Leander ISD voters will elect trustees to Places 1, 2, 6 and 7 on Nov. 3. All trustees are elected at-large by voters throughout the district. Candidates were asked the same three questions by Four Points News about important issues facing LISD: the district’s financial position, and what the district is doing well and where it needs improvement. The candidates’ responses appear below as submitted. 

Questions asked of all candidates
1. What do you see as the three most important issues facing Leander ISD right now, and what specific actions would you take as a trustee to address them?
2. Leander ISD is facing ongoing financial pressures, including slower enrollment, rising costs and a projected budget deficit. What would you do to improve the district’s financial position while protecting the quality of education and programs for students?
3. What do you believe Leander ISD is doing particularly well, and what is one area where you believe the district needs significant improvement?

Serenity Coats — Place 1

1. The three most pressing issues are uneven access to the right level of rigor for every student, from G/T to intervention support; the lack of family and community engagement; and operational efficiency amid enrollment challenges. As a trustee, I will advocate for consistent, well-resourced pathways so every student is challenged and supported at the right level. I would attend listening sessions with families and community organizations to close communication gaps and encourage involvement in the district. I would scrutinize spending to free up resources for classrooms, teachers, and postsecondary and military readiness programs that prepare students for the future.
2. I’ll prioritize operational and fiscal efficiency, while balancing campus utilization across the district. I’ll review spending, staffing, and facilities costs relative to enrollment before any cuts touch classrooms, teachers, or postsecondary and military readiness programs. I’ll push for policy decisions grounded in transparency and long-term sustainability, rather than short-term fixes and use data to guide every recommendation. Ultimately, I want to keep students, staff, and community trust at the center of every decision, so that all students continue to have access to quality programs and a truly strong,
   well-rounded education, regardless of which campus they attend in our district.
3. Leander ISD does a great job building real pathways to college, career, and military readiness through programs like AP, CTE, and dual credit, which gives students multiple routes to succeed after graduation. Where we need significant improvement is ensuring the right level of rigor is available for every student, from G/T to intervention support. Struggling students need to be identified early, and capable students need to feel challenged in e
   lementary, middle, and high school. Closing that gap
   requires consistent, well-resourced pathways and stronger family engagement, so every student’s needs are seen and met, from Pre-K through 12th grade.

Gerald Prater — Place 1 did not respond.

Meg Dean —
Place 2

1. Keep elementary schools open whenever possible. 2) Prioritize K-12 excellence over Pre-K3 and other non-required programs. 3) Address
   several issues regarding LISD police, which I would want to discuss and fact check in detail first.
2. I would contact state officials in an official Trustee
   capacity about the need for LISD to be funded at least as much per student as the local charter schools (it’s not right now). I would prioritize K-12 excellence and all programs contributing to K-12 excellence. The average US
   elementary school has only 439 students, so I would
   protect LISD’s smaller schools.
3. Leander ISD has a wide range of terrific programming, but they need to get the word out about their offerings. I truly believe that if more parents understood what is offered in this district, then they would enthusiastically send their kids to these schools.

Perla Muñoz
Hopkins — Place 2

1. 1ST We must balance the budget and cut waste! Closing schools or denying teacher raises shouldn’t be an immediate response.
   2ND Parents are Partners in Education! I strongly support overturning the 2021 Clear-Bag and Policy which limits the “parent” voice at school board meetings to ONLY 90 Seconds. 3RD I’ve advocated at the TX Capitol and SBOE for 7+ years. LISD Trustees’ and Superintendent’s outreach must be focused on direct student learning and safety. Hundreds of thousands of dollars go to firms like TASB and Ancira to lobby against LISD Families and Education Advocates, instead
   prioritizing vendors and special interests.
2. Declined enrollment is due to failed policies, neglect in academics, fraud, waste, and abuse. Through FOIA, I’ve received receipts when Trustees/SI chose to pay over $50,000 per year to hold School Board Meetings NOT on LISD Grounds. LISD has provided invoices for over $600,000 for purchased obscene books for Classroom Libraries. NCTE awarded LISD Honorable Mention stating it’s time “to decenter book reading and essay writing as the pinnacles of English language arts education.” I’ve paid $100,000+ in property taxes. As a public school Mom, Teacher, Advocate & Mil-Veteran, we will get it right in LISD, students deserve nothing less!
3. The majority of us moved our families to LISD for the Academic Performance and STEAM opportunities, which the District advertises and achieves. At least 3 HSs have just been named on the Texas Top 50 list. Our students from all walks of life and LISD teachers are simply the best! With a fairly new Superintendent, long-term Trustee incumbents not seeking re-election, now is the time to elect an almost new Board of Trustees to lead the way! Our children cannot afford more of the same or Candidates that own businesses which promote higher taxes, nepotism and conflicts of interests/contracts. #AMERICANDREAM

Chitra Nedun — Place 2

1. 1) Preparing Future-Ready Students: Expanding diverse learning pathways -from STEAM and trades to military service- while cultivating durable critical thinking that AI cannot replace. 2) Teacher Support & Affordability: Championing zero-cost public-private housing partnerships to reduce commutes and give teachers family time, while reducing administrative burdens. 3) Balanced Growth & Fiscal Efficiency: Promoting open enrollment and utilizing community data to repurpose underutilized spaces into hands-on learning hubs — connecting students directly with industry mentors while maximizing fiscal efficiency.
2. I will advocate for rigorous program evaluations with a students-first mindset to eliminate waste and direct taxpayer dollars straight to classrooms, while protecting advanced academics, CTE, SPED, GT, and multilingual services. I will advocate for state funding to relieve the burden of unfunded mandates. Rather than closing neighborhood schools due to uneven enrollment, I will promote open enrollment while expanding creative programming in fine arts, specialized science labs, and hands-on career training. Finally, my teacher’s workforce housing model leverages public-private partnerships at zero cost to local taxpayers, protecting district finances while attracting and retaining top educators.
3. Leander ISD excels at offering essential student support like SPED and multilingual programs, alongside rich opportunities -from fine arts and athletics to STEM, robotics, trades, military, and advanced academics- backed by dedicated educators and highly involved families.
   LISD needs to actively advertise these amazing programs, from early childhood education providing timely interventions to CTE and military pathways driving workforce readiness. Additionally, the district needs significant improvement in modernizing two-way community engagement and rebuilding trust with the community.
   The district can make improvements in taking feedback from the community and committees and act on it.

Laura Marques — Place 6

1. First, securing a path for every child to be successful is critical. I support the board goals to close gaps through use of PLCs, MTSS, and high-quality instruction. Increasing CTE access also supports alternative paths to success. Second, financial strain calls for an innovative look at what draws families to choose LISD and aligning our long-range planning with community values and financial sustainability. Third, technology and AI in classrooms is moving faster than our policies. I’ll keep pushing for clear, research-informed, and up-to-date guidelines that support student growth and success.
2. Addressing the financial strain on LISD should preserve what makes public school unique: our focus on serving all children holistically and bringing the community together to inform solutions. First, our district-wide long-range planning process should be focused on innovation, both to increase student enrollment, which increases revenue, and to operate more efficiently across the board. Second, strengthening our general education curriculum means fewer students need costly remediation, saving resources while improving outcomes. Third, I support community and business partnerships that enhance student experience and increase our capacity to deliver high-quality experiences for every student.
3. The board has developed measurable student outcome goals and guardrails with a structure for effective board oversight. In the last few months, the board has also approved new high-quality instructional materials and supported implementation of PLCs, an evidence-based engine for improvement. I believe we need to keep growing in meaningful community engagement and rebuilding trust and transparency. Public education will only work when the district and community are
   working together to support and advocate for strong public schools. This is something I will continue to advocate for as a trustee.

Jason Embry — Place 7

1. We must rebuild trust between the community and the district. Many parents and taxpayers have told me they don’t think the district has listened to community input with an open mind. That must change.
   Second, we need to reverse the drop in student enrollment. I want to listen to families who are in LISD schools now, and those who have left the district, to understand what would keep them in our schools. Growing our enrollment will help address another critical issue: a shortage of state funding.
2. We have a great school district, but even great districts must keep improving as times change. We need to draw more students back into Leander ISD by listening to what families want. Parents and taxpayers need to be heard. The state determines a district’s funding based on student attendance. If we increase our enrollment, we will bring more state revenue to our district without a tax increase, we will send away fewer dollars through Robin Hood, and we can preserve and expand academic programs.
3. Leander ISD does an excellent job of offering a wide variety of opportunities in our middle schools and high schools: top-notch fine arts, championship athletics, and stellar career-and-technology programs that go well beyond traditional classroom instruction. The engineering program at Vandegrift is a great example. We also have many remarkable educators who fully dedicate themselves to our kids. On the other end, the district can do a better job of providing honest, credible information to the public and listening to community feedback when making significant decisions, such as whether to close neighborhood schools.

Paul Gauthier — Place 7

1. -Finances, we simply need to spend less, stop approving budgets that are negative to start with.
   -Enrollment, we need to be positive & give the kids & parents confidence we know what we’re doing.
   Be Transparent in our classroom.
   -Quality Education , we need to keep higher standards to get the best out of the kids, while helping the teachers get the support they need.
2. First we have to lower the threshold # where we can close / consolidate schools. It’s at 500, it’s too high. Then back to basics teaching instructions. With $$$ for forward facing instruction as priority. Followed by
   balance approach $$$ to needs of students & parents. We have to keep fun in there with sports, the arts,
   & music.
3. The Teachers love their Job. But don’t feel as supported by Central Admin. As Reported by Gibson presentation last yr. Central Admin has to regain the Trust of the teachers. It must be a truly collaborative teaching environment. That way Everyone WINS!