Courtney Boswell MacDonald
Courtney Boswell MacDonald has been appointed to chair Governor Abbott’s new Texas Classroom Commission. MacDonald is a former classroom teacher and current chair of the State Board for Educator Certification. She graduated from Lake Highlands High School in 1999.
The Texas Classroom Commission brings together accomplished educators to help shape the future of public education, strengthen student achievement and ensure that Texas becomes the number one state for educating children, according to a press release.
“Texas teachers have the talent, understanding and expertise to ensure that every Texas student succeeds,” Abbott said. “That’s why educators must be at the center of the conversation.”
The new commission plans to build on the success of prior interim workgroups like the Teacher Vacancy Taskforce and the Texas Commission on Special Education Funding. Those efforts worked to increase special education funding, raise teacher compensation, expand the Teacher Incentive Allotment and restore discipline in Texas classrooms.
The Texas Classroom Commission consists of current and former public school educators, including Bobbie Lynn Weir of Richardson ISD, Eric Hale of Dallas ISD, Jean Streepey of Highland Park ISD, Cassidy Estes of Amarillo ISD, Abbigale Grataski of Calallen ISD, Crystal Stipes of Comanche ISD, Danette Wofford of Nacogdoches ISD, Dawnna Talley of Ector County ISD, Hannah Landry of Bridge City ISD, JoMeka Gray of Temple ISD, Karla Guevara of Riesel ISD, Laura Fanning of Lubbock ISD, Matthew Driver of Bushland ISD, Nidia De La Cerda of Tuloso-Midway ISD, Noe Perez of Los Fresnos CISD, Sergio Arjon of Houston ISD, Susanne Whitley of Tomball ISD, Tevin King of IDEA Public Schools – El Paso, Tiffany Kilcoyne of Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD, Valton Acree of Yorktown ISD and Veronica Bayne of Killeen ISD.
Commission members will provide practical, classroom-informed recommendations to the governor, the Texas Education Agency and the Texas legislature ahead of the 90th legislative session.
