BUDA — On Tuesday, April 7, candidates for the Hays CISD Board of Trustees election pitched themselves via a public forum at the Buda Public Library. The event was hosted by the Hays Educators Association (HEA), a chapter of the Texas State Teachers’ Association.
This spring, three board positions are up for election: Single-Member District 1, Single-Member District 2 and Trustee At-Large.
Raul Vela Jr., the current representative for District 1, is running for reelection unopposed and was not present.
Jose Luis Perez and Katy Armstrong are both up for the District 2 position, presently held by Johnny Flores, who is running for the Hays County Precinct 2 commissioner seat, rather than reelection. Perez was not in attendance on Tuesday, though Armstrong was. Ashlee Thurston and Alex Zavala, both of whom participated in the panel, are running for the at-large position currently held by Vanessa Petrea.
Former Hays CISD school board president Meredith Keller, who moderated the panel, mentioned that the vacating trustees are “moving on for different pastures.”
Carla Perez, the vice president of the HEA and elections chair, opened the forum by welcoming those in attendance and emphasizing the importance of the school board as a voice for the community and reflection of local desires.
“I just want to thank everyone for showing up and coming and making sure that they wanted to be part of the solutions for Hays CISD,” stated Perez.
Following Perez’s opening statement, Keller opened the floor for candidates to introduce themselves.
Armstrong spoke first, describing her candidacy as a continuation of her longstanding involvement in the community. With a master’s degree in education and background in both special education and English as a second language, Armstrong highlighted her work as a guest teacher.
She also noted her service on the district’s Facilities and Bonds Oversight Committee, her role running an in-home preschool and her experience on the Kyle Housing Authority, noting that the rules and ethics of a dais are not foreign to her.
“This is my heart; this is my home [and] this is my community,” Armstrong said. “Serving on the school board seems like a natural place to continue to give.”
Zavala spoke next, emphasizing his deep roots in the district. He graduated from Hays High School in 1992 and participated in the opening class of Dahlstrom Middle School. The at-large candidate cited years of involvement in Parent Teacher Associations, the School Health Advisory Committee and the district’s oversight committee as preparation for board service.
“I feel very rooted and committed to this district,” Zavala said, adding that he feels it's imperative to take on a bigger role in the district and that now is the time to do it.
Thurston described her experience as a substitute teacher and parent of two students in her opening statement. One of her children was in kindergarten when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, which she said reshaped her understanding of student needs, as did teaching.
Now that her children are older, Thurston has more time to give to a trustee position: “I’ve been watching as things are changing and seeing so much more need to rethink the process,” she said.
After introductions, the candidates spent the majority of the forum answering questions posed by the HEA and then, audience members. Many centered around budget cuts and how the candidates would prioritize funding to ensure student success.
The first question posed to candidates assessed whether they would support going out for a future voter-approval tax rate election (VATRE) and what they would do to ensure its passage. The last tax election on the ballot failed, resulting in $12 million in budget cuts across the district.
On the VATRE, Zavala said he supports trying again, but with a stronger emphasis on public education and outreach.
“I don’t feel the public gets the information,” he said, describing previous advocacy efforts as having “fallen on deaf ears.”
Thurston urged caution, suggesting the district should first demonstrate responsible budgeting before asking voters for additional funding.
“There would have to be a decent amount of time before another tax increase,” she said, adding that the district must clearly distinguish between needs and wants.
Armstrong proposed a more incremental approach, suggesting a smaller tax increase could be more palatable to voters. “We went big and it didn’t work out,” she said and brought forth the idea of a $0.03 rate increase, which would bring in the $12 million that was cut.
When asked about improving academic performance, all three candidates pointed to the limitations of standardized testing as a sole measure of success. Armstrong highlighted the district’s progress to a “B” accountability rating, despite funding challenges, while Thurston emphasized comprehension over memorization and the importance of data-driven improvement. Zavala called for building on existing strategies already in place.
All candidates expressed support for expanding Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, describing them as a key pathway for students. Zavala pointed to his own children’s participation in cosmetology and nursing programs as examples of their value.
The scale of budget cuts drew concern across the panel, especially those impacting teachers. Zavala encouraged voter participation to influence future funding decisions, honing in on his previous remarks about the importance of community involvement in the district.
Thurston said she was “not thrilled” with the scale of reductions or the volume of educators who were laid off: “What bothers me the most is how many teachers they’re going to be cutting. They’re the crux of the school district,” she stated.
Pointing to the lapse in financial support from the state, Armstrong advocated for restoring stipends for those with master’s degrees or advanced certifications, if more funding became available.
“We have a $32 billion surplus on the state level and if some of that could come our way that would be great,” she said.
While cognizant of budget constraints, the candidates expressed optimism toward the future of Hays CISD. Armstrong noted that the current trustees are “doing the best they can with the resources that they have.”
As the forum wound down, all candidates reiterated the importance of student success and measures that support teachers while addressing classroom needs. In closing, they tied in the ways in which their personal lives led them to run for these positions.
“Really, I'm just a concerned parent in this county and I want to focus on building a strong school district,” Thurston stated.
“Two years ago, I ran for the at-large position and I’m so grateful that I lost because I wasn’t ready,” closed Armstrong, adding that she is ready now to bring her experience as an educator and community member to the board.
“Some folks are going to come in and come out. I’m not going anywhere … Everything I do has to be calculated and I have to have a passion for it. This is something I have a passion for,” closed Zavala.
The 2026 election for all three trustee positions will take place Saturday, May 2. More information about the candidates can be found at www.hayscisd.net/o/hcisd/page/election2026.
