As the 2026 elections approach, four candidates are competing for Place 3 on the Round Rock Independent School District (RRISD) School Board. Each candidate has expressed their views on some of the pressing issues currently facing the district, including a significant budget deficit and the upcoming voter-approved tax rate election (VATRE).
Meet the Candidates
Amber Feller Landrum, who has served on the Board of Trustees since 2018, emphasizes the importance of experience in her campaign. “I think experience matters. You know, I’ve spent eight years on the board so far. My heart is in it. I do this for all the children,” she stated.
Vera Southwell brings a background in data analytics to her candidacy. “I believe that the district needs thoughtful, responsible governance that looks beyond the current budget. I want to understand the risks, consider the alternatives, and measure the results,” she said.
Gregory Andrew, a retired nurse practitioner from the U.S. Army Reserves, advocates for greater representation of teachers in decision-making processes. “If you want something you don’t have, you need to do something different. We are going to bring our teachers in, and they are going to be represented far beyond any union could ever do,” he remarked.
At just 18 years old, Ayaan Moledina seeks to bring a fresh perspective to the board, highlighting his recent experiences as a student in the district. “It’s so important that we have a fresh voice and fresh perspective because education now and eight years ago has changed so much,” he said.
Addressing the Budget Deficit
A pressing concern for RRISD is its estimated $6 million budget deficit. Feller Landrum attributes part of this issue to inadequate state funding for public education. “We’ve made cuts, and cuts, and cuts. Every year, we’re cutting our budget by millions of dollars. Our annual budget is around $500 million, and we’re cutting that on a regular basis,” she explained. “What we’ve done so far is we’ve tried not to touch the classrooms, and tried not to touch our staff and our teachers, because that’s our most sacred commodity.”
Southwell emphasized the need for a long-term strategy rather than just focusing on annual budgets. “We must look beyond one year of budgets. The district has both. However, I would like to see more financial and operational connection between the two,” she noted.
Andrew suggested exploring community partnerships and potential contracts for services to alleviate budget constraints. “I think we need to look at what we can shave. We’re going to need to sit down and talk about could we, are there services we could contract?” he said.
Moledina approached the issue with caution, indicating a need for input from district administrators before making any cuts. “I would want to hear from administration on what they think first, and then based on that push back and take back to them what I think can and can’t be cut,” he stated.
VATR Election Insights
This year, RRISD will also hold a VATRE, which could result in an increase of approximately $200 per year in property taxes for the median-value home in Round Rock. Feller Landrum explained that half of the revenue would be allocated for teacher and staff raises, while the other half would go to the state’s general fund.
Southwell expressed her support for fair teacher compensation but raised concerns about financial sustainability. “My concern is with financial sustainability. We need to understand where we will take money next year, not only this year,” she said.
In contrast, Andrew voiced his opposition to the VATRE, arguing that it represents a flawed approach to addressing the district’s financial challenges. “We’re against it. We’re wanting to vote no against that package. It’s just another example of dumping more money into a system that we need to pull back and save,” he declared.
Conversely, Moledina expressed his full support for the VATRE and hopes for future improvements in staff wages. “I honestly think it doesn’t go far enough. I hope that later down the line we can work towards a $20 an hour minimum wage for our staff in Round Rock ISD,” he stated.
Addressing Controversies
Moledina also addressed a controversial video that circulated on social media, asserting that it misrepresented a harmless interaction between friends. “The fact that that is being weaponized is disgraceful. It is disgusting,” he remarked.
Andrew discussed a past legal issue related to a road rage incident that resulted in charges of aggravated assault, which were later dismissed. “I don’t think I did anything wrong. I was caught between, I was in an unfortunate situation,” he reflected.
