Dream City PAC’s Public Education Slate
At Dream City PAC, we believe public education is one of the most important investments we make in our communities. Strong public schools create opportunity, strengthen neighborhoods, support local economies, and help ensure every child has the chance to succeed. They prepare the next generation of leaders, workers, innovators, and community members.
As we prepare for the November elections, we will be focusing our endorsements on candidates who demonstrate a commitment to supporting and strengthening public education.
Many voters immediately think of school boards when they think about education policy. While school boards play a critical role, decisions affecting public schools are made at every level of government. Funding, curriculum standards, accountability systems, educator support, legal frameworks, and student services are all shaped by elected officials beyond the local school board.
You may find it helpful to locate your districts and precincts before exploring the races: https://wrm.capitol.texas.gov/home
Tarrant County Voters
Local Priority Races
At Dream City PAC, we believe lasting change is built from the community outward. These are the races that have the strongest connection to the daily experiences of students, families, educators, and neighborhoods. The decisions made by these leaders are often the most representative of our local communities.
Justice of the Peace
Public education does not exist in isolation. Students succeed when families have stability and access to support systems. Justices of the Peace oversee matters such as truancy proceedings, evictions, small claims cases, and other civil matters that can significantly impact family stability and student success. While not traditionally viewed as an education office, these courts often intersect with issues that affect attendance, housing security, and student well-being.
Precinct 2, 7, and a small portion of 8 represent Arlington. Check out the Justice of the Peace map.
Justice of the Peace Voters by District
State Board of Education (SBOE)
The State Board of Education has a direct influence on what students learn. SBOE members establish academic standards, oversee the approval of instructional materials, manage the Permanent School Fund, and help shape statewide educational priorities. Their decisions affect classrooms in every Texas public school district.
District 11 and 13 represent Arlington. Only District 13 is on the ballot in November. Check out the State Board of Education map.
State Board of Education Voters by District
Texas State House of Representatives
Members of the Texas House play a central role in crafting and approving the state budget, including funding for public education. Representatives determine how schools are funded and governed through legislation affecting curriculum, assessments, educator support, student services, school facilities, and numerous other issues that impact classrooms and communities.
House Districts 92, 94, 96, 101, and a small portion of 95 represent Arlington. Check out the Texas State House of Representatives map.
Texas House of Representative Voters by District
Texas Senate
State Senators vote on legislation that directly impacts public schools. Their decisions affect school funding formulas, teacher compensation, special education services, accountability systems, school safety measures, curriculum requirements, testing policies, and educational opportunities available to students across Texas. Check out the Texas Senate map.
Texas Senate Voters by District
Statewide Offices
We also recognize that local leaders can only be successful when supported by broader systems that provide adequate funding, fair policies, and effective governance. Public education is shaped by decisions made at every level of government. That is why, alongside our priority races, we will also support candidates for statewide offices that influence the legal, financial, and policy environment in which our schools operate. All of these positions will have over 224,000 people who can vote for them in Arlington.
Governor
The Governor sets the state's education agenda, appoints the Commissioner of Education, signs or vetoes legislation, and often serves as the leading voice shaping public education policy in Texas. Decisions made by the Governor can influence school funding, accountability systems, teacher support, curriculum debates, and programs that affect students across the state.
Lieutenant Governor
The Lieutenant Governor is one of the most powerful elected officials in Texas. As presiding officer of the Texas Senate, the Lieutenant Governor controls committee assignments, determines which legislation receives hearings, and heavily influences which education bills advance through the legislative process. School funding, teacher pay, testing requirements, and other education priorities often rise or fall based on decisions made by this office.
Attorney General
The Attorney General serves as the state's chief legal officer and frequently plays a role in defending, interpreting, and enforcing education-related laws. The office represents the state in litigation involving public education, provides legal opinions that can affect school districts, and often becomes involved in disputes concerning student rights, school governance, accountability systems, and state education policies.
Comptroller
The Texas Comptroller oversees state finances and revenue forecasting, which helps determine the resources available for public education. The office also administers education-related funding programs, including Texas' Education Savings Account (ESA) program. Decisions made by the Comptroller increasingly influence how education dollars are managed and distributed throughout the state.
Why This Matters
Public education is not shaped by a single election or a single office. It is shaped by a system of leaders making decisions that affect classrooms, educators, students, and families every day.
At Dream City PAC, we believe that strong public schools strengthen entire communities. They create opportunity, support economic mobility, and help ensure that every child has access to the tools they need to succeed. Supporting public education is consistent with our commitment to representation, community participation, equity, and local accountability. We believe thriving communities require investments in both people and the institutions that serve them.
Over the next six weeks, we will engage in a thoughtful endorsement process focused on identifying leaders who are prepared to champion public education. That process will include listening to our community, engaging directly with candidates, reviewing their records and positions, and evaluating their willingness to advocate for the investments, policies, and leadership our public schools need.
At the end of this process, we will announce a Public Education Slate made up of candidates who demonstrate a commitment to strengthening public schools, supporting students and educators, and helping communities thrive.
Because when public education succeeds, our communities succeed.
Sources and Further Reading
This post reflects our analysis and interpretation of publicly reported information.
Texas Education Agency – Office of General CounselOfficial information from the Texas Education Agency’s legal division, outlining the agency’s legal responsibilities, interpretation of education laws, and guidance provided to school districts and education stakeholders across Texas.
https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/government-relations-and-legal/office-general-counsel
Texas State Board of Education (SBOE)Official resource detailing the role and authority of the State Board of Education, including oversight of curriculum standards, instructional materials, permanent school fund investments, and other statewide education policies.
https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/leadership/state-board-of-education
Texas Legislature OnlineThe official legislative portal for the State of Texas, providing access to bills, statutes, legislative history, committee information, and other public records used to understand and track state law and policymaking.
Texas Attorney General – Schools and School Districts OpinionsCollection of formal legal opinions issued by the Texas Attorney General concerning public schools, school districts, education governance, and the interpretation of state law affecting public education.
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/opinions/categories/1446
Texas Comptroller of Public AccountsOfficial state resource providing information on Texas finances, taxation, public revenue, and economic data, including resources related to school funding and state fiscal policy.
Texas Education Freedom Accounts ProgramOfficial program information outlining Texas’s Education Freedom Accounts initiative, including eligibility requirements, administration, funding mechanisms, and implementation details related to school choice policies.
https://educationfreedom.texas.gov/
Texas Municipal Courts Education Center – Truancy ResourcesEducational resources and legal guidance related to truancy laws, attendance requirements, court procedures, and the responsibilities of schools, families, and local governments in addressing student absenteeism.
https://www.tmcec.com/resources/truancy/
