The Courier of Montgomery reports that a free trial with the newly-formed advocacy organization Texans for Excellence in Education, or TEE, was started by Conroe ISD leaders. The trial program is an alternative to the long-standing Texas Association of School Board for policy guidance, training and support. The trial will end in August.
TEE Executive Director Hava Armstrong passed along at the January 23rd meeting of the board that they’re interested in making “a neutral environment that is focused on education, on exactly what you send your kids to school for everyday.”
According to the organization, which was founded in 2023, it is a nonpartisan and nonprofit organization that offers guidance for public school policy frameworks, training, organization and other resources to help Texas independent school districts, administrators and teachers and their boards.
The trustees agreed they would continue to research which organization is a better fit for CISD, while they continue to be a member of TASB. TASB membership includes board member training, insurance and legal advice.
In a Statement to the Houston Chronicle, Division Director of Communications and Content for TASB, Sylvia Wood said officials at TEE misrepresented the organization at their January 23rd presentation to the board. In regard to TEE, Wood said, “They appeared to oversell the benefits of their products and services and failed to detail their governance structure, which is essential for any organization touting themselves as a nonpartisan, nonprofit school board association.”
Established in 1949, TASB is a voluntary, nonprofit and nonpartisan educational association that serves Texas school boards.
Since they were elected to the board in November of 2022, President Odenweller and trustees Tiffany Nelson and Melissa Dungan have not been supportive of TASB. The three chose not to attend TASB’s school board members training, instead they completed training from another organization approved by TEA.
TASB directors in 2023 requested that school boards look at passing a resolution showing their opposition to school vouchers. Odenweller, Nelson and Dungan said they would not support the opposition to vouchers.
On Tuesday, the board looked at the program again and agreed to have Board President Misty Odenweller negotiate the membership services.
