Mansfield ISD School Board Launches Engage Mansfield ISD to Strengthen Community Voice in State Education Policy

MANSFIELD, TX — The Mansfield ISD School Board today announced the launch of Engage Mansfield ISD, a districtwide advocacy initiative designed to ensure MISD parents, students, teachers, and community members understand how decisions made at the Texas State Capitol directly impact local schools and the public school experience.

While classrooms are where learning happens, many of the policies that shape funding,
mandates, accountability systems, and student programs are determined at the state level.
Following the 89th Texas Legislative Session in January 2025 and looking ahead to the 90th
Session in January 2027, the MISD School Board is committed to increasing awareness and engagement around state decisions that affect Mansfield ISD students.

“Unfunded mandates may seem small,” said Trustee Ana-Alicia Horn, “but when you multiply that across every campus, that is a substantial amount of time taken away from direct student learning.”

Engage Mansfield ISD provides clear explanations of legislative priorities, updates on policy
developments, and resources to help community members communicate with state representatives. The initiative is designed to empower the Mansfield community to understand the process and use its voice.

“We have to talk to the people that make the decisions about our children, because we are here — we’re at Ground Zero,” said Trustee Michelle Newsom. “Our students and teachers feel the impact of those decisions every day.”

The School Board’s legislative priorities focus on:

1. Fund Schools First
2. Fully Fund State Mandates
3. A-F Accountability Reform
4. Prioritize Public Dollars for Public Schools

Through Engage Mansfield ISD, the Board seeks to strengthen transparency, elevate
community voice, and ensure Mansfield’s more than 35,000 students are represented when
critical education policy decisions are made.

Community members can learn more at engage.mansfieldisd.org