Funding, Tech, Politics: Here’s What’s Weighing on District Leaders This Year

   My greatest excitement is that every new school year gives us another chance to help students see possibilities they may not yet see in themselves. In Pflugerville ISD, we are working to move artificial intelligence from something that merely happens around schools to something we govern and use responsibly for students.

   Our district is committed to providing strong school choice, high-quality academic programs, and learning environments that meet the unique needs and aspirations of our community. The start of a new school year always brings renewed energy and an opportunity to build on what is working well.

   We spent real time listening to our data and our community this spring, and the answer was clear: stay the course and deepen the work already underway. This fall, we’re launching a Strategic Plan dashboard so families and staff can see exactly how district-wide goals connect to what’s happening in their own schools. That kind of transparency and follow-through is what I’m most looking forward to.

   We finished some major construction projects over the past couple of years so I'm excited to start a year with the ability to focus on student learning without the distraction of managing construction projects at the same time.

   I am especially excited to hear and elevate student voice. Our students have incredible ideas, perspectives, and hopes for their future. When we truly listen to them and give them meaningful opportunities to lead, they make our schools and our community stronger.

   Public schools continue to be one of the greatest equalizers in our society and are foundational to a strong democracy. There is nothing more exciting than seeing our schools come alive again and watching our learners grow, discover new interests and passions, and build confidence in themselves. It is exciting to see a learner read for the first time or make sense of numbers and mathematical operations.

   What I’m most nervous about is the continued decline in enrollment and what that means for funding public education. Like many school districts across the country, we are serving fewer students while the cost of providing a high-quality education continues to rise. Declining enrollment forces us to make difficult decisions about how we use our resources, how we staff our schools, and even how we use our facilities. At the same time, the needs of the students who remain in our classrooms have not decreased. If anything, they have become more complex.

   I am concerned about the national narrative surrounding public education and the possibility that it can overshadow the exceptional work happening in our own schools. In Indian River County, our students, teachers, staff, families, and community partners demonstrate every day that public education can be innovative, responsive, and deeply personal. We have an important responsibility to ensure our community sees and feels that reality.

   The political environment in Arizona is second to none. We are 49th in the nation for funding and #1 in experimental educational models. Our voucher program has the least accountability and transparency in the nation. Hence the voters of Arizona have worked to put a voter-initiative on the ballot this year to reign in the out-of-control ESA voucher program. I am nervous that outside national resources will converge on Arizona this November to try and injure the Arizona public educational system for their purposes.

   If I'm being honest, I think every superintendent carries some level of concern about balancing competing demands while maintaining a strong focus on what matters most, which is our students. We have several important initiatives underway, and my biggest concern is making sure we implement them well without overwhelming our staff. Change is never easy, so I want to ensure we continue listening, adjusting, and supporting our employees throughout the year.

   I worry about ensuring that every student has access to the opportunities they need to reach their full potential. Where a student lives or their family circumstances should never define what is possible for them. Our responsibility is to open doors—through excellent instruction, challenging coursework, meaningful experiences, and strong pathways to college, careers, and life.

   Safety is always on my mind. Ensuring that our students and staff are safe is our top priority. We have ungraded cameras, weapons detectors at all school entrances, and weapons detecting dogs that rotate through the schools. We are always evaluating our procedures to ensure that we are doing all we can for safety. This is a part of my prayer everyday before I leave my house.

   I am most nervous about whether we will be able to fully staff all our buildings and classrooms. Like districts across New York State and the nation, we have experienced ongoing educator shortages, particularly when it comes to finding certified special education teachers and teaching assistants. We have also faced challenges in finding enough substitutes to meet our daily needs.

   We are planning two big things for 2026–27. First, we are launching our new K–12 math curriculum, which were chosen specifically to build deeper problem-solving and critical thinking. Second, we’re leaning into AI as part of our Open Adaptive District work, continuing our efforts to teach staff and students to use AI responsibly and ethically.

   This year we're placing an increased focus on employee voice and engagement. We are expanding opportunities for staff feedback through employee focus groups aligned to our strategic priorities, and I'm continuing initiatives that connect central office leaders more directly to our schools.

   We will continue strengthening our focus on classroom, culture, and community—ensuring students experience high-quality instruction, feel connected and supported at school, and have opportunities that prepare them for life beyond graduation. We also want to continue expanding student voice and finding new ways for students to help shape their educational experiences.

   We are opening a new Career Tech center this year that is approaching a price tag of $90 million. We have added 3 new programs to bring our courses offered to 17. I am happy for our students and the impact that this will have on our community as we build a ready-made workforce. We anticipate visitors from across the state and nation to see the great things going on at our new career tech facilities.

   My focus isn’t necessarily on adding more initiatives. It’s about making sure the work we are doing is aligned and focused on student achievement. We’re focusing on high-quality instruction, using data more intentionally, and making sure every student is both supported and challenged.

   I will be retiring this year after 28 years in the superintendency and 38 years in education. My professional goal is to make sure the district has a smooth and productive transition to the new leader.

   Professionally, I'd like to create an even stronger culture of listening across our organization. I want every employee to feel that their voice matters and that they have meaningful opportunities to help shape the future of our district. Some of the best ideas come from the people closest to the work, and my goal is to ensure those voices continue to inform our decisions and direction.

   Due to the time demands of construction projects, I have missed getting to see student learning as closely as I like. I'm excited to be witness to the "ah-ha" moments that bring joy to students and staff alike.

   There will always be immediate issues that need my attention, but I also need to protect time for relationships, long-term thinking, innovation, and being present with students and staff. Those are the things that ultimately move a district forward.

   This year, I want to be even more present in our schools. Believe it or not, the staff and students love having visits from the central office. Visiting schools and getting to know the students is one of the greatest things I do as superintendent.

   There will always be budgets to manage, buses to schedule, problems to solve, meetings to attend, and fires to put out. We need to intentionally carve out time each day to be present in our schools. I want to be in classrooms, listening to our learners, talking to our staff, and seeing firsthand the incredible work happening in schools

   Professionally, I want student achievement to truly be at the center of everything we do. I want us asking, ‘How will this improve outcomes for students?’ Personally, I want to stay connected to our classrooms, our staff, our families, and especially our students. They are why we do this work.