Carol Harle is an education professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio and the director for school experiences at CAST Schools.
Hear from the candidate
Please tell voters about yourself.
I’m a “forever educator” and daughter of an Air Force “Purple Heart” pilot father and educator
mother, who modeled service, love and leadership. Our family lived overseas but landed in San
Antonio where I graduated from Marshall HS in Northside ISD. I earned a bachelor’s and
doctorate degree from The University of Texas at Austin, where I met my husband, Sid Harle, a
current state judge. Our children, Kimberly and Paul graduated from O’Connor HS and
grandchildren now attend Ellison Elementary in NISD. Through the years, I served and continue
to serve as an educator, administrator, assistant superintendent, PTA president, school
improvement consultant, university professor and trustee. I currently teach education courses at
UTSA and am Director for School Experiences at CAST Schools. My NISD and public school
“heritage” motivates me to give back with gratitude and “fight” for a district and profession that
provides invaluable learning and life experiences.
List any previous experience in the community or in the education field, such as participation in parent teacher associations, local boards and commissions or neighborhood associations.
- Elected School Board Trustee, Northside ISD District 6, 2013, 2017, 2021
- Elected ESC 20 Board of Directors, Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), 2024
- Appointed SA SMART City Steering Committee 2024-25
- Awarded H-E-B Excellence in Education Statewide School Board Winner, 2023
- Awarded Communities in Schools’ “All in For Kids,” Award, 2022
- Appointed City of San Antonio Commission on Education, District 8, 2021-2023
- Appointed State-wide Judge for the H-E-B School Board of the Year, 2024, 2025
- Appointed Integrated School Supports, Mental Health Support Committee, 2021-current
- Awarded Leadership TASB (Texas Association of School Boards), Master Trustee Designation 2018
- Appointed Building a Stronger Texas- Long Range Planning for Education 2018, State
Board of Education appointee to Long-Range Plan for Public Education Steering
Committee - Elected PTA President, Leon Springs Elem, Stinson MS, O’Connor HS in Northside ISD
- Earned Teacher of the Year
If elected, you’ll likely be facing a budget deficit and the possibility of funding hamstrung by the state. How would you approach these issues? Where should the district turn to save money if needed?
We are currently faced with a budget deficit and an uncertain funding future.
This is how I would approach decision-making:
- Collaborating with our “team of eight” (7 trustees & Superintendent) as fiscal stewards
entrusted with frequently evaluating budgetary status with staff, making plans for the
worst-case and best-case scenarios. Worst-case scenarios may include increasing class
sizes, cutting department budgets, considering open enrollment, streamlining programs
and personnel, freezing hiring and out of state travel, reevaluating contracted services,
and increasing community knowledge and involvement in the budget cut’s impact and
plans. - Collaborating with NISD trustees and staff to inform our community about advocating in
person and in writing regarding our legislative priorities focused on fully funding NISD.
See: NISD 2025 Legislative Priorities - Continuing as a proud NISD alumni, parent, grandparent and trustee to celebrate our
schools through school visits, on social media, attending NISD events, and visiting with
students, staff and community.
What do you think the district’s biggest challenges are in the coming years, and what should be the board’s top areas of focus?
I want Northside ISD to continue to be the best place for students, their families and employees
as it has been for over 75 years. This year we passed a deficit budget which was very
disheartening. It is the “new reality” with state funding diminishing along with inflation, increased
costs, and personnel deserving of higher salaries. The greatest challenge is without additional
funding, excellent programs will have to be streamlined or eliminated. Ensuring NISD continues
its rich history of excellence is essential. This includes attracting and retaining amazing
educators, supporting libraries as hubs of learning, ensuring school safety “hardening” and
mental health and wellness programs continue, supporting 100,000+ students with amazing
choices and opportunities such as innovative courses, magnet programs, fine arts offerings,
dual language, competitions and clubs, college credit, G/T and career and technology courses
with industry-based certifications. Northside ISD exceptionally provides what our children, all
children, rightly deserve.
Please list any relevant endorsements in this race.
Northside ISD local chapter of the Association of Texas Professional Educators.
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