I don't just talk about change and hope somebody else handles it.
I organize communities, build coalitions and get things done. I've been doing that in and around Austin ISD for more than ten years, long before I thought about running for the School Board. I’m not theoretical. I’m not a risk. I’ve already proven I can do this job.
Here's The Rundown On Me.
I'm Edward M. Bradfield, an Austin native who was raised in Allandale and graduated from Anderson High School. I still live in District 4 with my kids. Two of them are still in Austin ISD classrooms. My oldest headed off to college in Kentucky, which still feels pretty strange to write. (They do grow up too fast.)
Over the past decade I've spent time in every corner of this district: classrooms, front offices, PTA meetings, ARD meetings, and yes, more school board meetings than I care to admit. I've worked alongside parents, teachers, campus staff, district leadership, the Texas Education Agency, and folks at the state level. I’ve got a range of experience with Austin ISD. I know this district. Warts and all.
I'll also tell you that district leadership probably wouldn't pick me as their number one choice in candidates. I'm fine with that. They know me well enough to know that I’ll represent the people who elected me, I'll ask hard questions and challenge them to find new solutions to the problems that exist now and the others that come up in the future. I won’t maintain status quo. There’s an opportunity for change. Let’s make the most of it.
My whole approach starts from one idea: Just because it’s the way it’s always been done doesn't mean it's the way it should be done.
The seemingly eternal game of Whack-A-Mole the District has been playing needs to end. Now.
Lamar Middle School PTA President - Elected 3X
Parents and teachers elected me President of the Lamar Middle School PTA three separate times, even though term limits only allowed two. I like to think that says something good about me, more than an indication of lunacy in others.
During my time with the PTA, I had the good fortune of working with an incredible group of parents, teachers, staff and volunteers who were willing to work to raise the bar together. And raise it we did. We raised more money than any Lamar PTA before us, expanded teacher and staff appreciation, funded and expanded after school clubs and tutoring, and built bigger student events that pulled more families into the life of the school. It was a lot of work, honestly, but we had fun doing it. That mattered too. People show up and stay involved when the work is important and leads to good.
Where I’ll Start As Your District 4 Representative
This is my take right now. I want to hear from each of you to revise, add or delete:
1. I will communicate with the people who live in District 4. I'll tell you what's happened, what's happening, and what's coming up.
2. I will fight a state takeover of this district, and push Austin ISD and TEA to find a real solution together instead of just accepting whatever gets handed down.
3. I want a balanced budget with no deficit.
4. I want teachers paid more.
5. I want Burnet and Webb kept open, and Linder and Pecan Springs addressed immediately so we're not back in this same spot next year.
6. I want Austin ISD to grow enrollment, because families should be choosing this district, not leaving it.
7. I want to end the surprises.
8. I want to address recapture in the wake of HB3, the Midland lawsuit, and in case of a TEA takeover of Austin ISD.
I'm going to visit schools and meet with parents. I'm going to be visible and available, not just when there's an election on the ballot.
I've spent ten years proving that I show up, organize people and get results even when it's uncomfortable.
That's how every good thing I've ever helped happen in this district actually happened, and it's how I intend to serve District 4 on the Board.
Dobie, Burnet, and Webb:
Why I Fight for Neighborhood Schools
While I was serving as PTA President at Lamar Middle School, Austin ISD surprised us one spring, with the news that they were closing Dobie Middle School and folding the entire Dobie community into Lamar Middle School. There was no true plan. There were no answers. Of course, everyone is welcome at Lamar but the Dobie community did not want to lose their neighborhood school. The Lamar community couldn’t get answers on how it was going to work. Parents, Teachers and Staff were angry about the lack of transparency and communication. I got to work immediately. I organized Dobie and Lamar families, teachers and staff. I built a coalition between both campuses, gathered research on student needs, how the change would truly impact students on a daily basis, educational opportunities, staffing, transportation, and community impact. The results were shocking. And eye opening. Shockingly eye opening. I took our findings to both communities. And then to the district and the TEA. I also pushed the state to release accountability ratings for Burnet and Webb, because that information mattered to the whole conversation. I was bad mouthed. I was threatened. But I continued. I was elected to represent the Parents and the Teachers. That’s what I did.
It wasn't easy. But it was worth doing for thousands of students then and thousands more in the future. In the end, the district changed course. Dobie stayed open and was given the tools it needed to succeed. This year Dobie finally broke its long streak of failing state ratings. I couldn’t be more proud that I helped organize the fight that helped make that possible.
Burnet and Webb are a different story right now, and it's a big part of why I'm running. Both schools have hit five consecutive failing ratings, which means state intervention is required by law. Something is going to happen. The TEA has two choices for each school; either close the school or takeover the district. Or both.
The Road Ahead:
I'm Against A Full State Takeover Of Austin ISD.
I also stand with the students, families, teachers and staff of Burnet and Webb. I will help them however I can.
At this point, I'd rather see Austin ISD end up with something closer to what Wichita Falls worked out with the state than what happened in Houston or Fort Worth. I want to know what the people in District 4 think. I want to build a consensus and work toward whatever the majority of us decide is the right path forward with TEA. And I want everyone to know the options.
In my dealings with them, I’ve always found TEA to be reasonable. I hope that holds true. But if not, I’m still ready to represent the people who elected me. And ready to fight as hard as needed.
I also want Austin ISD to address and turn schools like Linder and Pecan Springs around immediately before they land us right back in this same spot next year.
Special Education
Special education isn't the top issue for most District 4 families, but it's personal in my house every single day, since one of my kids receives services. I know ARDs, IEPs, all the other acronym forms, evaluations and the mountain of paperwork that comes with all of it, and I know what it takes to make sure a child actually gets what they're owed, not just on paper but in the classroom every day. I've fought for my own child, helped other families fight for theirs, and even created a business built around giving kids with disabilities the same educational and social opportunities as everyone else.
Austin ISD has made real progress here after years of families pushing and a mandatory TEA intervention. My goal is making sure the district keeps that promise without TEA ever having to force it again
Why I'm Running
Austin ISD has real problems right now, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. We're staring down a state takeover and/or school closures. Our teacher pay is the lowest in Central Texas. Enrollment keeps sliding. The district just worked through roughly $205 million in budget cuts and is still looking at more deficits in the years to come. We need to end all of that.
Austin ISD also has a lot going for it that gets buried, and I refuse to let the bad overshadow the good. The district just earned an overall B rating from the state. We have teachers who show up every day for kids, staff who keep buildings running and families all over this city who care enormously. That's a foundation worth building on, and I believe we can build something genuinely good if we're willing to think about this differently.
Want to Get Involved?
Tell me what your thoughts and join the campaign. This district works better when more of us are involved.