Leander ISD Board President Gloria Gonzales-Dholakia, Ph.D., has earned the designation of Master Trustee upon completion of Leadership TASB, a program sponsored by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB). During this fifth and final session, June 22–24, school board members in the 2022-23 Leadership TASB class made presentations of their team’s findings following yearlong research. Class participants researched five specific critical issues in Texas public education.

“Being chosen to represent Leander ISD and have the opportunity to continue developing my abilities as a school board member in the Leadership TASB Class of 2023 was a great honor,” Gonzales-Dholakia said. “Our district faces challenges and opportunities on multiple fronts — inadequate school funding and rising property taxes, appropriate assessment and accountability, teacher recruitment and retention, student-centered education and options — and I am grateful to learn from best practices and expertise offered through Leadership TASB to benefit Leander ISD.”

The Leadership TASB class met in conjunction with TASB’s Summer Leadership Institute in Fort Worth. More than 1,000 new and veteran school leaders attended the Institute and received extensive training on every facet of effective board governance, heard keynote addresses from renowned education experts, and picked up valuable ideas from district showcases and networking opportunities.

After the graduation ceremony June 23, Leadership TASB participants joined the ranks of more than 900 school board members statewide who are Leadership TASB alumni.

The 2023 Leadership TASB class, composed of 24 school board members, represents Texas school districts of all sizes and property wealth. Participants who completed all required elements of the study program earned Master Trustee status, the highest designation recognized by TASB.

TASB is a voluntary, nonprofit association established in 1949 to serve local Texas school boards. School board members are the largest group of publicly elected officials in the state. The districts they represent serve more than 5.5 million public school students.