District has been selected as a participant in the Raise Your Hand Texas Trustee Advocates Program, as announced on January 26. This initiative, dedicated to training Texas school districts and their locally-elected trustees, focuses on educating, engaging, and activating school districts and local communities. The goal is to amplify their voices in state public education policy and advocacy, thereby enhancing the impact and quality of public education.
Pearland ISD Superintendent Larry Berger expressed enthusiasm about the district’s involvement in the program. “Pearland ISD sees the Raise Your Hand Texas Trustee Advocates Program as an exceptional opportunity to deeply and meaningfully engage with our local community and with state leaders to elevate and advoate for public schools, our students and our teachers,” he said.
The selection process for this program was competitive, with school districts from all regions of the state applying. Raise Your Hand Texas leadership, through a meticulous application and interview process, chose eight school districts for this cohort. Along with Pearland ISD, the cohort includes Corsicana ISD, Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD, Plano ISD, Port Aransas ISD, Prosper ISD, Temple ISD, and Tomball ISD.
Throughout the 18-month fellowship, Trustee Advocates will be equipped with the skills to build a local public education advocacy network. This network aims to foster community connectedness and influence state legislative outcomes. An additional benefit of the program is the opportunity for Trustees and Superintendents to learn from and build relationships with their counterparts across Texas.
The Trustee Advocates Program is unique in its approach as it is issue-based and non-partisan. Adhering to the Open Meetings Act, the program ensures transparency and openness in its proceedings.
Recognized as a Texas Education Agency-registered provider of continuing education, Raise Your Hand Texas will also award continuing education credit to participants for their hours of training. Notably, the program includes a grant to cover transportation, food, and accommodation costs, ensuring no financial burden on the participating districts.
For those interested in more information about the program, details are available at www.raiseyourhandtexas.org/advancing-public-education/advocate/trustee-advocates-program.
Raise Your Hand Texas is a recognized advocate for public policy solutions that invest in students, encourage innovation and autonomy, and improve college and workforce readiness. More information about their broader initiatives can be found at RaiseYourHandTexas.org.
Pearland ISD’s selection for this prestigious program underscores its commitment to enhancing public education and fostering a robust community dialogue on educational policy and advocacy, setting a commendable example for districts statewide.
