Castleberry ISD candidates forum spotlights funding, special education and teacher pay

Two candidates for the Castleberry ISD school board — Janice Carroll and Kevin Robles — laid out priorities including state funding shortfalls, supports for students with disabilities and teacher compensation during a candidates forum moderated by Dave Bierce.

The forum, held and livestreamed by the district, featured opening and closing statements, 12 audience questions and roughly 35 minutes of candidate Q&A. Both candidates emphasized community engagement and student success as guiding principles for board decisions ahead of early voting beginning April 22 and Election Day on May 3.

Janice Carroll, a longtime Castleberry resident and parent, said she has attended board meetings regularly and described her candidacy as rooted in local experience. "I have been a member of this community for over 20 years," Carroll said in her opening remarks, and she pointed to volunteer work with boosters, PTO and school events to illustrate her ongoing involvement.

Kevin Robles, a Castleberry graduate who described himself as an executive leader at a nonprofit, highlighted his experience with budgets and board governance. Robles said the district must advocate for more state funding and use local outreach to retain programs and staff. "I refuse to stand by and stand still, for a public education," he told attendees.

Both candidates identified state funding as a primary challenge. Carroll noted the district is operating on a funding baseline she said has not increased since February 2019; Robles urged advocacy at local, state and federal levels and pointed to the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) as a tool to retain educators. Robles said the district should increase the number of teachers receiving TIA bonuses and pair high-performing teachers with newer staff to raise overall performance and retention.

Special education and services for students with disabilities drew sustained attention from questioners. Carroll said the board's role is governance and that the superintendent and administration implement special-education programming, but she urged families to bring ideas to the board for consideration. Robles said the board should rely on administration and specialists to recommend day-to-day approaches and then measure results with key performance indicators. Both candidates said they would work to protect special-education services during budget deliberations.

On teacher compensation, the candidates agreed compensation must align with district goals and data. Robles recommended clear compensation budgeting, expanded use of TIA and targeted support for teachers who could benefit from mentoring; Carroll pointed to existing district practices such as partner teachers and stipends that reward tenure and leadership in schools.

When asked how they would build trust between the board and families, both candidates stressed visibility and community presence. Carroll recommended attendance at school events and use of the district's public comment period; Robles said board members should attend neighborhood events and solicit community input.

The candidates also spoke about student supports outside the classroom. Both highlighted the ACE after-school program as a resource that provides tutoring and supervised care for working families. Robles emphasized basic needs and community partnerships, saying school success often depends on stable home supports.

Background and logistics from the forum were noted on the record: Dave Bierce served as moderator and Robert Cantu was the timekeeper; the forum followed a timed format (opening statements, audience questions, closing remarks) and was livestreamed on the district's YouTube account. No formal board actions or votes occurred during the forum.

In closing remarks, Carroll framed her candidacy as continuity and community service; Robles said his leadership experience and values would guide him on the board and warned that "student outcomes aren't going to change until adult behaviors do." Both urged voters to participate in the upcoming election.

The forum provided voters with side-by-side statements on funding, special education, teacher pay and community outreach but produced no formal decisions; the election will determine who — if either candidate — joins the board.