Your feedback ensures we stay focused on the facts that matter to you most—take our survey.

Dustin Marshall

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
BP-Initials-UPDATED.png
This page was current at the end of the official's last term in office covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.
Dustin Marshall
Image of Dustin Marshall
Prior offices
Dallas Independent School District, District 2
Successor: Sarah Weinberg

Contact

Dustin Marshall was a member of the Dallas Independent School District in Texas, representing District 2. He assumed office in 2016. He left office in 2023.

Marshall ran for re-election to the Dallas Independent School District to represent District 2 in Texas. He won in the general runoff election on December 8, 2020.

Biography

Email editor@ballotpedia.org to notify us of updates to this biography.

Marshall earned a bachelor's degree in economics at the University of Pennsylvania and a master's degree in business administration at Northwestern University. Marshall's work experience includes serving as the CEO of Hazel's Hot Shot, a Dallas-based logistics company, and working with the Woodrow Wilson High School Community Foundation. Previously he served as a literacy volunteer and tutor.[1]

Elections

2020

See also: Dallas Independent School District, Texas, elections (2020)

General runoff election

General runoff election for Dallas Independent School District, District 2

Incumbent Dustin Marshall defeated Nancy Rodriguez in the general runoff election for Dallas Independent School District, District 2 on December 8, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Dustin Marshall
Dustin Marshall (Nonpartisan)
 
65.8
 
5,690
Image of Nancy Rodriguez
Nancy Rodriguez (Nonpartisan)
 
34.2
 
2,961

Total votes: 8,651
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

General election

General election for Dallas Independent School District, District 2

Nancy Rodriguez and incumbent Dustin Marshall advanced to a runoff. They defeated Alex Enriquez in the general election for Dallas Independent School District, District 2 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Nancy Rodriguez
Nancy Rodriguez (Nonpartisan)
 
45.2
 
27,914
Image of Dustin Marshall
Dustin Marshall (Nonpartisan)
 
40.1
 
24,775
Image of Alex Enriquez
Alex Enriquez (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
14.7
 
9,047

Total votes: 61,736
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2017

See also: Dallas Independent School District elections (2017)

Three of the nine seats on the Dallas Independent School District board of trustees in Texas were up for general election on May 6, 2017. In District 2, Lori Kirkpatrick and incumbent Dustin Marshall defeated Richard Young, but neither of them received a majority of the vote. Because of this, they faced off in a runoff election on June 10, 2017, where Marshall defeated Kirkpatrick to retain his seat on the board. In District 6, incumbent Joyce Foreman defeated challenger Phelesha Hamilton. Because District 8 incumbent Miguel Solis was the only candidate to file for that seat, the race was canceled. Solis won re-election by default.[2][3][4][5]

Results

Dallas Independent School District,
District 2 Runoff Election, 3-year term, 2017
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Dustin Marshall Incumbent 66.27% 6,328
Lori Kirkpatrick 33.73% 3,221
Total Votes 9,549
Source: Dallas County Elections, "2017 Joint Runoff Election," accessed September 20, 2017


Dallas Independent School District,
District 2 General Election, 3-year term, 2017
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Lori Kirkpatrick 49.79% 5,265
Green check mark transparent.png Dustin Marshall Incumbent 47.04% 4,974
Richard Young 3.18% 336
Total Votes 10,575
Source: Dallas County Elections, "2017 Joint Election," accessed September 20, 2017

Funding

See also: Campaign finance in the Dallas Independent School District elections

Marshall reported $85,302.67 in contributions and $34,695.56 in expenditures to the Dallas Independent School District, which left his campaign with $50,607.11 on hand as of April 27, 2017.[6]

Endorsements

Marshall was endorsed by the following organizations and elected officials:[7][8]

Marshall was also endorsed by a number of community leaders and former officials. Click here for a list of his supporters.

2016

See also:Dallas Independent School District elections (2016)

The 2016 Dallas ISD elections were marked by a slew of newcomer candidates. District 5 incumbent Lew Blackburn was the sole incumbent to seek re-election for one of three seats on the ballot. Blackburn was challenged by new entrants Marquis Hawkins and Linda Wilkerson-Wynn. In District 4, three newcomers—Omar Jimenez, Jaime Resendez, and Camille White—vied for the seat. Newcomers Isaac Faz and Audrey Pinkerton ran in District 7.

Additionally, a special election was held in conjunction with the regular board elections. Previous board member Mike Morath vacated his District 2 seat after being tapped as the new commissioner of the Texas Education Agency. Mita Havlick and Dustin Marshall placed ahead of Carlos Marroquin and Suzanne Smith, but neither candidate received a majority of the votes. Marshall defeated Havlick in the runoff election on June 18, 2016.[9]

Ultimately, Blackburn retained his seat, defeating challengers Hawkins and Wilkerson-Wynn. Resendez and Pinkerton defeated their fellow candidates to take the District 4 and 7 seats, respectively.[10]

Results

Dallas Independent School District,
District 2 Special Election, 1-year term, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Dustin Marshall 43.26% 2,719
Green check mark transparent.png Mita Havlick 28.08% 1,765
Suzanne Smith 27.33% 1,718
Carlos Marroquin 1.32% 83
Total Votes 6,285
Source: Dallas County Elections, "Unofficial Final Cumulative Results," accessed February 28, 2017
Dallas Independent School District,
District 2 Runoff Election, 1-year term, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Dustin Marshall 50.36% 2,928
Mita Havlick 49.64% 2,886
Total Votes 5,814
Source: Dallas County Elections, "Unofficial Final Cumulative Results," accessed February 28, 2017

Funding

Marshall reported $54,075.00 in contributions and $55,181.39 in expenditures to the Dallas Independent School District in the election.[11]

Endorsements

Marshall was endorsed in the election by the Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, council member Jennifer Staubach Gates, County Judge Clay Jenkins (D), the Dallas Morning News, Dallas Kids First, and Educate Dallas.[12][13][14]

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Dustin Marshall did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2017

Candidate website

Marshall highlighted the following issues on his campaign website:

Early Education

Research is very clear that 85% of brain development occurs in a child before the age of 5 and yet only 5% of education dollars are spent on early education. If students are not reading on grade level by the 3rd grade, they are four times more likely to drop out of school. By investing wisely in early education, we can better prepare our kids for success they deserve, and save money in the process.

Empower Principals

Good principals foster an environment where good teachers can shine. We need more effective professional development programs for district principals. This means implementing cost-effective programs to develop great principals by using partners who are ready and willing to help the district, and giving principals the freedom to do their jobs while holding them accountable.

Racial Equity

All DISD students deserve respectful learning environments in which their racial and ethnic diversity is valued and contributes to their success. We need an intense focus on equity, adjusted resource allocation to overcome challenges, and we need to confront institutional bias that results in predictably lower academic achievement for students of color.

Teacher Development

A high-quality teacher is the most important controllable factor in determining the future of the kids we serve. Our educators deserve an accurate assessment of the quality of instruction they are providing, and a system of professional support. And finally, the time has come to pay teachers what they are worth. Teaching is the most important profession of our time and it’s time to prove it.[15]

—Dustin Marshall (2017)[16]

The Dallas Morning News survey

Marshall participated in the following survey conducted by The Dallas Morning News. The questions provided by The Dallas Morning News appear bolded, and Marshall's responses follow below.

Why are you running for this office, and why should voters choose you over your opponent(s)?

I’ve always had a passion to help kids find a pathway to success. I started working as a tutor right out of college and since that experience, I have never stopped working in public education. I have helped to launch schools in both Boston and Chicago, and I’ve worked with over a dozen different education non-profits. Wherever I’ve gone, I’ve felt called to help children. I think that drive dates back to my own childhood. I grew up poor in a single parent household, but I had a mother and a grandmother who prioritized education. Even as a young child, I recognized how fortunate I was to be at a great school, so I worked hard to take advantage of that opportunity. I was blessed to get into an ivy league college and to get a great job after school. I credit my mom, my grandmother, and my education with getting me where I am today, and I think every child deserves to get a great start in life.

I feel that I’ve already had a positive impact on the lives of thousands of kids via my non-profit service, but there is more that I can do. I know that the greatest impact I can have on the lives of our children is by serving as a Trustee. I believe that all kids deserve a strong start in life, and that it is the obligation of our public schools to offer them the best education possible. I am confident that my passion for kids, my business experience, and my knowledge of the education space can help more kids to be successful. DISD has made a good deal of progress over the last several years, and I desperately want to see that continue. I think I am well suited to help push the board and the administration to continue that progress.

The District 2 Trustee has long been a strong voice for reform on the board. I have already demonstrated my commitment to continue this legacy. I am the only candidate who is familiar with the successes and challenges of each of the District 2 schools, and who has a deep background in education. Serving as Chair Elect of Reading Partners North Texas, and as a Board member with Uplift Education, Dallas After School, the Woodrow Community Foundation, Dallas Social Venture Partners (DSVP), and the Education Council at the Chamber has given me a deep understanding of the education space and an appreciation for reform of our system.

I also believe that my business training and my role as the CEO of a national expedited freight company - where I have tripled the size of the business – has taught me the leadership skills required to set a vision, implement policy, manage a budget, and provide the oversight required to steer a large organization towards its goals.[15]

—Dustin Marshall (2017)[17]

If elected, what two issues would you give the most attention and resources?

I believe that the two most significant leverage points to improve educational outcomes are effective teachers and world-class principals. First, we need to make sure every classroom has an effective teacher. Research is clear that a high-quality teacher is the most important controllable factor in determining the future of the kids we serve. This means we need a focus on recruiting, training, developing, measuring and rewarding the best people to teach in our schools. It means standing behind the TEI initiative already passed by the board and ensuring that it is implemented with fidelity. Our educators deserve an accurate, real-time assessment of the quality of instruction they are providing their students and a system of professional support that develops their instructional knowledge and skills. Second, we need to focus on principals. Good principals foster an environment where good teachers can shine. They create a culture that makes great schools. So we need to roll out a world class principal training program. Not something intermittent, done during in service days. Rather, constant, focused, ongoing efforts that make sure our principals are the best educational leaders out there. This means implementing cost-effective programs to develop great principals by using the right partners who are ready and willing to help the district. It means giving principals the freedom to do their jobs without bureaucratic meddling, and holding them accountable for student achievement.[15]
—Dustin Marshall (2017)[17]

For incumbent trustees: What have you learned from your board service that you believe makes you more effective?

In the short time I have served, I have worked hard to develop strong relationships with my fellow Trustees. In most cases, I have succeeded in forging strong relationships built on trust and mutual respect. In some cases, I am still working to build those relationships. In both cases, I know that I have become more effective as a Trustee by prioritizing trust, authenticity, and integrity over policy disagreements in my interactions with my peers.[15]
—Dustin Marshall (2017)[17]

As you look around the country, what innovative ideas would you recommend for improving classroom performance?

There are impactful and innovative initiatives that we can learn from both locally and nationally. Locally, Grand Prairie ISD is doing some exciting work around school choice. Despite having one of the regions highest percentages of economically disadvantaged students and one of its lower tax basis, Grand Prairie has managed to grow enrollment while eliminating student achievement gaps with the state. GPISD has accomplished this, in part, due to a steady transition to a robust district-wide school choice model (since 2012). DISD could also learn from Uplift Education’s continual advancements in using technology and data to target learning strategies on a student by student basis. DISD should also mimic Uplift’s “college-going” culture and their Road to College program which provides mentorship and guidance throughout the college selection process, the application process, and during the child’s time in college. DISD could learn more about how to provide greater access to quality pre-K from Lancaster ISD which has offered expanded access to pre-K, a simplified enrollment process, a holistic marketing strategy, and partnerships with community child care providers.

On a national level, DISD could learn a lot from the approach of the Washington D.C. public school system which has seen tremendous gains in student achievement over the last 5 years by focusing on recruiting, training, measuring and rewarding high quality instruction. DCPS has rolled out a rigorous teacher hiring process where they actually observe every applicant while teaching. They hire teachers earlier in the cycle, and they give them frequent feedback – with observations five times per year. Teachers are aggressively measured (similar to DISD’s TEI system) and then compensated according to their performance. DCPS offers top-performing teachers the highest starting salary of any district in the nation and gives them additional incentives for taking on challenges. There is also a well-funded central office team to focus on recruitment, selection, measurement and retention. Retention rates for DCPS’s highly effective teachers approximate 92%.

There are exciting and effective strategies being implemented through the DFW region, throughout Texas, and throughout the U.S. – we just need to study what is working and develop the collective will to make changes to our system.[15]

—Dustin Marshall (2017)[17]

Given the current funding structure, how does Dallas ISD meet the academic needs of its low-income students? Are you willing to ask voters to approve a tax increase to create or expand these programs?

To be honest, it is very difficult for DISD to meet the needs of all of its students given the current funding provided by the State. We have several very effective programs that we know are successful but it is a challenge to scale them up across all of our schools. The Board and the Administration have already made some progress in this regard by working to eliminate excess district spending so that we can reprioritize that money to scale our best programs. We have already found approximately $30M in savings by reducing headcount in the central administration, and about $20M in savings by bringing teacher to student ratios closer to alignment with our peer districts. That said, we still have a gap.

When the opportunity for a Tax Ratification Election came before the Board last year, I voted to give the voters an opportunity to consider a tax increase to fund our most successful programs. I believe that the DISD administration structured a very transparent tax proposal with clear and measureable accountability metrics that would have unwound the tax if the district failed to meet certain performance hurdles. This was an innovative structure, and I think voters should have been given the right to evaluate the merits of the proposal.[15]

—Dustin Marshall (2017)[17]

How would you assess the district’s efforts to improve graduation rates and increase the number of students prepared for college? What further improvements would you advocate?

I applaud the district for increasing graduation rates. Since 2011, we’ve seen an increase in our graduation rate from 80% to 87% making it one of the higher graduation rates in the state. However, I am concerned that we are graduating students that are not college ready. Despite an improvement in our graduation rate, we still graduate less than 15% of our seniors ready for college and a huge proportion of our college-going students require remediation to be successful. To further improve in this area, we need to increase students’ exposure to rigorous coursework - including dual credit, AP/IB, and early college high school programs.[15]
—Dustin Marshall (2017)[17]

What schools in your trustee district have been particularly effective in getting every child up to grade level in reading and math?

No school that I’m aware of has gotten every child up to grade level in reading and math, but the schools in District 2 with the most success have been Lakewood Elementary and Stonewall Jackson Elementary. Lakewood Elementary, as an example, has about 80% of its students reaching post-secondary readiness standards in reading, and 84% in math. Lakewood Elementary, is unique, however, in that its demographic makeup is not reflective of that of the rest of the District (e.g., only 7% mobility, 10% low income, 3% ELL, and 78% white).[15]
—Dustin Marshall (2017)[17]

How would you assess Dallas ISD’s current school choice efforts, and what changes, if any, are needed?

I believe that one of the ways in which we can improve educational outcomes (there are several others) is by increasing the socio-economic diversity in our schools. Over 50 years of research shows that economic diversity among students improves educational outcomes via peer to peer learning, higher teacher quality, and higher parental involvement in schools from upper income families. The data also suggests that students in more integrated schools have better long-term career outcomes, better health, lower rates of incarceration, less racial prejudice, and higher life-time earnings. To accomplish this, we need to bring middle and upper class families back to DISD. I believe that the school choice program currently underway within DISD's Office of Transformation & Innovation is the most promising tool in our arsenal to bring middle class families back to the district. The current plan to establish 35 Choice Schools by the year 2020 will help to provide an attractive portfolio of options for those families considering the best school for their children. By offering schools with a dedicated focus on STEM, leadership, the arts, or single-sex education (as examples), DISD can help attract more parents to the district. As an example, the newly created SOLAR Prep received about 50% of applications from families not currently in the district. That said, I think we will need to be thoughtful about how to expand choice options without undermining the important role that neighborhood schools play within our communities. We will also need to be creative with transportation options to limit the budget impact of choice schools.[15]
—Dustin Marshall (2017)[17]

Dallas ISD is rapidly expanding its collegiate academies. How can the district ensure that it is creating high-quality programs, not just growing quantity?

I am very excited about the expansion of our Early College High Schools, which give students the ability to graduate with 60 hours of college credit and an Associate’s Degree for free. I think we have taken a very deliberate approach to ensure quality in these programs by partnering with local corporations on the development of a specific curriculum for each school’s career pathway. We are also working to ensure quality by removing obstacles to hiring experienced community college professors to teach the DISD classes. Finally, we are starting with limited enrollment (a max of 125 students) and focusing on high school freshman so that we can ensure quality before a full scale rollout.[15]
—Dustin Marshall (2017)[17]

What is your view of the Teacher Excellence Initiative?

I am supportive of TEI, and I believe that one of the most important jobs of the D2 Trustee will be to ensure that the administration implements the program with fidelity. As with any new policy, there are some opportunities for improvement (e.g., the 148 high performing teachers that originally did not get a raise). That said, there is no doubt that TEI is moving the district closer to having an effective teacher in every classroom. TEI has helped us to identify our best teachers, give them more money, and use them to mentor other teachers. It has also served as a retention tool for good teachers (with over 70% receiving a raise in year 1), and as a recruiting tool to draw excellent educators to the district. TEI also allows us to tailor feedback and coaching to the specific developmental needs of each teacher.[15]
—Dustin Marshall (2017)[17]

How do you assess Superintendent Michael Hinojosa's tenure since he rejoined the district?

I believe that Superintendent Hinojosa has done an excellent job in improving morale and repairing some of the “wounds” created during the tenure of Mike Miles. Although I supported many of Miles’ policies, I believe that he did not implement his policies in a collaborative and consensus building manner. As a result, Dr. Hinojosa rejoined the district during a low point in morale – and he has been able to improve teacher and administrator morale very quickly. I am also pleased that Superintendent Hinojosa has decided to continue many of the reforms passed during the previous administration, and I hope that he continues to implement those reforms with fidelity.[15]
—Dustin Marshall (2017)[17]

Where do you stand on the importance of early-childhood education? Would you support increasing class-size ratios by one or two students at the middle school and high school level in order to introduce or expand pre-K?

Early childhood education is one of the most important opportunities to improve DISD. Research is very clear that 85-90% of brain development occurs in a child before the age of 5 and yet only 5% of education dollars are spent on early education. If students are not reading on grade level by the 3rd grade, they are four times more likely to drop out of school. The board has made some progress on this already, but we need to go further. We need to ensure access to quality pre-K for all 3 and 4 year olds, and we need to partner with our communities to leverage the resources of third-party child care facilities to expand access. By investing wisely in early education, we can better prepare our kids for success and save money in the process.

In addition to the academic gains we can realize via expansion of pre-K, we will also see a long-term financial benefit for the district since we are likely to see more students attend DISD schools in Kindergarten and beyond if they enroll in pre-K. In the short-term, I think we should pursue opportunities to become more efficient in order to fund an expansion of pre-K before we increase class size ratios.[15]

—Dustin Marshall (2017)[17]

What resources are lacking in schools in your trustee district? How could the district deliver services in the most cost-effective manner?

The biggest resource issue we confront in District 2 schools is the lack of resources to adequately improve facilities. Several District 2 schools were rated as having “poor” facility conditions in the 2013 Parsons report. In fact, Lakewood Elementary, Dan D. Rodgers, Preston Hollow Elementary, Hillcrest, and Franklin each have among the worst facility ratings in DISD. As a results, District 2 parents rightly feel that the bulk of DISD’s facilities spend has historically gone to other schools despite the fact that the physical condition of the buildings are often far worse in North and East Dallas. The bond will start to alleviate this issue, but it will not address the full extent of the resource issue in District 2 schools. To deliver resources more effectively, DISD needs to prioritize bond dollars towards the schools that are in the worst physical condition.

From a macro- perspective, there are several other reforms that would make DISD operate in a more cost effective manner. We currently spend over 50% of the district budget on administration instead of classroom instruction. To become more efficient, we need to look for opportunities to lower our technology spend to ensure that we maximize efficiency, and we need to look for opportunities to cut transportation costs. We also need to ensure that we are operating at consistent teacher to student ratios throughout the district.[15]

—Dustin Marshall (2017)[17]

In what ways can DISD’s communications with parents in your trustee district be improved? Likewise, how can parental involvement in your trustee district grow?

We need to welcome all parents – regardless of race or primary language – into our schools. We need to scale programs like the partnership with the Concilio, which enables parents to become more effective advocates for their children. We need to reach out to all communities, in their locations and in their language, to make sure that we are listening to their needs and understanding their feedback for the district. Principal Jackson at Sudie Williams, for example, has started hosting “Coffee with the Principal” events held in the community centers of the local apartment complexes where many of the students live – and he provides translation services for native Spanish speakers.

Parental involvement varies widely within District 2. Some schools, like Lakewood Elementary and Stonewall Jackson Elementary have very high levels of parental involvement in the schools via participation in volunteer activities, PTAs, Site Based Decision Making groups and fundraising activities. Many other schools have much lower levels of engagement. To improve parental involvement, I believe we need to teach parents that there are opportunities to get involved within the walls of the school, but there are also important ways for parents to be involved in their child’s education without visiting the school. We should certainly encourage parents to join their local PTA or Site-Based Decision Making (SBDM) groups, and we should create more affinity groups – like the very successful “Friends of Lakewood” Dad’s Club at Lakewood Elementary. Many parents, however, will not have the time or willingness to participate in those organizations. For these parents, we need to teach them how best to support their child’s education by encouraging them to read at home with their kids, teaching them how to create a conducive environment for homework, and making sure that they know the importance of getting their kids to school rested and ready to learn.[15]

—Dustin Marshall (2017)[17]

See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. Dustin Marshall for DISD, "About Dustin," accessed April 25, 2016
  2. Dallas Independent School District, "May 6, 2017 General Election Candidates," accessed February 19, 2017
  3. Dallas Independent School District, "Feb 23, 2017 - Called Board Meeting Agenda and Notice," accessed March 17, 2017
  4. Dallas County Elections, "Unofficial Cumulative Results," accessed May 6, 2017
  5. The Dallas Morning News, "Pivotal Dallas ISD trustee race heading for a runoff," May 6, 2017
  6. '"Dallas Independent School District, "Election Campaign Finance Reports-Dustin Marshall," accessed May 1, 2017
  7. Empower Texans, "May 2017 Endorsements," accessed April 14, 2017
  8. Dustin Marshall Dallas ISD Trustee, "Our Campaign Supporters," accessed April 14, 2017
  9. The Dallas Morning News, "Texas Education Agency recruits charter school experts as longtime officials leave," April 14, 2016
  10. Dallas County Elections, "Early Voting Totals Only," accessed May 7, 2016
  11. Dallas ISD, "Campaign Finance Reports," accessed April 18, 2016
  12. The Dallas Morning News, "In two Dallas school board races, a heavy dose of City Hall politics," May 6, 2016
  13. Dallas Morning News, "Editorial: We recommend Dustin Marshall for DISD school board trustee, District 2," April 14, 2016
  14. Dustin Marshall, "Supporters," accessed April 17, 2016
  15. 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 15.12 15.13 15.14 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  16. Dustin Marshall Dallas ISD Trustee, "Priorities," accessed April 13, 2017
  17. 17.00 17.01 17.02 17.03 17.04 17.05 17.06 17.07 17.08 17.09 17.10 17.11 17.12 17.13 The Dallas Morning News, "Voter Guide: Dallas ISD, District 2," accessed April 14, 2017