Karen Freeman is a trustee for Northside ISD, and four of her kids graduated from the district.
Hear from the candidate
Please tell voters about yourself.
I was born in Rochester, New York and grew up in the Central Florida area. I graduated from University of Central Florida with a BS Degree in Medical Technology. My husband served 20 years in the USAF, spending most of his military career in San Antonio. We have 4 children who all began kindergarten in NISD, graduated from NISD, and were successful as students and now as adults. Public education is under attack and critical decisions face the NISD Board. My deep understanding of the issues and of NISD’s strengths and challenges help inform my decisions. I choose to serve as stability and experience on our Board is needed more than ever. The stability and experience on our Board contributed in part to the Board earning the H-E-B Excellence in EducationAward for School Boards in 2023. Public schools are the heart of our community. Serving on the Board allows me to help ensure all children continue to have opportunities to enhance their educational experience. I am committed to continue to improve on all that we do and ensure NISD remains the premier district that we know and expect.
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.
Since my children began school, I consistently served in leadership roles on PTA boards and booster clubs, chaired many a school carnival and fundraiser and earned PTA Texas Life Membership. I served 12 years on the Board of Directors for the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) and earned master trustee designation from TASB. I have served on the board that founded the Helotes Chamber of Commerce and served in that role for 7 years and earned the Helotes Chamber Lifetime Achievement Award. Before board service, I served on several board appointed advisory committees such as the Boundary Committee, Citizens Bond Advisory Committee for several bonds, Bond Committees for several bonds beginning in 1995, and Strategic Planning Committees. My extensive volunteer work in NISD before becoming a Board member prepared me for Board service and gave me an insight into the issues facing the school district.
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?
Our Board adopted a deficit budget last year hoping to receive new money as the state was flush with funds. That did not materialize. A deficit budget is not sustainable and we have begun the budget process making decisions that I support. There are two major priorities:
- No one will lose their job.
- We will refrain from directly impacting students.
Measures in place include:
- A targeted hiring freeze
- Departments have been asked to report what a 10% reduction in expenses will look like and then
then the effects of additional cost cutting measures.
We will not be closing schools next year and we agree to explore a compensation plan that keeps us competitive in Bexar County. The trustees and I also agree to explore the possibility of open enrollment as well as a TRE in November of 2026 to help increase revenue.
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?
Challenges in upcoming years:
- Adequate funding.
- Vouchers and ESAs – If they do not pass this year, we will be facing the issue again next year
- Teacher recruitment and retention
- Passing bond elections
- Providing the necessary resources to educate our increasing numbers of emergent bilingual and
special needs students
Please list any relevant endorsements in this race.
I have been endorsed by Northside 20 Local ATPE – Association of Texas Professional Educators, Dr. Brian Woods, Dr. John Folks, Ed Rawlinson and all past NISD superintendents.
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