2026 Texas General Election

2026 Texas General Runoff

Nonpartisan

Why I'm Running

For over a decade, I have dedicated my career to advancing educational equity and systemic justice. As a twenty-year resident of Austin, former educator, and current AISD parent, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of a strong school system. My background in law, public education, and community advocacy has equipped me with the tools to lead with compassion and authority.

Cynthia Soliz for Austin ISD

Why are you running for this position?
I have done educational work in Austin since 2008 on everything from bilingual education and lead remediation to educator defenses. I am staunchly committed to the best public school experience and opportunities for the children of Austin. Having two older AISD students, it would be easier for me to walk away knowing that my kids will turn out fine; but, the current risk to an educated electorate is too powerful to ignore.

Q&A: Meet the candidates for Austin ISD At-Large Position 9 ahead of Nov. 3 election

Cynthia Soliz is a parent of two older students in the Austin Independent School District.

Q&A: Meet the candidates for Austin ISD At-Large Position 9 ahead ...

Cynthia Soliz
Lawyer/Litigator specializing in the representation of marginalized groups at Soliz Coleman, PLLC. Former: Educator, AISD Counsel, PTA VP(x2), SHAC Chair. Current: School Advocate, Lawyer, #AISDProud Mom(x2) and Volunteer(x lots)
Website:www.cynthiasolizforaustinaisd.com

Cynthia currently works as a lawyer and litigator at Soliz Coleman, PLLC. She previously worked as an educator and as counsel for Austin Independent School District.

Continue to advocate for a change in the recapture formula to take into account suburban and urban school district needs. An easy fix would be to divide the property tax dollars by enrolled students at any ISD, this would change the formula so that urban school districts (with their large enrollment) would be on more equal footing with rural districts that have a higher land-to-student ratio.

Advocate at the state level for better accountability measures. I hate nothing like I hate STAAR testing and now with the addition of all the “benchmark” (MAP) tests, there is no time for actual teaching and learning.

Responding to Education Austin’s Questionnaire

Advocates for state accountability reforms, arguing that State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness and benchmark tests reduce time for teaching and learning.

- Advocates for state accountability reforms, arguing that State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness and benchmark tests reduce time for teaching and learning.

School Curriculum

Additionally, the District needs to actively pursue private partnerships and develop a system that easily allows AISD to accept more opportunities. When water polo was on the chopping block, USA Water Polo was willing to make a financial contribution to help keep the sport in UIL compliance, but because there was not a system to allocate money to a specific sport, the District was unable to accept that help.

Sometimes AISD gets around this by passing a resolution that says that the Board instructs the superintendent or his designee to do some kind of real estate transaction. That is what happened in the situation with the old Rosedale school. I think it is particularly problematic to have a Board that may not understand all the legalities and responsibilities and what exactly they are authorizing the District to do without their oversight. I would, if elected, ask the Board to be weary of “authorizations of power,” granted to the District regarding real estate transactions (and Bond construction, honestly). I would pull back all prior authorizations so that the Board could be informed of what is actually happening on some of these projects. Sometimes the authorization the district is working under is four or five years old!

I would, if elected, ask the Board to be weary of “authorizations of power,” granted to the District regarding real estate transactions (and Bond construction, honestly). I would pull back all prior authorizations so that the Board could be informed of what is actually happening on some of these projects. Sometimes the authorization the district is working under is four or five years old! There needs to be a full scale review and reassignment of said authorizations for a year so that the Board can at least be kept abreast of projects every year.

Longterm: 

Stop selling schools. Work on private-public partnerships to get those building retrofitted as subsidized housing for teachers. I know there is a similar program happening currently, and I hope it is wildly successful and can be used as a blueprint for other shuttered campuses.

Advocates pursuing private partnerships and creating a system for Austin Independent School District to take advantage of more opportunities.

Proposes rescinding prior real estate and bond-construction delegations and reviewing them annually so the board stays informed of projects.

Proposes retaining closed school buildings and retrofitting them as subsidized housing for teachers through public-private partnerships.

- Advocates pursuing private partnerships and creating a system for Austin Independent School District to take advantage of more opportunities.
- Proposes rescinding prior real estate and bond-construction delegations and reviewing them annually so the board stays informed of projects.
- Proposes retaining closed school buildings and retrofitting them as subsidized housing for teachers through public-private partnerships.

School Facilities & Resources

What would your top priorities be if elected?
Mitigating the impact of TEA action on AISD. Whether it’s full takeover, conservatorship, or monitoring, my number one goal is to mitigate the impact to students. It is imperative that we do this by creating the least disruption at the campus level: support where needed; but, trust and autonomy where it’s not.

Plans to minimize disruption to students from Texas Education Agency action by providing campus support where needed while maintaining autonomy elsewhere.

- Plans to minimize disruption to students from Texas Education Agency action by providing campus support where needed while maintaining autonomy elsewhere.

Student Wellbeing

The truth is that even lay people can recognize strong and struggling teachers. I wish there was more observation and feedback available in the classrooms, not as a means of scoring, but as a manner of constructive feedback. Unfortunately, that option would require more money for more bodies and that is just not an option at this time. I firmly believe that supporting teachers leads to the best academic outcomes.

I firmly believe that supporting teachers leads to the best academic outcomes. If we are not going to equip our teachers with both the resources and the space to teach, any discussion of academic growth is a farce.

In order to have a real discussion about growth at schools, we have to have the discussion of resources. I think that schools that are historically under-resourced should have lower thresholds for accountability. I think there should be more money, not less autonomy, for teachers who choose to go where they are most needed. And I think we could lift whole communities with programming in areas that lack it.

Supports providing teachers resources and space to teach, and more constructive classroom observation and feedback.

Supports additional funding and teacher autonomy for educators who work where they are most needed.

- Supports providing teachers resources and space to teach, and more constructive classroom observation and feedback.
- Supports additional funding and teacher autonomy for educators who work where they are most needed.

Teachers

Austin ISD is a tremendous District. The highs are truly high: three of the top high school programs in the nation are within Austin ISD! (LASA, Ann Richards, and IB at Anderson.) This district should not have an enrollment problem. The real problem is that these programs and access to that level of excellence is not universally available. We need to get rid of old mindsets regarding tracking patterns and even vertical teams. People come to AISD (and any District, Manor New Tech High School as an example) for excellent or interesting programming.

Immediately, I think the District should charge the most financially stable households for transportation to magnet or school-choice programs and use the offset to create greater access for more students to said programs, thus creating better access.

We believe in a future where every student in Austin ISD has the opportunity to thrive. Our mission is to lead with integrity and compassion, ensuring that our schools are the foundation of a more just and equitable community for all. A huge part of that is keeping public education public. We will do whatever we can to fight against TEA intrusion in that mission.

I believe that the AISD Board of Trustees has the same role regardless of circumstance: the dutiful service to the constituency in overseeing the best allocation of resources for the educational goals of the District as a whole and students, individually. If TEA were to take over AISD, it would be the role of the elected Trustees, at that point, to advocate for the local control of the District and do everything legally possible to fight the takeover. I have never once gone quietly into the night or backed away from public advocacy and I don’t plan on starting now.

Equity & Access

We are committed to closing the achievement gap by providing every student with the resources and support they need to succeed, regardless of their background.

Proposes ending student tracking practices and vertical teams to broaden access to high-quality academic programs.

Proposes charging financially stable households for transportation to magnet and choice programs to expand student access.

Calls for keeping public education public and defending Austin Independent School District's local control against Texas Education Agency intervention.

Committed to closing the achievement gap by providing every student resources and support regardless of background.

- Proposes ending student tracking practices and vertical teams to broaden access to high-quality academic programs.
- Proposes charging financially stable households for transportation to magnet and choice programs to expand student access.
- Calls for keeping public education public and defending Austin Independent School District's local control against Texas Education Agency intervention.
- Committed to closing the achievement gap by providing every student resources and support regardless of background.

Access to Education

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Cynthia Soliz

- Proposes retaining closed school buildings and retrofitting them as subsidized housing for teachers through public-private partnerships.

- Calls for keeping public education public and defending Austin Independent School District's local control against Texas Education Agency intervention.
- Committed to closing the achievement gap by providing every student resources and support regardless of background.

Alejandra Gracias

Mauricio Mendez

Kirk Becker
IT Support, retired. Average student, great test scores. Mayoral Candidate for Affordable Housing back in 1997.
Website:www.Kirk4AISD.com

Q&A: Meet the candidates for Austin ISD at-large Position 9 ahead of Nov. 3 election

As of September 19, 2026, Kirk Becker did not have a website or any information online.

Kirk Becker
IT Support, retired. Average student, great test scores. Mayoral Candidate for Affordable Housing back in 1997.
Website:www.Kirk4AISD.com
What would your top priorities be if elected?
Whether the state takes over, or all the students move to charter schools, there isn't going to be anything to do except, as specified in the state takeover law, set the tax rate. There isn't any practical middle ground between zero and the current tax rates, I'd prioritize $0.

How would you support students, families and staff amid ongoing budget constraints?
Anybody among us can set up a non-profit to attract donations to support charter schools, after school and tutoring programs in exchange for technical assistance and the right to evaluate the performance of participating charter schools. It should be a two-way street.

Prioritizes a $0 tax rate if a state takeover or students leaving for charter schools make maintaining a tax rate impractical.

Proposes that nonprofits raise donations for charter schools, after-school programs, and tutoring in exchange for receiving technical assistance and performance evaluation.

- Prioritizes a $0 tax rate if a state takeover or students leaving for charter schools make maintaining a tax rate impractical.
- Proposes that nonprofits raise donations for charter schools, after-school programs, and tutoring in exchange for receiving technical assistance and performance evaluation.

Kirk Becker
IT Support, retired. Average student, great test scores. Mayoral Candidate for Affordable Housing back in 1997.
Website:www.Kirk4AISD.com
Why are you running for this position?
To address the concerns over students leaving AISD for state-supported and funded Charter Schools. What if everybody does it -- moves their kids into Charter Schools? No students, no state funding, no need for an AISD tax. This would free up funding to support charter schools, albeit voluntarily.

Said that a universal shift to charter schools would make Austin Independent School District taxes and state funding unnecessary while allowing voluntary funding for charter schools.

- Said that a universal shift to charter schools would make Austin Independent School District taxes and state funding unnecessary while allowing voluntary funding for charter schools.

Kirk Becker

As of September 19, 2026, Kirk Becker’s website did not contain information on this issue.

LinkedIn

Pamela Mathai is running for the At-Large seat on the AISD Board of Trustees. A public school teacher for 15 years and a mom with a child in AISD, she's running to protect Austin's public schools from state takeover, and to make sure every family has access to safe, quality public education.

Pamela for AISD Place 9

Pamela Mathai spent 15 years teaching in Texas public schools: starting in Houston, then Dallas, and now Austin; including at Ann Richards School and Navarro High School. She stepped away from the classroom after her youngest child was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and needed her direct care. Now that her daughter is back in daycare full-time, Pamela is channeling that same dedication into protecting the public schools her own family relies on.

Pamela has 15 years of experience as an educator.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing Austin ISD right now, and how would you address it?
The biggest challenge facing AISD is state takeover. If TEA takes over, this will result in removal of the elected board. I will work with local and state groups to find ways to resist the effects of a takeover and be prepared to take back control once we are reinstated.

From a Parent’s Perspective

As a parent, she knows a child's success can't be measured by test scores alone. It's happy teachers, engaged families, and a rich range of learning experiences that help kids thrive.

Believes the biggest challenge in the Austin Independent School District is a "state takeover."

Thinks that a child's success cannot be measured by test scores alone, but by happy teachers, engaged families, and a wide range of learning experiences that help a child thrive.

- Believes the biggest challenge in the Austin Independent School District is a "state takeover."
- Thinks that a child's success cannot be measured by test scores alone, but by happy teachers, engaged families, and a wide range of learning experiences that help a child thrive.

What would your top priorities be if elected?
My number one priority is to safeguard the learning experience of students by protecting the autonomy of teachers and independence of our district. I will focus on student outcomes by prioritizing funding schools based on need and by protecting pay for classified and non-classified staff.

Focused on funding schools based on need and protecting pay for classified and non-classified staff.

- Focused on funding schools based on need and protecting pay for classified and non-classified staff.

As of September 19, 2026, Pamela Mathai’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Pamela Mathai

Pamela Mathai is a mother with a child in Austin Independent School District.

Pamela currently teaches in Austin public schools. She previously taught in Houston and Dallas, including at Ann Richards School and Navarro High School.

Isaac Brickman

Advocates for increasing the basic funding per student to match the national average.

- A trustee is an elected member of a local school board who helps govern a public school district.

- Trustees represent community interests and are responsible for setting policies that guide how the school district operates.

- The board of trustees hires and evaluates the superintendent, who manages the day-to-day operations of the district.

- Trustees approve the district’s budget, monitor spending, and may set the local tax rate or call for bond elections to fund schools.

- The board also oversees educational programs, district goals, and overall performance.

- In Texas, trustees are elected to four-year terms, often on a rotating basis, so not all seats are elected at the same time.

- Trustees serve without financial compensation.

An official who sets policy for a local school district. 

Texas Trustee, Austin ISD, Position 9

Election results

Runoff election

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School Curriculum

School Facilities & Resources

Student Wellbeing

Teachers

Access to Education