SAN BENITO — Michael A. Vargas, secretary of the San Benito School District’s Board of Trustees, was one of 95 school board members selected to develop the Texas Association of School Boards legislative program.
He was elected to the TASB Legislative Advisory Council during a regional grassroots meeting of public school board members earlier this year.
The council met in Austin last month to consider the regional legislative priorities identified by school board members across the state and began developing one statewide list of priorities to guide the association.
“Having been nominated and selected to serve on TASB’s Legislative Advisory Council is a great honor and privilege,” Vargas said.
“It is a consequential and exciting opportunity to be part of the dialogue in setting our legislative priorities for the next legislative session.”
The TASB Advocacy Agenda, created through direct input from Texas school board members, guides the legislative and advocacy efforts of the association on behalf of public school students.
The council discussed issues related to school finance, governance, and accountability during its meeting, which is the first of three.
The priority statements finalized by the council during its next meeting set for June 16 will go to TASB’s Legislative Committee and board of directors for review before they are sent to TASB’s delegate assembly for final adoption in September.
“I look forward to continue working together with other elected school board leaders around the state of Texas who share my focus on providing the best education for our students and a passion for protecting public education,” Vargas said.
TASB is a voluntary, nonprofit association established in 1949 to serve local Texas School districts.
The membership includes every public school district in the state, as well as county school boards, junior colleges, tax appraisal districts, cooperatives and education service centers.
TASB represents the largest group of publicly elected officials in the state.
