At Raise Your Hand Texas, we believe public education is fundamental to the future of our state. We cannot simply sit back and wait for lawmakers in Austin to solve public education challenges on their own—real, lasting change requires everyday Texans to step up in their local communities and make sure their voices are heard at the Capitol.  

Throughout June and July 2026, nearly 200 dedicated public education advocates, a diverse coalition spanning parents, teachers, school board members, community partners, and superintendents, gathered at the Inn of the Hills in Kerrville, Texas. Across the two summer retreat sessions, the Community Leaders Fellowship cohort members engaged in sessions that served as a powerful launchpad for grassroots advocacy, campaign strategy, and deep coalition-building across school districts statewide.

As our Fellows prepare to champion public schools over the next few months in the lead-up to the 90th Texas Legislative Session in January 2027, three core takeaways emerged from their time in the Hill Country.

1. Trust Starts with Deep Listening, Not Debate

Effective advocacy is fundamentally built on trust, and trust begins by truly listening to one another. Cited by most of the Fellows as the single most critical tool they plan to deploy immediately back home, Listening Circles offer a structured framework for nonjudgmental, empathetic dialogue within local communities.

Rather than attempting to debate or force quick conversions, Fellows learned how to create trusted spaces where parents, educators, and neighbors can share their lived experiences. Through active listening, advocates move away from surface-level disagreements and toward finding shared values, uncovering the exact local priorities worth pursuing at the Capitol.

“Looking to develop curiosity in people rather than conversion… this promptly sparked light in me,” said one Fellow. “Honoring and bridging—that nugget is the answer to: How do I know if I’m listening? When I can honor and bridge back to my next thought or the next topic of conversation?”

One of the most inspiring outcomes from the retreat was the shift in personal self-efficacy among Fellows. Through practical role-playing workshops, strategic decision-making exercises, and understanding effective communication strategies, advocates realized that their authentic perspective is a powerful asset when meeting with state leaders and lawmakers.

A session titled “Partnerships Matter: Creating Effective Capitol Relationships” demystified the internal workings of legislative offices. Fellows learned how to map staff hierarchies, become a resource for their legislator, build relationships with key personnel like Chiefs of Staff and District Directors, and craft personal stories featuring a clear challenge, local impact, and a specific policy ask.

3. We Are Building Strategic Power – Together

From experiential team-building exercises at Moon Shadow Haven to unpacking complex state funding mechanisms and recapture, the retreat reinforced a crucial truth: Texas public school advocates are stronger when working together. 

Equipped with a “Lege Launch Blueprint,” district groups worked together to analyze local political landscapes, evaluate emerging issues, and plan pre-session hyper-local community events. In the coming months, Fellows will begin organizing Legislative Send-Offs, structured local gatherings designed to engage hometown lawmakers, celebrate them, and brief them on district priorities before they head to Austin in January 2027.

“Im Excited to Put My Advocacy Knowledge to Work”

For many Fellows, the impulse to act couldn’t wait. Several members of the  Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City (SCUC) Independent School District group immediately put their retreat training into practice within days of returning home.

Veronica Goldhorn (a retired educator), William Daniel (former SCUC ISD band director), Justin Archibald (SCUC ISD Community Advisory Committee member), and Robert Westbrook (Schertz City Council Member) addressed their local school board shortly after the retreat. They shared that SCUC ISD’s struggles with student enrollment and tight district finances aren’t isolated issues, but part of a broader statewide challenge in which districts across Texas are joining forces to drive real policy solutions.

“During these last four days [of the retreat], we used collaboration, new connections, and rekindled old connections to find that a team that is going to help Texas public education and SCUC make a difference, drive change, and become better,” said Archibald.

The Road Ahead

Building lasting advocacy networks takes time, patience, and unwavering commitment—especially when navigating complex issues like school finance and state policy. Yet, across Texas, a re-energized network of grassroots leaders is stepping up to lead the charge.

Over the next six months, Fellows will continue honing their strategy-making muscles, hosting listening sessions, and building strong relationships with lawmakers to ensure every public school student has a dedicated champion speaking up on their behalf.

“I realized that I’m not in this fight alone,” said one Fellow. “We have a great partner with Raise Your Hand Texas. I’m excited to work FOR our public school students.”