"Edwin Flores is a Dallas ISD Trustee who puts the education of our children first. Edwin knows that graduating kids and making sure they’re ready for college or the workplace must be the top priority for the Board of Trustees. This requires fundamental change and Edwin is a strong voice for reform and change. I encourage the voters in District 1 to re-elect Edwin Flores".    

-The Honorable Tom Leppert, Mayor of Dallas

These are some of the groups and individuals who are endorsing Edwin in his bid for re-election to the Dallas ISD School Board:

Dallas Morning News, The Real Estate Council, Metro Tex Association of Realtors

• Hon. Pete Sessions
• Hon. Jim Jackson
• Hon. Tom Leppert
• Hon. Ann Margolin
• Hon. Linda Koop
• Hon. Bob Ferguson
• Hon. Joe Chow
• Hon. Kimberly Lay
• Hon. Greg Hirsh
• Hon. Tom Braun
• Hon. Wade Emmert
• Hon. Jan Woody
• Loren and Spencer Adair
• Gerardo Alba
• Cindy Arnold
• Joy Barnhart
• Carolyn and Ken Barth
• Elena and David Bates
• Keith Bechly
• Lisa and Charles Buck
• Adelfa Callejo
• Joie Cano
• Kendall G. Cotton
• Steve Cotton
• Jeanne and Ken Culver
• Marsha and Monte Dunn
• Walter Durham
• Kathy and David Fechtman
• Kay and Mattia Flabiano
• Marty Forte
• Marty and Mike French
• Michael Garcia
• Belinda and Mike Gelhausen
• Steve Hargrove
• Charlotte and Jeff Hickey
• Cathy and David Hodge
• Amy Hunt
• Desiree Jacob
• Debbie and Glenn Kirby
• Sarah Kuehmeier
• Sam Lara Sr.
• Barbara and Rick Larsen
• Melissa Lemons
• Lisbeth Minyard Lokey
• Robin and David Look
• Harold F. MacDowell
• Chick Martin
• Louisa and Jim Meyer
• Jonathan Neerman
• Erle Nye
• Suzann and John Oliver
• Trennis and David Peters
• Pam Prewitt and Oscar Abundes
• Jaime Ramon
• Rolando Ramos
• Dr. Jim Rodriguez
• Dena and Rodney Scott
• Diane Scovell
• Debbie and Kevin Sherrington
• Cindy and Ben Simmons
• Judy and Buddy Smith
• Mr. and Mrs. William T. Solomon
• Victoria McKay Stansell
• Ron G. Steinhart
• Bryceon Sumner
• Andres Vidales
• Richard H. Vitale
• Beth Weller
• Buck Werner
• Ellen and Don Williams
• Deanna Williams
• Tony Williams

 EDWIN KEPT THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILDREN IN MIND WHEN HE VOTED:

Edwin voted to cut surperfluous budget spending:

-Edwin voted against spending $300,000 on printing and mailing a publication to parents about how the school board is doing. To save money, he wanted the information posted on line instead.

 -Edwin voted against the frivolous spending on plaques that would hang in each of the schools with the names of the school board members.

 -Edwin has several times tried to eliminate $9,000 a year each trustee is allotted for travel and reimbursement expenses. Edwin doesn’t accept any money from the district, and pays for all his expenses, including travel to other cities, out of his own pocket.

 -Edwin has never accepted the computer and cell phone the district offers all trustees at no cost.

 -Edwin voted to extend trustee terms to save the district money.  Each race costs the district between $180,000 and $300,000, depending on how many others (i.e. judge, congressional, gubernatorial, presidential candidates) Dallas ISD can split the election costs with.  The board obtained two separate and independent opinions of counsel on the feasibility of extending the term limits.  The board was informed that the extension of terms was legal. The long hours and hard work a board member puts in this volunteer job, in addition to all of the criticism she or he receives about every decision, would be enough incentive enough to vote for to shorten the term limits, not lengthen them!

 Edwin voted to improve financials:

-Edwin voted to replace the outside auditor and as a result many weaknesses in the financials were exposed and are in the process of being remedied.

 -Edwin also voted to create a separate auditor committee, in addition to the district’s outside auditor, to report directly to the school board.  This committee was formed to identify problems as they arise, and present them directly to the board before they even become a crisis.  In this manner, the board keeps a check on expenses, and our children get the most from our tax money.

 -Edwin deeply cares about teachers not having enough books, copy paper, school supplies etc., and that school buildings need basic maintenance and such things as state-of-the-art air conditioning units. When Edwin was elected to be DeGolyer Elementary's Dads’ Club President, he volunteered much of his time making phone calls and meeting with people about this issue.  It was at this time that he decided to run for the school board so that could address this and other issues at the district level.

Edwin voted to improve the curriculum taught to all children:

-Edwin voted to align district curriculum so that all schools in the school district were on the same page. This means that if a child moves from one school to another within the district, there would be no gaps in their education.  As a result of this curriculum alignment, academic achievement scores soared into the high double digits across the district and all ethnicities.

 -In Edwin's area, 17 out 19 schools were recently designated "exemplary" or "recognized" by the state of Texas, based on TAKS test results.

Edwin implemented programs that improve student achievement:

-Edwin is a strong advocate of all children receiving an excellent preschool education, and for parents to get more involved in the schools and their kid’s education. As the Dad’s Club President at DeGolyer, Edwin took it upon himself to contact parents to encourage them to become more involved with school activities and in their children's education.

 -Edwin made it a priority to put the arts and music back into all the elementary schools.  Prior to Edwin's election to the school board, many elementary schools did not have a either a music department or an art department.  Edwin made sure that every elementary school now has a music and an art department, across all grade levels and across the district.

 -Edwin implemented afterschool programs in schools across all grade levels.

 -Edwin voted to create and implement the Dallas Achieves Commission: a committee comprised of people such as employers, business leaders, pastors, teachers, parents, retired citizens, and other community members, who work together to help the Dallas Independent School District reach the goal that all of its students graduate from high school, and become college and workforce-ready.

 -Edwin has implemented flexible school hour programs for children who have had extended illnesses, and for teens who are parents, who have been in rehab, who need to work, or have returned to finish high school.

 -Edwin has also implemented a program that seeks and identifies homeless children. Children are considered homeless if they live in shelters, on the streets, or with persons who are not their parents or legal guardians, such as older siblings.  The school district found 4,000 homeless children and now provides them help, resources, and adequate food and shelter.

 -Edwin, in an effort to increase graduation rates, has advocated overhauling the way high schools educate teens.  His vision includes creating individual high schools that focus on specific careers, such as, for example hotel/restaurant management, healthcare/medicine, business administration, computer sciences, law/law enforcement etc. His vision also includes redesigning the lay outs of campuses, and the hiring of the best availabe teachers in each subject area.  In addition, students would be assigned specific projects and awarded internships which would enable them to learn hands-on about those fields in which they are interested.

Edwin is not afraid of making the hard decisions:

-Prior to Edwin becoming a board member, a Dallas ISD teacher, staff member or employee who got into trouble because of such things as ineffective teaching, disciplinary abuse, dishonesty, absenteeism, substance abuse, etc., the principal or immediate boss decided what disciplinary action was to be taken. Oftentimes, the teacher or employee was simply placed in a different job or moved to another school.  Edwin voted for and was instrumental in setting a new policy that obligates the principal or immediate boss to either provide the teacher or employee with remedial training, or to fire them outright. A teacher or employee who loses their job can appeal to the school board. If Edwin believed that the appealing teacher or employee could be succesfully retrained, he voted for reinstatement. However, if Edwin believed that such reinstatement could bring harm to even one child, then Edwin voted for and will continue to vote for the permanent removal of the teacher or employee.  

 -Edwin was instrumental in forging an alliance with Teach for America (www.teachforamerica.org), an organization that has been favorably compared to The Peace Corps. This program recruits the best and brightest graduates from some of the TOP universities in the nation, to teach for two to three years in public schools. The program has proven to be extremely effective in motiving kids to excell, to dramatically increase test scores, and to encourage students stay and finish high school and go on to college. Teach for America raises its own funds to teach these young teachers and is actually cash positive to the district.

 -Edwin is not afraid to make tough decisions regarding academically unacceptable schools, including closing the schools down completely.

 -Suburban schools have long been a haven of excellence, with amenities and quality teachers that Dallas ISD has traditionally not had. Edwin has consistently strived for better trained teachers, more fine arts, advanced curriculum and better facilities.  If you look at Edwin’s voting record you will see that in every instance he has made decisions based on what is in the best interest of the children, across the district.

 - Edwin voted to raise teacher salaries every single time the issue has come up for a vote, and as a consequence Dallas ISD teachers now rank among the highest paid teachers in the state of Texas.  

- Edwin has constantly fought for better trained teachers, additional courses in the fine arts, better classroom, lab and ground facilities, as well as improved scholastic curriculum.  Edwin's voting record proves that in every instance his decisions have been based on what is in the best interets of the children.

- Edwin was elected to the Dallas ISD four years ago.  Since then, the District has made remarkable progress in scholastic achievement and in preparing children to be college, work and life ready.  Nevertheless, Edwin, being the reformist that he is, realizes there is still much more to be done.  Undoubtedly, it would be detrimental to the Dallas ISD children, their parents and the community at large if Edwin is not re-elected.

What others are saying about the recent progress at Dallas ISD:

 "Dallas ISD has improved more than any other urban district in Texas and more than all but one urban district in the country in narrowing the achievement gap." Brown Center on Education Policy, Brookings Institution, February 2009

"The Dallas Independent School District and the students it serves have made substantial strides over the last several years. Its academic gains have been some of the most impressive in the country and the district is now viewed as one of the nation's fastest improving urban school systems." Council of Great City Schools, June 2009

"Dallas ISD is pioneering a college readiness warning system and we are proud to lend our support to it," in announcing a $3.77 million grant. - Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, January 2009

"Top two public high schools in the country - School for the Talented and Gifted and School for Science and Engineering.  Finding great schools is hard; finding our list's two top schools close together in the same building is beyond belief." - Newsweek Magazine, June 2009

"Dallas ISD principals and their teachers are no longer focusing on teaching to the test but rather creating academically challenging assignments that w ill better prepare students for college and the world of work.  Dallas ISD has become an exemplar for urban schools as an effort based district that focuses on high achievement for all students." - Institute for Learning, September 2009

Dallas lawyer, Edwin Flores, Ph. D., has announced his bid for re-election to the School Board representing the citizens of District 1 of the Dallas Independent School District.  The election will take place on Tuesday, November 3, 2009.

"My three main achievements while on the School Board are that I: Approved an aggressive 5 year plan to make the Dallas ISD one of the best urban school districts in the USA. Drafted and approved a comprehensive bo ard reporting and ethics policy. Approved and continue to support the Dallas Achieves project to maximize the allocation of resources within the school district," Flores says.

More recently Edwin authored the District Sustainability Policy.  A fiscal conservative, Edwin demanded a change in the auditors used by the district, which helped expose major weaknesses in the financial system.

Edwin is an American citizen raised in Mexico City. Edwin holds a Ph.D. in molecular immunology from Washington University in St. Louis, and undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a founder and named partner in the Dallas Intellectual Property law firm of Chalker Flores L.L.P.  In addition to his law practice, Edwin is an involved parent in his daughters’ lives, who attend Dallas ISD schools in District 1. Edwin is the former president of the DeGolyer Dads’ Club, which sponsors the school’s annual fundraiser and teacher appreciation dinner.

Nationally, Edwin serves on the Advisory Council of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health. “As an interested parent, taxpayer, small-business owner, lawyer, and scientist, I have a vested interest in making sure that all our Dallas ISD students have access to the most rigorous and relevant education possible. The Dallas ISD students of today must be prepared and ready to become the lawyers, scientists, and parents of tomorrow,” Flores says.

“My prime objective is to make Dallas ISD the schools of choice for Dallas parents.”     - Dr. Edwin Flores