Policy Fellows will advocate for improvements to early childhood education, multilingual learning, school funding, and teacher recruitment, certification, and retention in Houston.
Houston, TX, October 24, 2024—Teach Plus, a national nonprofit that empowers teachers to lead student-centered improvements in educational policy and instructional practice, has selected a diverse group of 20 Houston-area educators for its 2024-25 Houston Policy Fellowship cohort. Over the next 10 months, Fellows will develop their advocacy skills to generate meaningful education policy change in their districts, the Houston area, and the state on topics ranging from early childhood education, emergent bilinguals, and equitable school funding to teacher preparation, certification, and retention.
“I am excited to build on last year’s success and engage our second cohort of Teach Plus Houston Policy Fellows as they provide leadership and voice on key policy issues impacting their students and Houston-area community. Their expertise and orientation toward data-driven solutions is invaluable to district leaders and state lawmakers seeking to remedy policies and practices that negatively impact student success,” said Kevin Malonson, Teach Plus Texas Executive Director.
“As a Houston Policy Fellow, I want to enhance the curriculum for my district’s teacher mentorship program and establish Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) implementation guidelines for all elective teachers, including fine arts and Career and Technical Education (CTE) educators. District and state leadership must recognize the importance of effective elective teachers in fostering the holistic development of students, while also providing comprehensive mentorship for incoming fine arts educators and rewarding high-performing ones,” said second-year Teach Plus Houston Policy Fellow Paris Kent, who teaches at Bellaire High School.
The 2024-25 Houston Policy Fellowship cohort comprises 20 teachers representing 10 public and public-charter districts, including five elementary, nine middle, and six high school teachers. With 85% of the cohort identifying as teachers of color, Houston Policy Fellows reflect Houston’s diversity and have been nominated for or won Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators, National History, and campus Teacher of the Year awards. Other notable accomplishments include taking home an AFS Intercultural Programs USA Global Educator Award, being honored as a Family School Friendly Champion, serving as an EcoRise Teacher Ambassador, and coaching multiple regional dance championship teams.
“The cohort’s collective skill, knowledge, and experience is the most important element of the Houston Policy Fellowship. We believe that if you put talented, diverse, and passionate teacher leaders in a room together and grant them the autonomy to develop education policy solutions for issues they care most about, they will produce outcomes that improve student performance and the teaching profession in Houston and the state,” said Antonio Sangueza Jr., Teach Plus Texas Houston Policy Manager.
“I hope to influence districts, state leaders, and other teachers to commit to cultural changes that lift our African-American scholars from the bottom of achievement data to the top. This includes leveraging Teach Plus Texas’ organizational experience, reputation, and network to research, develop, and advocate for policies that empower teacher leaders to offer more culturally competent curricula that speaks more directly to students and inspires them to take their education into their own hands,” said Chad Hardy, first-year Teach Plus Houston Policy Fellow, who teaches at Spring Leadership Academy.
2024-25 Houston Policy Fellows:
- Abdul Adaya, Houston ISD, West Briar Middle School
- Olutope Aghedo, Houston ISD, South Early College High School
- Brittany Bogan, Spring ISD, Deloras E Thompson Elementary
- Nilaja Brown-Roberts, KIPP Texas Schools, KIPP Liberation Middle
- Elizabeth Chapman, Houston ISD, Bellaire High School
- Mariano Garcia, Pasadena ISD, Garfield Elementary
- Chad Hardy, Spring ISD, Spring Leadership Academy
- Laura Henry, Houston ISD, Cesar Chavez High
- Monica Hill, Houston ISD, Secondary Disciplinary Alternative Education Program
- Brandon Jenkins, Galena Park ISD, Woodland Acres Elementary
- Paris Kent, Houston ISD, Bellaire High
- Kelly Knight, Katy ISD, Katy High
- Dwayne Lacy, Katy ISD, Beckendorff Junior High
- Norma Mottu’ Garza, Crosby ISD, Charles R. Drew Elementary
- Aylyn Munoz, Houston ISD, James DeAnda Elementary
- Ijeoma Okotie, Yes Prep Public, Yes Prep West Secondary
- Lakeisha Patterson, Deer Park ISD, Deepwater Elementary
- Willie Powell, Aldine ISD, Lewis Middle
- Leigh Prejean, Klein ISD, Doerre Intermediate
- Lindell Ware, Alief ISD, Miller Intermediate
If interested in interviewing Executive Director Kevin Malonson or any of the Fellows, please contact Kelly Pearce at kpearce@teachplus.org or 928-925-9236.
About Teach Plus
Teach Plus is dedicated to the mission of empowering excellent, experienced, and diverse teachers to take leadership over key policy and practice issues that advance equity, opportunity, and student success. In pursuing our mission, Teach Plus is guided by our Student Opportunity Mandate: All students should have the opportunity to achieve their potential in an education system defined by its commitment to equity, its responsiveness to individual needs, and its ability to prepare students for postsecondary success. Since 2009, Teach Plus has developed thousands of teacher leaders across the country to exercise their leadership in shaping education policy and improving teaching and learning for students. https://teachplus.org/tx/
