Eric Eager

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Eric Eager

Nonpartisan

Richardson Independent School District school board Place 6 At-Large

Tenure

2020 - Present

Term ends

2026

Years in position

4

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

May 6, 2023

Appointed

August 24, 2020

Contact

Personal website

Eric Eager is a member of the Richardson Independent School District school board in Texas, representing Place 6. He assumed office on September 8, 2020. His current term ends in 2026.

Eager ran for re-election to the Richardson Independent School District school board to represent Place 6 in Texas. He won in the general election on May 6, 2023.

Elections

2023

See also: Richardson Independent School District, Texas, elections (2023)

General election

General election for Richardson Independent School District school board Place 6 At-Large

Incumbent Eric Eager defeated Blake Sawyer in the general election for Richardson Independent School District school board Place 6 At-Large on May 6, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Eric Eager (Nonpartisan)	56.7	8,791
	Submit photo	Blake Sawyer (Nonpartisan)	43.3	6,709

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 15,500
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2020

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

General election

The general election was canceled. Eric Eager (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Bridgett Hudson (Nonpartisan)

2017

See also: Richardson Independent School District elections (2017)

Three of the seven seats on the Richardson Independent School District board of trustees in Texas were up for general election on May 6, 2017. The Place 6 and 7 seats were up for election to regular three-year terms, but the Place 3 seat was up for election to a two-year term due to the announced resignation of incumbent Kris Oliver. The race for the open Place 3 seat included candidates Joseph Armstrong, Karen Clardy, Eric Eager, and Ben Prado. Clardy won election to the seat. In his bid for re-election to Place 6, incumbent Justin Bono ran unopposed and won another term. Place 7 incumbent Kristin Kuhne defeated challenger Lynn Davenport.

Results

Richardson Independent School District, Place 3 General Election, 2-year term, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Karen Clardy	54.95%	5,748
Eric Eager	22.55%	2,359
Joseph Armstrong	12.41%	1,298
Ben Prado	10.09%	1,055
Total Votes		10,460
Source: Dallas County Elections, "2017 Joint Election," accessed September 20, 2017

Funding

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

Eager reported $2,800.00 in contributions and $5,576.44 in expenditures to the Richardson Independent School District, which left his campaign with a deficit of $2,776.44 as of April 27, 2017.

Endorsements

Eager was endorsed by members of the community. Click here to see a list of his supporters.

Campaign themes

2023

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Eric Eager did not complete Ballotpedia's 2023 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Eric Eager did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2017

Candidate website

Eager highlighted the following statement on his campaign website:

“	The RISD has annual budget of $300 million dollars to serve its 38,000+ students. This is a big responsibility and I believe that my experience of having to manage a multi-million dollar budget, understanding the rapidly changing world of technology, along with practical understanding of the issues facing current students and teachers will only compliment the work being done by our existing board. 25 YEARS TECHNOLOGY AND FINANCIAL EXPERIENCE, CURRENT RISD PARENT, 40 YEAR AREA RESIDENT UNDERSTAND RISD STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS - As a parent of two current RISD students, I have a perspective of how the education process is currently working for our kids. I also have firsthand experience with the challenges facing many families with special needs students in our schools. I want to be able to influence how the district supports families and students with special needs in the coming years. LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE – As a leader of a high growth software company, I've learned how to implement innovative and proven methods of leading teams. One of the purposes of the board is to provide strategic direction and to make the tough calls. My hope is that I can help our board and school district by providing my experiences with leadership in an rapidly changing world. TECHNOLOGY EXPERIENCE - We need to keep working on getting our students prepared for the “Real World” and keeping up with technology is a critical necessity for the future. Our district has gotten the ball rolling with the recent middle school Chromebook rollout and the high school 24/7 rollout coming this fall. We need to continue to provide our students a good technology background for what lies ahead of them in their future. If elected, I would be the first board member to come from a software-technology background. FINANCIAL EXPERIENCE - With my professional background, I understand the fiduciary responsibilities of creating, managing and implementing a multi-million dollar budget. UNDERSTAND IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT - Over the years, I have been able to see what a vital role PTA plays with supporting our schools and teachers.	”
—Eric Eager (2017)

The Dallas Morning News survey

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

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

“	PREPARE OUR KIDS FOR THE JOBS OF THE FUTURE I am concerned about how we are preparing our kids for the jobs of the future. In today's digital world, things are changing at a rapid pace. In the next 10 years, many jobs have not even been created yet. I want to help make sure that our kids are equipped and have every opportunity to take advantage of the high paying growth careers of the future. The reasons why voters should consider me over my opponents: I understand the education needs of the digital age. I have 15 years leadership experience at a local entrepreneurial software company with customers in 45 countries, I understand the demands our students will face in the global job market. I will be a good steward of taxpayers’ dollars. I am a CPA with a Masters in Taxation, former CFO, and years of experience managing multi-million dollar complex financial budgets, I possess the necessary experience to ask the tough questions needed to strategically manage and oversee Richardson ISD’s $300 million+ budget. I am a current RISD parent. My children have attended RISD schools for last 9 years. I have firsthand experience in the district with kids with special needs. My wife’s 8 years of being on the board of local PTAs with 3 years as President, gives me a greater understanding of current issues and opportunities in our schools for our students and teachers.	”
—Eric Eager (2017)

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

“	PREPARE OUR KIDS FOR THE DIGITAL WORLD For this and the coming generation, technology is going to affect every aspect of their lives. It is important that RISD help equip our students and teachers with the technology they need to be ready for the jobs and opportunities of the future. The access to information about literally any subject is incredible. When I was a boy, I had to go to the library and hope the book I needed for research was available. Today, if one of my boys needs help with an algebra problem, they simply do a Google search on the topic and quickly find a specific instructional video with working examples (i.e. Khan Academy - https://www.khanacademy.org/). We need to continue to adapt and use technology as an aid to both our teachers and students. It is not meant to be a replacement for our teachers but as a way for them to be more effective in helping all students. One of the largest areas of investment in the 2016 bond (approximately $80 million) was earmarked for technology. This is a critical move for our district to keep our kids prepared for their future. My desire is to continue to support the work that has been started by the board in the implementation of technology throughout the school district. While technology is exciting, we also need to make sure we make effective use of taxpayer dollars spent on technology. We need to make sure our teachers are properly supported and trained on how to effectively utilize these new technologies. My hope is that RISD will not only continue in its efforts to stay current with technology but soon be an example for other school districts. STAYING COMPETITIVE FOR THE BEST TEACHERS Retaining quality teachers is important. I believe we need to continue making improvements to attract and keep the best teachers. We need to stay competitive in the market by providing our teachers with good compensation, the tools to do their jobs, and a clear focused direction. We need strong leadership on all campuses, we need to listen to teachers and administrators input, and take the necessary actions so they can do the best job for our kids.	”
—Eric Eager (2017)

For non-incumbent trustees: Have you attended any school board meetings? If so, what have you learned about how a board member can be effective?

“	Yes. I have learned the primary jobs of a board member is to be a representative of the people, provide strategic guidance, and oversee the financial budget to help the district provide the best possible opportunities for all kids. An effective board member will bring a skill set and experience that contributes to round out an existing board. They should be a good listener and consistently get feedback from the students, teachers, and parents of RISD. They should also be able to ask the tough questions at the same time be able to guide the superintendent and administration. I feel that I will add value to the board because I bring the right combination of understanding the needs in the workplace for the next generation, financial expertise, and the current needs of students.	”
—Eric Eager (2017)

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

“	I would be an advocate of integrating new innovative teaching technologies into the classroom. Traditional teaching methods struggle to engage students. We need to make education appealing, interactive, and more beneficial for the modern breed of tech-driven students. One of these new methods is called a flipped classroom. A flipped classroom inverts the traditional teaching methods, delivering instruction at home using videos or other tools provided by teachers outside of the classroom and moving “homework” into the classroom. The benefits of flipped classrooms are: 1. Students can learn at their own pace: Under traditional lectures, students have to keep pace with the rest of the class. If a student has difficulty understanding a concept, he or she is forced to slow down the rest of the class by asking for additional clarification or do his or her best to keep up and get additional guidance at the end of class. In contrast, in flipped classrooms, videos lectures can be easily accessed and viewed as many times as the students want. They can do a Google search to understand an idea better. If students continue to have issues, they can come to class prepared to ask specific questions about the topics that give them pause. 2. The teacher has more time to help while students apply new concepts. In the traditional classroom, students show what they’ve learned in class through homework. While at home working through problems, students typically do not have resources to help answer questions. By doing homework during class time gives teachers insight into where students are struggling and can adjust the curriculum accordingly. The results from flipped classrooms show promise. According to the Flipped Learning Network, 71% of teachers who flipped their classes noticed improved grades, 80% reported improved student attitudes, and 99% of teachers who flipped their classes would flip their classes again the following year.	”
—Eric Eager (2017)

Given the current funding structure, how does your district 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?

“	Richardson ISD has adopted a number of programs to assist low-income students. -The free or reduced lunch program provides healthy meals to kids. It is hard to learn when you are hungry. -Title 1 funding from the US Department of Education provides the district with additional funds for low-income families. It enables RISD to specifically provide additional teaching resources to children from low-income families. -AVID program, which is designed for first generation college-goers; RISD is a heavy adopter, and it has been a huge success. I would not advocate a tax increase to expand these programs. I believe we should first look to free up funding by examining the existing budget where we can be more efficient with our tax dollars before we ask taxpayers to contribute additional monies.	”
—Eric Eager (2017)

Many districts are exploring creative ways to save money or shift costs to parents and students. What creative measures would you favor or oppose and why?

“	I would look to growing strategic partnerships with the local business community. These partnerships are an excellent method of not only contributing money but also other resources to help our kids get exposure to potential careers. One example of this is the RISD partnership with Methodist Health System which donated 7,000 square feet of its campus on W. Campbell Road to the RISD. Students enrolled in the RISD Health Science program get to attend and do exercises in a wing of the hospital. This type of partnership gives RISD a chance to help our students and provide a way for local businesses a way to contribute to the community.	”
—Eric Eager (2017)

The state has adopted an A through F accountability system for district and campuses. Do you favor or oppose this system and why?

“	I am in favor of an accountability system; however, I believe that the current A through F systems puts too much weighting toward the results of the STAAR test. We need to find a more balanced approach that reflects the year-long achievements of students and teachers on different indicators.	”
—Eric Eager (2017)

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?

“	Based on the latest info, RISD dropout rate is 2.9% with the state average at 6%. I would say that RISD is doing a good job, but we should strive to get the number as close to zero as possible. We need to continue our efforts to help struggling students with programs like the Memorial Park Academy that allows students to earn high school credits while participating in a non-traditional school setting. As I stated in a previous question, to better prepare out students for college, I would be an advocate of integrating new innovative teaching technologies into the classroom. Traditional teaching methods struggle to engage students. We need to make education appealing, interactive, and more beneficial for the modern breed of tech-driven students.	”
—Eric Eager (2017)

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

“	According to the 2016 STAAR results for reading & math scores by school, the top 7 elementary schools in the district are Brentfield, Prairie Creek, Spring Creek, Canyon Creek, Mohawk, Bowie & White Rock. They each scored greater than 92% in reading and 94% in math. http://www.risd.org/Group/Parents/Testing/Test_Scores.html	”
—Eric Eager (2017)

How would you assess your district’s current school choice efforts, and what changes are needed?

“	There is a lot of recent discussion in regards to school choice. Most of the discussion is regarding school vouchers. I am not in favor of school vouchers as it will move funding from our public schools into private institutions with no accountability for student performance. Private schools will take in taxpayer dollars and not be held to the same standards as our public schools. There is little evidence that vouchers improve outcomes for students. Education funding is already strained with the state of Texas ranked 43 in education spending per student and is now pushing for more funding to come from local taxpayers. In regards to school choice within the district, RISD has done an excellent job of providing our students several options. There are magnet programs in arts, technology, math, science, leadership, law, culinary arts, theater arts, among others. RISD's new health science program in partnership with Methodist Hospital is now available to all high school students in the district. Beckner’s STEM Academy is a four-year program available for those interested in areas like biotechnology, virtual reality, robotics, and 3D Printing. I would look to expand the STEM program to all campuses and continue to look to partner with local industry leaders to exposure our kids to potential careers. Our students need to graduate with the skills required to earn a living wage or help pay for college	”
—Eric Eager (2017)

How would you assess your superintendent’s performance?

“	I am excited about Dr. Stone's appointment as Superintendent. I feel that she has made real progress in improving RISD. I feel she really has our students best interest in mind and her previous teaching experience helps keep her grounded from a teachers perspective. I believe she really wants to listen and take into consideration others suggestions.	”
—Eric Eager (2017)

Where do you stand on the importance of early-childhood education? Would you support increasing class-size ratios at other grade levels in order to introduce or expand pre-K?

“	I think early childhood education is important. However, I do not at this time like the idea of increasing class-size ratios in other grades to make this possible. I think we need to take a serious look at what options we have in order to introduce or expand pre-k in the district and see whether the tradeoffs are worth it.	”
—Eric Eager (2017)

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

“	The district needs more specialist for special needs children. There are approximately 4,300 students in the district with some form of special needs. The Board has added additional resources but if historical student growth trends continue there will be a need for additional services in the very near future. We will look at administrative processes that could be automated to give back time to the specialist to work with children.	”
—Eric Eager (2017)

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

“	As a current RISD parent, I feel that I receive good communication from the district and the local schools our children have attended. I know information goes out in many forms from the district level through the phone calls, Facebook postings, tweets, district emails, e-news, online videos, as well as relevant community communications via Peachjar. At the local school level, I have had a good experience with the schools using the methods listed above as well as some teachers such as band and choir using the Remind app to notify families of practice sessions, performances, etc. The problem I have seen is when parents are not subscribing to or are not utilizing these forms of communications or just simply do not know that they exist. Parental involvement can definitely be improved and this is where I feel that PTA is a huge plus. Many families are scared away from joining the local PTA’s feeling that that means they will have to volunteer but that is really not the case. Volunteering is great and is definitely important but mainly it means having a connection to what is going on at the school and in the district. Parental involvement starts at the local school level and we just need to make sure that we are supportive of our PTA’s.	”
—Eric Eager (2017)

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