Get ready for an eye-opening episode of "Local Politics" as we sit down for an exclusive interview with Judson ISD Board President! In this revealing conversation, we'll uncover the truth behind the school board's spending and savings strategies. Learn firsthand about the main themes, priorities, and challenges that impact educational funding in your community. Hear directly fromJoes Macias the Judson ISD board president as he shares interesting facts and insider perspectives on the decision-making process, budget allocation, and the delicate balance between providing quality education and managing financial resources.
This episode is a must-listen for parents, educators, and anyone interested in understanding the complexities of local politics affecting our schools. Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights into the inner workings of Judson ISD's school board. Tune in and join the conversation!

Timestamps
[0:00] Intro
[1:40] Kevin and Jason call the podcast to order and introduce José
[3:00] José explains what it means to him to be Board President
[5:35] It’s been a minute… José gives an update on the bond vote and why it passed
[11:27] What made the bond vote such a success
[15:00] “Why the change?”: What was behind Dr Ball’s resignation?
[19:20] Kevin digs under the surface to see if something forced Dr Ball to resign
[21:46] An introduction to the new superintendent, Dr Fields
[27:47] What’s the deal with a B-rating?
[29:28] José explains how Dr Fields will be held accountable for his performance
[31:31] José, Kevin, and Jason discuss the impacts of COVID-19 on education in Texas
[33:53] Revisiting the May election results
[37:23] Analyzing Laura Stanford’s and René Paschal’s campaigns
[43:20] “Those are the type of people we need on the board”: A look at Monica Ryan
[45:40] How big does the Judson Independent School District fund balance need to be?
[49:17] The real-life impact of the teacher shortage problem
[51:02] Should budgets be dictated by caution? Kevin says no
[55:20] Teacher retention: The board’s short-term strategy
[57:17] “Is that normal?”: Why don’t we know how much of a deficit the board is running up? [1:00:59] Other ideas to improve teacher retention
[1:02:48] José outlines two issues with the proposed school voucher system
[1:06:20] Playing the devil’s advocate with the school voucher system
[1:07:15] Kevin’s closing thoughts
[1:08:39] “We really have a new, dynamic board”: José’s predictions for the future

Highlight Quote “This year… we’re paying a lot of stipends, we’re paying a lot of one-time additional incentives to make employees stay because… Part of getting our students to grade level incorporates having experienced teachers in the classroom. There’s a correlation between ‘experience’ and ‘student success’, so our goal should be to retain talent because that experience helps students”.
José Macias, Local Politics podcast (48:41)

Links
https://txlocaltalent.com/jose-macias-dist-4-trustee-ep001/ https://txlocaltalent.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/txlocaltalent/ https://www.facebook.com/txlocaltalent https://open.spotify.com/show/7N1EFqBxTHi7oHUAWEqCOE
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1tzUASELeq89GBm1yeHIkw/featured