Texas Association of School Boards Weighs in on Schulenburg Departure

The Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) responded this week to a story that appeared in the Record about Schulenburg ISD leaving the organization and joining a competing group, Texans for Excellence in Education (TEE).

“In an article published on (Tuesday, Jan. 21), the Texas Association of School Boards was mischaracterized,” said Sylvia Wood, Division Director of Communications and Content for TASB. “TASB is a nonprofit member association of Texas school boards. Additionally, TASB’s training, including Team of Eight, fully aligns with requirements by the State Board of Education and the Texas Education Agency. Finally, TASB training aligns with state law on school board governance.”

Wood said Schulenburg ISD has dropped its subscription to the organization’s policy service, which she said was “an elective TASB service.”

“Active Members in TASB have access to a variety of elective programs and services,” Wood said. “They can choose — or not choose — to participate in those programs, depending on district needs.”

The article in the Record quoted language on the TEE website critical of TASB’s training on the “Team of Eight” concept. Wood said TEE’s characterization is incorrect.

“When writing about Team of Eight, it’s important to understand that it is a longstanding tradition and gov- ernance concept for Texas school boards to work with their district’s superintendent to advance student outcomes,” Wood said. “Training on the topic is required. In fact, the State Board of Education (SBOE) requires all school boards to have a three-hour Team of Eight training each year, which is detailed on the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) website: https:// tea.texas.gov/texas-schools/ school-boards/school-boardmember- training.

“TASB is just one of many registered providers of training on this topic,” Wood went on to say. “Of course, when offering this required training, we refer to it by the name outlined on the TEA website.”

The article also quoted language on the TEE website that said, “TASB teaches that once a school board trustee gets elected, they are responsible to and work for the district, not voters that sent them.”

Wood disagreed. “According to statute, the trustees of an independent school district constitute a body corporate with the exclusive power and duty to govern and oversee the management of the public schools of the district,” Wood said. “This is written into law. Regardless, the quote you pull from TEE’s report is simply not true. All TASB training aligns with the Texas Education Code.”

The Record asked Wood how many other districts have dropped TASB services. She did not provide a number, but said, “Every member of TASB has a different portfolio of services customized to their specific district needs that may change from year to year. Overall, participation levels in TASB services are stable.”

The Jan. 21 article described some of the criticisms raised against TASB, including issues related to boys competing in girls sports. We also asked Wood to describe TASB’s policy recommendation on biological males competing in girls sports and using female locker rooms and restrooms.

“We recommend districts follow the law, and UIL has rules in place,” Wood said.

Wood responded to criticism of her organization over issues like gender in school sports, restrooms and locker rooms.

“Since our Association’s establishment more than 75 years ago, we’ve always aligned our work to state and federal laws, which are often evolving as the result of political changes, litigation, and community input,” Wood said. “Additionally, our goal has been to offer our members high-quality services and solutions that minimize the operational burdens of government and help keep taxpayer resources in their local schools where they belong.”

The Jan. 21 article mentioned that in 2023, the Republican Party of Texas issued a resolution calling on public school districts to leave TASB. The resolution cited the above mentioned issues related to boys in girls sports, restrooms and locker rooms. It also alleged that TASB amounts to a taxpayer-funded lobbying group, since the organization operates on payments made from public school districts, and public schools are largely funded by local property taxes.

“Elected school board trustees make up the largest group of elected officials in Texas and efforts to silence them through claims of ‘taxpayer-funded lobbying’ are really efforts at community censorship,” Wood said. “Community censorship is bad for local taxpayers and voters because it would limit the ability of education leaders to speak out and advocate for what’s best for their schools and communities.”