Mike Villarreal is a former Texas House representative and co-founded two software businesses. He had a 15-year tenure in the Texas Legislature followed by research projects focused on K-12 and higher education. Villarreal was also the Associate Commissioner of Higher Education in Texas from 2022-2024.
Please tell voters about yourself.
My wife and I, now 53, sent our two children through San Antonio ISD schools – from Bonham Academy to the Advanced Learning Academy at Fox Tech. We experienced firsthand how positive school cultures support student growth. We are forever grateful to the educators who supported our children’s academic and personal development. This family history drives my candidacy. I’m running for school board because all children deserve this opportunity. For every decision, I’ll put our children’s education first. As the first in my family to earn a college degree (Texas A&M bachelor’s, Harvard master’s, UT Austin PhD in education policy), I understand education’s life-changing power. Our community wants education dollars directly supporting students. With over 25 years in education policy and research – including 15 years in the state legislature, founding UTSA’s Urban Education Institute, and serving as Assistant Commissioner of Higher Education – I’ll help ensure this happens. During these challenging times, our schools need a strong advocate. I’ll fight for our public schools by effectively communicating our needs to state and federal officials, building partnerships with local governments, recruiting reading tutors and mentors, and connecting with businesses to provide job shadowing and internships for students.
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.
My most important qualification is being an SAISD parent. I’ve experienced our district firsthand as my children advanced from Bonham Academy to ALA at Fox Tech, giving me firsthand insight into our district’s strengths and challenges. During my years in the legislature, I championed education improvements that matter to families: making college more affordable, expanding quality childcare options, creating innovative school models, connecting classroom learning to real-world jobs, and developing better ways to measure student success beyond endless testing. This work continued when I founded UTSA’s Urban Education Institute, researching effective strategies for all students, especially those facing disadvantages. Later, as an Assistant Commissioner of Higher Education, I transformed complex education data into insights that help students succeed through college and into rewarding careers—regardless of their pathway through a two-year or four-year college.
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?
Working with fellow trustees, I’ll analyze our spending to identify administrative costs and contracts we can trim before touching anything that directly helps children learn. I’ll work with the board to establish policies that encourage everyone outside the classroom to contribute directly to our mission—substitute teaching, running clubs, mentoring students, or tutoring readers. This approach will help staff understand classroom realities. Together with the board, I’ll work to foster partnerships with businesses, universities/colleges, and community organizations to bring resources to our classrooms. Our district needs volunteers serving as tutors and mentors, and businesses offering job shadowing and internships that connect education to careers. I’ll push to turn closed buildings into revenue generators that support students rather than sitting empty. I’ll use my legislative experience to help the board secure our district’s fair share of state funding, advocating that no dollar remains in Austin that could be helping our kids.
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?
SAISD faces serious challenges: Seven of 10 third graders read below grade level, fewer students are enrolling in college-credit high school courses, and government funding continues to shrink. While addressing our budget shortfall is essential, we must also invest in innovation by listening to our teachers. One educator suggested reducing dyslexia testing from 12 months to one 9-week grading period and ensuring every elementary school has two reading specialists—standard practice in Northside districts. We should learn from our success stories, like the SAISD elementary school where nearly 6 out of 10 third graders read at grade level. What can we learn from this bright spot? I’ll work to reduce paperwork burdens on teachers, giving them time to be creative. I’ll advocate for an innovation fund to test promising ideas and carefully scale what works. These improvements will help students and make SAISD a place where great teachers want to work.
Please list any relevant endorsements in this race.
Many current and former teachers have put their trust in me—too many to name here. I’ve also earned support from the public officials fighting hardest for our schools: State Senator Jose Menendez, State Representative Diego Bernal, United States Congressman Joaquin Castro and County Commissioner Justin Rodriguez, who began his public service on the SAISD school board. I’ll work closely with them and other local leaders to bring more resources to our classrooms and find practical solutions that directly benefit our students.
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