• Prosper ISD Board of Trustees chosen as one of 8 districts for Innovative Advocacy Program to Educate, Engage, and Advocate at State Capitol

    The Prosper ISD Board of Trustees was selected to participate in the newest cohort of the Trustee Advocates Program through Raise Your Hand Texas. This Raise Your Hand Texas initiative trains Texas school districts and their locally elected trustees to educate, engage, and activate their school districts and local communities to amplify their voices in state public education policy and advocacy. 

    With the success of the program's inaugural cohort, Raise Your Hand Texas is eager to equip more Texas school boards and district superintendents to participate in state education policy making. 

    "Public school board trustees and school superintendents bring a unique and important voice to the table in public education policy debates at the Texas Capitol," said Dr. Libby Cohen, senior director of advocacy for Raise Your Hand Texas. "These local leaders can offer invaluable firsthand experience and on-the-ground insight, helping shape meaningful, sustainable policy that benefits the students, teachers, and the public school community."

    School districts from all state regions applied, and Raise Your Hand Texas leadership selected eight school districts through the application and interview process. Competitive grants for the second cohort are awarded to Corsicana ISD, Pearland ISD, Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD , Plano ISD, Port Aransas ISD, Prosper ISD, Temple ISD, and Tomball ISD. 

    Over the course of the 18-month fellowship, Trustee Advocates will learn to build a local public education advocacy network that encourages community connectedness and influences state legislative outcomes. Trustees and Superintendents will also have the opportunity to learn and build relationships with others across Texas. 

    "The Trustee Advocates Program helps connect local leaders with the tools and know-how they need to advocate for public school students and teachers. The program aims to lift up the voices and expertise of local leaders at the Texas Capitol," said Missy Bender, trustee-in-residence and regional advocacy director for Raise Your Hand Texas. 

    The Trustee Advocates Program is issue-based and nonpartisan. It will be held in accordance with the Open Meetings Act. As a Texas Education Agency-registered provider of continuing education, Raise Your Hand Texas will award continuing education credit to participants for the hours spent in training.