TEMPLE, Texas — The Temple Independent School District Board of Trustees has been selected as an Honor School Board as part of the 2025 Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) School Board Awards. Each year, the program recognizes outstanding Texas school boards for commitment and service that has made a positive impact on Texas public school students.
Temple ISD is one of just five school boards from across the state to be selected as an Honor Board. The five Honor Boards were selected by a committee of Texas school superintendents. The selection committee’s decisions were based on criteria that include: support for educational performance, support for educational improvement projects, commitment to a code of ethics, and maintenance of harmonious and supportive relationships among board members.
In the announcement naming the Honor Boards, TASA said Temple ISD’s Board of Trustees impressed the School Board Awards Committee with its focus on data-informed leadership, student-centered priorities, and ethical governance. The committee noted that trustees successfully integrate strategic goals with community engagement and performance oversight, saying “The Temple trustees pride themselves on transparency, demonstrated by their Board Self-Evaluation process.” The committee also noted that the board demonstrates strong support for their superintendent and implements policy with fidelity. Also of note was that the board engages in quarterly visits to see policy in action at various school sites, helping to inform decision making and keeping stakeholder needs at the forefront.
“In working through a series of high-level decisions that have elevated and continued to unify the community at-large, this Board has fulfilled their role with the highest degree of responsibility, compassion, and diligence,” said Dr. Bobby Ott, Superintendent of Schools for Temple ISD. “This is a Board of diverse perspectives, varying backgrounds, and mutual respect for one another, with a singular focus on doing what is right for all students and staff of Temple ISD. The progress made in the last 36 months is directly tied to the leadership, direction, and support of this School Board.”
The Temple ISD Board of Trustees consists of seven members: Dan Posey – President (District 3), Ronnie Gaines – Vice President (District 4), Virginia Suarez – Secretary (District 1), Bre’Layshia Alexander (District 2), Dawn Cook (District 5), Shannon Gowan (District 6), and Shannon Myers (District 7). Each trustee serves a three-year term representing a single-member district, ensuring equitable representation for all neighborhoods, businesses, and families. Temple ISD was named Region 12 School Board of the Year in June to become a regional nominee for Outstanding School Board.
“It is a tremendous honor for Temple ISD to be recognized as a state honor board, and I am extremely proud of the work our Board does to represent the students, families, staff, and stakeholders of the district,” Posey said of the honor. “Our Board is composed of unique individuals with different backgrounds, but we all serve on the Board for one reason – doing what is best for our students, families, and staff members. Once we reach a Board decision, we stand by it and the administration. The needs of our students and TISD personnel always come first for our Board members and our superintendent.”
The Temple ISD school board was most recently selected as a statewide honor board in 2020. Temple ISD was also recognized as a statewide honor board in 2001 and 1983. The other school districts represented by honor boards this year are: Colorado ISD, Galena Park ISD, Memphis ISD, and Plano ISD.
The five boards are now finalists for the program’s highest honor: 2025 Outstanding School Board. The boards will be interviewed in September at txEDCON25, the TASA/TASB State Convention in Houston, where one board will be named Outstanding School Board on September 13th. The other Honor Boards, as well as the regional winners, will also be recognized at that time.
Since 1971, the TASA school board awards program has honored Texas school district boards of trustees that have demonstrated dedication to student achievement and that put students first. Temple ISD serves more than 8,800 students in grades pre-K through 12 at 15 campuses and has nearly 1,400 employees.