# Texas State Board of Education Candidates: 2026 Voter Guide

> Texas voters choose SBOE candidates for 2026 education policy shifts.
- Title: Texas State Board of Education Candidates: 2026 Voter Guide
- Summary: Texas voters choose SBOE candidates for 2026 education policy shifts. Texas voters select State Board of Education members for 2026 elections to shape school…
- Keywords: texas, state board of education, sboe, education policy, voter guide, 2026 elections, district 2, district 4, district 5, district 6, district 7, district 8
- Source: Texastribune — https://feeds.texastribune.org/link/16799/17498813/texas-state-board-education-2026-election-voter-guide
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: texas, state board of education, sboe, education policy, voter guide, 2026 elections, district 2, district 4, district 5, district 6, district 7, district 8
## Texas State Board of Education Seats
Texas has 15 regional districts within the State Board of Education that sets standards for public school learning and approves instructional materials.
## 2026 Elections
Eight seats on the board are up for election for four-year terms with District 4 also contested after former member Staci Childs stepped down to run for Texas House.
## Current Composition
Seven seats are held by Republicans including Gov. Greg Abbott’s temporary appointment for District 4, and two by Democrats.
## Conservative Funding
Conservative political action committees are pouring thousands of dollars to keep several seats with outgoing Republicans red, District 2, District 6, and District 9.
## Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
The State Board of Education sets standards known as Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS, which outline what schoolchildren should learn in each grade.
## Recent Changes
The board recently passed sweeping changes to social studies for kindergarten through high school and approved a new required reading list including Bible stories.
## District 2 Candidates
Thomas Ray Garcia, a Democrat, and Victoria Hinojosa, a Republican, are competing for District 2 seat covering Rio Grande Valley counties.
## District 4 Candidates
Coretta Mallet-Fontenot, a Democrat, and Tammie Nielsen, a Republican incumbent, are competing for District 4 seat covering parts of central and eastern Harris County.
## District 5 Candidates
Allison Bush, a Democrat, and Mica Arellano, a Republican, are competing for District 5 seat covering Central Texas counties.
## District 6 Candidates
Michelle Palmer, a Democrat, and Tiffany Nelson, a Republican, are competing for District 6 seat covering large portions of Harris and Montgomery counties.
## District 7 Candidates
Tiffany Perkinz, a Democrat, and Julie Pickren, a Republican incumbent, are competing for District 7 seat covering Southeast and coastal counties.
## District 8 Candidates
Dana Van De Walker, a Democrat, and Audrey Young, a Republican incumbent, are competing for District 8 seat covering Walker, Houston, Polk, Trinity, San Jacinto, Grimes, Waller counties.
## District 9 Candidates
Ericka Ledferd, a Democrat, and Kason Huddleston, a Republican, are competing for District 9 seat covering North Texas counties.
## District 13 Candidates
Tiffany Clark, a Democrat incumbent, and Carlos Garza, a Republican, are competing for District 13 seat covering Dallas and Tarrant counties.
## District 14 Candidates
Amy Taylor, a Democrat, and Mindy Bumgarner, a Republican, are competing for District 14 seat covering North Texas counties.
## What’s at Stake
The recent changes sparked contention as hundreds of students, educators and community members attended board meetings to speak on the changes.
## Key takeaway

Texas voters select State Board of Education members for 2026 elections to shape school standards and curriculum.