VOTER GUIDE - 2024
The Leander public schools are at a crossroads. Overall growth has slowed, academic performance is headed in the wrong direction, discipline issues are increasing and teacher turnover remains high. This November, voters in the district will choose leaders to shepherd the district through these challenges.
Below you can read, in their own words, the candidates' plans to address these issues.
Question 1: Future Vision of LISD
Change does not come quickly in school districts. If the LISD district maintains its current course, how do you envision the district in 10 years? What policies do you feel will contribute to this vision?
Nekosi Nelson
Place 3
In 10 years, I envision LISD as a leader in individualized, self-paced learning, where every student progresses at their own pace, supported by cutting-edge technology and skilled educators. Virtual and in-person instruction will seamlessly integrate, providing students with dynamic learning opportunities. Project-based applications, hands-on experiments in virtual labs, and workplace simulations will become common practice, preparing students for the real world.
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Teachers will act as facilitators, guiding students through customized learning paths, ensuring both academic growth and the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
This future-ready model will empower students to take ownership of their education, with technology providing real-time feedback and adaptive learning platforms that cater to their specific needs.
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Policies that focus on increasing access to technology, expanding teacher training in these innovative methods, and fostering strong community and business partnerships will be essential to bringing this bold vision to life.​​
Jim Sneeringer
Place 3
On its current course, LISD will likely retain its high B rating. However, I would like to see it improve to a high A rating by a laser focus on student learning and academic excellence.
Brandi Burkman
Place 4
​The community and the children in this district cannot afford for the district to continue on this same trajectory. MAPS and STAAR scores indicate children are not learning. MAPS assessments actually show that children perform better at the beginning of the year than they do after a full year of LISD instruction. Year over year learning loss or unrealized learning will have a detrimental affect. We need to shift back to a focus on academics.
Anna Smith (I)
Place 4
Change can happen faster than a decade when a district has the right support, leadership, and vision in place. I've witnessed this in Leander ISD, particularly in special education. We've shifted from focusing on compliance to prioritizing what's best for each and every student. This transformation wasn’t a decades-long process but was driven by advocacy, collaboration, and a commitment to student success from parents like me in Leander ISD.
Zach Zayner
Place 4
The larger that a school district becomes the harder it is to meet the needs of all of our students. What we are experiencing in LISD is the same general road that many districts experience as they grow. The district gets more diverse and we have more students with diverse levels and skills. We have a choice now to dig in deep and overcome the things that divide us to focus on how we want the next 10 years to go. There is no easy answer to this question but right now it seems like we are headed toward more inequity and more struggles for all of our students when we should be focused on finding the solutions that make LISD the best place for students, teachers, and the community.
Sade Fashokun
Place 5 (I)
​​The district has guiding documents that were created with community input, including the recently developed Strategic Plan. Implementation requires leadership, strong Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), student engagement and ownership of learning, and partnering with families for student success. Providing Early Childhood Education to those who qualify is important for closing the gaps.
Gerald Prater
Place 5
Unless significant changes are made in the strategic direction, I think that LISD will find itself owning a lot of buildings with a significantly low enrollment percentage. I envision this based on a simple understanding of business and finances. To have a successful business model, you must focus on attracting and keeping satisfied customers. A business can only remain viable for a limited time using a strategy that ignores the desires of large sectors of its customer base or alienates them.
Question 2: Budget
Leander ISD and other Texas districts are operating under budget deficits this year. What changes would you consider as a trustee to best utilize the district's limited resources? Do you support the use of the Teacher Incentive Allotment to increase compensation for some teachers as neighboring school districts have done?
Nekosi Nelson
Place 3
Leander ISD, like other Texas districts, faces budget deficits driven by inflation, stagnant state funding, and new state mandates. The basic allotment for K-12 students has not increased since 2019, despite inflation rising over 22%, creating a significant funding shortfall. Additionally, the Texas Legislature has several mandates including requiring schools to fund armed officers on every campus, further straining budgets, and there’s a statewide $2.3 billion gap in special education funding.
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As a trustee, my focus will be on both reducing expenditures and increasing revenues. I agree with the board’s decision to prioritize cuts at the central administration level while minimizing campus-facing reductions, ensuring that the impact on classrooms and students is limited. With 87% of the total budget dedicated to payroll and 63% allocated to instruction, it is essential to protect the resources that most directly affect students. I also support the 2024-25 compensation plan, which includes a 2.5% pay raise for all staff members, as we need to stay competitive in retaining talent.
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However, I am cautious about the Teacher Incentive Allotment. While incentivizing performance is important, many teachers feel the system is inequitable, with concerns around unfair distribution of funds, exclusion of high school teachers, and over-reliance on student test scores. I believe we need a more balanced approach that values all educators while addressing these valid concerns.
Jim Sneeringer
Place 3
Prioritize academics in resource allocation and use the Teacher Incentive Allotment as necessary to remain competitive and get the best teachers.
Brandi Burkman
Place 4
Leander ISD's annual budget, including debt service, is over $637M. I've reviewed salary and check register data to compare spending from 2018, when the district was a fast-growth, destination district to now. School salaries, even with the opening of 6 additional schools, have only increased 28%, while all other departments and administration have increased 126%. Enrollment has increased only 8% during this time frame. It's time to look into how educational dollars are being utilized and prioritize student-facing positions.
Anna Smith (I)
Place 4
Leander ISD and other Texas districts are facing significant budget challenges, and it’s critical that we continue to advocate for an increase in the basic allotment and an updated special education funding formula. While the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) has been implemented in some districts, I don’t believe it’s a one-size-fits-all solution to the broader funding issues we face in pubic education in Texas.
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Though TIA was intended to retain teachers, it currently impacts only about 4% of Texas educators, leading to frustration among many. We need solutions that work for everyone in our district, not just a select few.
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It’s also important to recognize that TIA funding is limited, and as more districts seek to utilize this program, the available resources may not be sufficient to ensure fair and equitable compensation across the board.
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As a trustee, I would focus on solutions that ensure all educators and staff feel valued and supported, whether that’s through competitive compensation, meaningful professional development, or other avenues that enhance the overall work environment. In this challenging financial landscape, it’s crucial that we collaborate with the community, advocate for equitable state funding, and explore creative ways to maximize our district’s resources for the benefit of all students and staff.
Zach Zayner
Place 4
There are many ways to reduce costs in LISD and it is important to make sure that any cost reductions have as small of an impact on our teachers and students as possible. If we cannot afford to properly support our teachers and students, then all other options should be on the table. We can start by not paying for small things like the $5000 a month that we pay Concordia for our school board meetings. Our first priority should always be providing teachers and students the most effective classroom experience that we can afford. As we take the long view in LISD for asset allocation, we need to figure out where resources can most effectively be used to support schools in need, especially with projected rapid growth in our district.
Sade Fashokun
Place 5 (I)
Continue to review operations for effectiveness and efficiency while preserving student-facing positions that impact student outcomes. Facility usage and availability of choice programs can be optimized with community participation in the decision process.
In its current form, the TIA is problematic. It will take changes to the program for reasonable implementation that achieves several goals.
Gerald Prater
Place 5
I would work with the Superintendent and encourage him to work with his staff to produce annual budgets that are highly effective at meeting key District goals and objectives (the Business Planning Process). Critical would be identifying expenditures tied to improving academic excellence. The Teacher Incentive Allotment program is a very complex government funding system and I am skeptical on the surface of potential strings that could be attached to this money. I do support prioritizing teacher compensation and benefits in the budgeting process to attract and retain qualified teachers. But there are benefits other than money that attract and retain excellent teachers and staff.
Question 3: Academics
Teaching students the core disciplines of math and reading by 3rd grade is a well accepted academic goal. Results of the 2024 3rd grade STAAR test show that many LISD students did not meet performance goals in reading (42%) and math (51%). Further, more than half of LISD elementary schools performed in the bottom quartile in both math and reading vs. their comparable peer schools as defined by TEA in 2023. Why do you believe these scores are where they are today? How do you recommend we improve these scores?
Nekosi Nelson
Place 3
The 2024 3rd grade STAAR scores reflect several deep-rooted challenges facing Texas students. A major issue is the chronic underfunding of schools—Texas ranks 44th in the nation for per-pupil funding. This shortfall limits access to critical resources, reduces individualized attention, and often leads to larger class sizes, all of which impact student outcomes. The pandemic compounded these issues, with virtual learning causing significant disengagement and learning loss. Early childhood disruptions, such as reduced pre-K enrollment during the pandemic, have also led to gaps in foundational skills, leaving many students unprepared for elementary school. These setbacks emphasize the need for stronger early childhood support and intervention programs for students who fall behind in critical early years.
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Despite these challenges, Leander ISD continues to outperform the state and region in the percentage of students demonstrating mastery of course content at almost every grade level. This is a testament to the district’s commitment to academic excellence and we cannot lose sight of the importance of serving high-performing students as well. We must continue to provide rigor and challenge for all students to ensure they are fully prepared for future academic and career success.
To improve scores across the board, we must focus on a targeted approach that emphasizes growth for all students. Personalized, competency-based learning will help students advance at their own pace, allowing for both remediation and acceleration where necessary. Integrated STEM curricula and cross-curricular projects can engage students more effectively, making learning more practical and relevant. Early intervention programs, particularly in early childhood education, remain critical to building a strong academic foundation.
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Additionally, partnering closely with families is key to providing the support students need at home, setting high expectations for achievement, and ensuring access to mental health and academic support services. Finally, teachers need resources and professional development to address these challenges effectively, including opportunities to collaborate, share strategies, and learn best practices through professional learning communities. By focusing on the growth of every student—whether they need additional support or greater academic rigor—we can help all children meet and exceed these crucial benchmarks.
Jim Sneeringer
Place 3
Most likely LISD has lost focus on these goals. The LISD vision mentions the "most sought-after creators of our future world" but says nothing about academics. I would make it clear to the superintendent that these goals are job one.
Brandi Burkman
Place 4
Since 2018, software spending has increased 237% while textbook spending has decreased 74%. Every software curriculum vendor I have found in LISD, is aligned to Common Core State Standards, which are supposed to be banned in Texas according to TX Ed Code 28.002, and they all infused Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in lessons. Digital learning has never been proven. Across the state, there are over 10,000 kids on charter waitlists, seeking a more traditional, classical education, while local charters also report math and reading STAAR scores 75-80% meets grade level. We need to return to traditional teaching methods with textbooks aligned to TX TEKS, pencil, and paper.
Anna Smith (I)
Place 4
It's tough to pinpoint exactly why student performance dropped in 2024 since it can vary by child and grade level. In 2023, the STAAR test was fully moved online and had more open-ended questions, which might have played a role in the results.
Zach Zayner
Place 4
It is very easy to continue to blame the COVID pandemic for many of our score drops but at some point, we have to look at LISD and see if this is the result of our lack of support for our teachers. We give them minimal raises to their salaries that do not match with the cost of living in the area. We are not making sure that teachers have research based curriculum that has been proven over many years in many types of districts. Our teachers need more tools to reach the full spectrum of students in their classroom. Many people that I have spoken with have had the same experience as we have, which is that their students have been told that they need to get organized, need to spend time at outside tutoring, and they are not measuring up to their peers. If this is true, then my expectation would be that the district is providing scaffolded curriculum to meet these students needs.
Sade Fashokun
Place 5 (I)
​The annual trend in the district mirrors that of the state. The state changed testing in the past 2 years to include freeform writing in all subjects, including math. That aspect of the test is being implemented in classrooms. There is still work being done to ensure students are ready, not only for the multiple-choice questions but also for freeform writing that is ready for grading by artificial intelligence. Strong PLCs are also important for determining and addressing each student's needs.
Gerald Prater
Place 5
This is only my speculation as an outside observer, but I believe we are trending lower in these areas because the District has taken its strategic focus off of academic excellence in favor of other programs and priorities such as DEI and SEL. To address it, I recommend we empower our teachers to do what they are good at and not encumber them with programs and woke trends.
Question 4: Classroom Environment & Teacher Stress
The Rand Corporation's 2024 state of the American Teacher Survey found the #1 Teacher's Top-Ranked Sources of Job-Related Stress was managing student behavior. From 2019 to 2023 the number of Leander ISD students involved in disciplinary incidents has doubled (source: LISD Equity Indicators). As a trustee, what will you do to improve the classroom environment to reduce teacher stress and improve student outcomes?
Nekosi Nelson
Place 3
Teachers are the heart of Leander ISD, and they deserve an environment where they feel respected, supported, and empowered. I envision Leander ISD as an employer of choice, where we offer competitive pay, reduce administrative burdens, and foster a positive school culture. We can also promote well-being programs and give teachers a stronger voice in decision-making to help alleviate stress and improve retention.
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I recognize that managing student behavior is a top source of stress for teachers, and addressing this is essential to improving both teacher well-being and student outcomes. We must shift toward modern, research-backed methods. Recognizing positive behaviors more often than correcting mistakes has been shown to reduce misbehavior. Setting clear expectations in collaboration with students, being consistent in applying rules, and incorporating social-emotional learning (SEL) can significantly improve classroom environments. SEL helps students build self-awareness, empathy, and emotional regulation, which boosts academic achievement and reduces disciplinary incidents.
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I support modernizing outdated disciplinary policies and implementing restorative justice practices. Restorative justice encourages conflict resolution, empathy, and problem-solving, helping students learn from their mistakes rather than facing purely punitive consequences. Additionally, I advocate for culturally responsive discipline practices to ensure that all students feel valued and treated fairly.
Finally, I will prioritize professional development for teachers, focusing on classroom management, student engagement, and stress reduction strategies. By strengthening relationships between educators and students, we can create a classroom environment where both teachers and students thrive.
Jim Sneeringer
Place 3
Students, like all people, respond to incentives. I would tell the superintendent to do whatever it takes to make misbehavior unpleasant enough that students comply.
Brandi Burkman
Place 4
Restorative justice practices need to end and authority of the classroom returned to the teachers. Restorative justice does a disservice to children, who need structure, discipline, and an understanding of the consequences of their actions. Studies also indicate that SEL is the cause of the mental and behavioral problems that have increased in the past few years. SEL is an attempt at behavioral modification and data mines children, collecting years of identifiable data on their thoughts, attitudes, and emotions. It's also a major parental rights and privacy rights violation. Classrooms should be focused on academics, teachers should be allowed to teach, and if there is a behavioral problem, it should be handled appropriately.
Anna Smith (I)
Place 4
Managing student behavior has become a major source of stress for teachers, and it’s clear we need to improve classroom environments to help reduce this burden and to support student success. As a trustee, I will prioritize supporting both teachers and students by addressing key challenges like mental health and classroom resources.
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We need to expand access to counselors and equip students with tools for self-management and decision-making, ensuring they have the emotional and behavioral support they need. Teachers deserve fewer bureaucratic tasks, allowing them to focus on teaching and supporting our students. They also need higher pay and greater respect for their vital role in educating our students.
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Building a strong partnership between schools and caregivers is equally important. Positive changes start at home, and we must work closely with families to create a supportive environment that extends beyond the classroom. Together, we can ensure students have the resources, structure, and guidance they need to thrive both academically and behaviorally.
Zach Zayner
Place 4
While some students may have needs that the classroom environment cannot meet, the vast majority of students who act out are either frustrated or bored. We need to meet the needs of these students through scaffolding and flexible curriculum. There are research based ways to adjust the curriculum so that each child is allowed to experience the content at their level. We need to lean more heavily on our classroom teachers to give their experience with the curriculum so we can spread that knowledge throughout LISD and give teachers who are struggling real solutions to meet our students needs.
Sade Fashokun
Place 5 (I)
Significant changes in the attendance/discipline began in 2021-22, the first full year that all students returned in-person after COVID. Build teacher-parent-student relationships, provide individualized intervention plans, support mental and emotional health, train and assist teachers with classroom management, communicate rules and consistently apply to all students, use alternative learning environments when necessary to keep students attending school and from falling behind.
Gerald Prater
Place 5
First, as I serve on the Board, I would strive to serve as a good role model myself for the students in the classrooms. For many years I have been a parent volunteer who has come onto campus to meet with and mentor students who were having various types of problems like this. I would encourage the Superintendent to have his staff continue to emphasize these programs. And again, as a Trustee, I would volunteer to lead the way volunteering my time as well.
Question 5: House Bill 900 - Instructional Materials
Do you support the removal of age-inappropriate "sexually explicit" reading materials as outlined in House Bill 900?
Nekosi Nelson
Place 3
Teachers are the heart of Leander ISD, and they deserve an environment where they feel respected, supported, and empowered. I envision Leander ISD as an employer of choice, where we offer competitive pay, reduce administrative burdens, and foster a positive school culture. We can also promote well-being programs and give teachers a stronger voice in decision-making to help alleviate stress and improve retention.
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I recognize that managing student behavior is a top source of stress for teachers, and addressing this is essential to improving both teacher well-being and student outcomes. We must shift toward modern, research-backed methods. Recognizing positive behaviors more often than correcting mistakes has been shown to reduce misbehavior. Setting clear expectations in collaboration with students, being consistent in applying rules, and incorporating social-emotional learning (SEL) can significantly improve classroom environments. SEL helps students build self-awareness, empathy, and emotional regulation, which boosts academic achievement and reduces disciplinary incidents.
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I support modernizing outdated disciplinary policies and implementing restorative justice practices. Restorative justice encourages conflict resolution, empathy, and problem-solving, helping students learn from their mistakes rather than facing purely punitive consequences. Additionally, I advocate for culturally responsive discipline practices to ensure that all students feel valued and treated fairly.
Finally, I will prioritize professional development for teachers, focusing on classroom management, student engagement, and stress reduction strategies. By strengthening relationships between educators and students, we can create a classroom environment where both teachers and students thrive.
Jim Sneeringer
Place 3
Yes. If parents want their children to see such materials, they are free to allow them at home, but there is no way a parent can make a child unsee materials viewed at school.
Brandi Burkman
Place 4
I have long been outspoken about the sexually graphic content in our schools. My son brought home Lawn Boy in 2021 and that's when I became one of those school board "domestic terrorists." Sexually explicit content is never age appropriate and does not belong in schools. In March 2024, I realized that LISD was doing nothing to comply with HB 900 and I began submitting reconsiderations. I have successfully been able to get 5 titles removed from middle schools, but the district put my other 20 reviews on hold because they didn't include a deadline for review in their policy. This is unacceptable. No child should have to be subject to sexually explicit content in order to access their right to an education.
Anna Smith (I)
Place 4
LISD has a local process that is working well and that involves parents, teachers, and other community members working collaboratively to evaluate and decide on books presented for review. We of course follow the law, and we already have a process in place, and I support that process. I believe readers are leaders, and we need to encourage and inspire our students to read more.
Zach Zayner
Place 4
I believe it’s important to provide students with materials that are both age-appropriate and reflective of diverse perspectives, helping them think critically about a wide range of topics. While I support ensuring that explicit content is not accessible to younger students, House Bill 900 raises significant concerns due to its vague definitions and potential for overreach. There are fears that the law could be used to censor important literature. This would undermine students’ access to diverse viewpoints, which is essential for a well-rounded education.
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Furthermore, the recent injunction on the law blocking the requirement for book vendors to assign ratings highlights ongoing legal questions around censorship and First Amendment rights. I trust our educators and librarians to make responsible decisions about the content in our schools, as they have the experience and expertise to evaluate instructional materials thoughtfully. Leander ISD has an established process for addressing concerns about materials, allowing for community input while respecting the professionals who serve our students.
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Ultimately, I believe in fostering respectful dialogue to ensure all voices are heard without attacking or undermining our educators. We are a diverse community, and it’s vital to create an inclusive environment where every student feels represented and valued while also ensuring that content is appropriate for their age and developmental stage.
Sade Fashokun
Place 5 (I)
Significant changes in the attendance/discipline began in 2021-22, the first full year that all students returned in-person after COVID. Build teacher-parent-student relationships, provide individualized intervention plans, support mental and emotional health, train and assist teachers with classroom management, communicate rules and consistently apply to all students, use alternative learning environments when necessary to keep students attending school and from falling behind.
Gerald Prater
Place 5
Yes, I absolutely do. I believe that there are definitely certain books and materials that should not be in public school libraries where children have access to them (especially without the knowledge or permission of their parents). For many generations, it has been generally accepted that children should not have access to sexually explicit, mature or graphic materials. Movies with ratings like PG, PG-13, R, and X are key examples of how we have always taken extreme care about to what materials we expose our children (things that they can never un-see). There were even examples in stores when the Playboy and Hustler magazines were placed on a very high shelf or behind the cashier’s stand. Was this discriminating or book banning? No! It was efforts as a society to PROTECT OUR CHILDREN. Nothing has changed today. Many parents simply want to protect their children from being exposed to materials that they feel will cause them harm or damage. And as the child’s parent, that is their right.