About Linda Ellis
I've lived in Texas my entire life. I was born and grew up in the rural Volga Community between Weldon and Lovelady. I’m proud to say I’m the person I am today thanks to the public schools and universities of Texas.
All four of my children are graduates of Texas public schools and universities. Eleven of my fourteen grandchildren are currently enrolled in our public schools. As soon as my three youngest grandchildren are old enough, they’ll join the tradition.
I’ve dedicated my life to the students and schools of Texas.
Throughout my 28 years as a Texas educator, while working in the schools and classrooms alongside teachers, I’ve always focused on two things: what’s best for students and helping teachers implement best practices in their classrooms.
That’s why, over the past decade, I’ve watched in horror as ideologues took over the State Board of Education and used it as a platform to politically divide our citizens while at the same time ramming their personal beliefs down the throats of Texas students.
With blatant disrespect for educational experts and ignoring local voices, these ideologues have systematically dismantled our state’s once great public school system and turned Texas public schools into material for comedians on late night TV.
They have done everything possible to demean our teachers and demoralize our students.
They are trying to create a new state. A divided state.
They must be stopped.
Theirs is not the Texas I know and love. It’s not the Texas my family, friends and neighbors know and love.
Everywhere I go – listening to parents while watching my grandchildren play ball, discussing the issues with friends and colleagues, meeting with teachers in the public schools – I hear parents and teachers disenchanted with the Texas Public School system.
Many parents tell me they are now home schooling their children or looking for alternatives.
Teachers yearn for the pre-testing days when they could focus on the child, not the next benchmark test. Everyone yearns for a time when kids could be kids and teachers and students actually liked getting up and going to school each morning.
That’s why I’m running – to bring the voices of teachers, parents and local community members to Austin.
Help me bring your voice to Austin.
EDUCATION
- Texas A&M University • PhD in Curriculum and Instruction
- Sam Houston State University • MEd in Reading
- Sam Houston State University • Bachelor of Business Administration
- Lovelady High School
EMPLOYMENT
- 16 years • Educational Consultant
- 10 years • University of St. Thomas, Lecturer
- 9 years • Lovelady ISD, Teacher
- 6 years • Stephen F. Austin State University, Assistant Professor
- 4 years • University of Houston, Visiting Assistant Professor
- 3 years • Sam Houston State University, Associate Professor
- 2 years • Spring ISD, Program Director for Secondary Language Arts
- 1 year • Texas A&M University, Supervisor of Student Teachers
PUBLIC SERVICE
- 4 years • Governmental Relations Chair, TX State Reading Association
- 12 years • Governmental Relations Chair, TX Association for the Improvement of Reading
- 25 years • Leader in state and local professional organizations
- Served on numerous Texas Education Agency committees
Texas State Board of Education
New District 8 Map
About SBOE
The State Board of Education is composed of 15 members elected from roughly equally populous SBOE districts. The commissioner of education serves as chief executive officer of the board and supervises the administration of board rules through the Texas Education Agency. Together the board, the commissioner, and TEA facilitate the operation of a vast public school system consisting of 1,237 school districts and charter schools, more than 8,400 campuses, more than 659,000 educators and other employees, and more than 4.8 million schoolchildren.
The responsibilities of the board are to:
- establish policy and provide leadership for the Texas public school system
- adopt policies and set standards for educational programs
- provide the direction necessary to enable Texas public schools to prepare today’s schoolchildren for a successful future
- adopt rules and establish policies that govern a wide range of educational programs and services provided by Texas public schools
- designate and mandate instruction in the knowledge and skills that are essential to a well-balanced curriculum
- review and adopt instructional materials based on those curriculum standards
- oversee the investment of the Permanent School Fund
- approve the creation of charter schools
- adopt regulations and standards for the operation of adult education programs provided by public school districts, junior colleges and universities
Three SBOE committees consider items listed in the board agenda for the scheduled business meeting and review staff progress reports of work underway, proposals for new programs, and suggestions for improving current efforts.
- Committee on Instruction - has primary responsibility for issues dealing with curriculum and instruction, student testing, special education programs, and alternatives to social promotion
- Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund – has primary responsibility for the preliminary work on issues dealing with the Permanent School Fund and school finance
- Committee on School Initiatives – has primary responsibility with issues such as the authorization of new charter schools and rules proposed by the State Board for Educator Certification
The State Board of Education is required to meet at least quarterly.
Voting Information
Make your voice heard!
The Republican Primary is March 6. Early Voting is February 21 through March 2.