Laura Stanford

Laura Stanford is a member of the Judson Independent School District in Texas, representing District 6 At-large. She assumed office on May 18, 2023. Her current term ends in 2027.

Stanford ran for election to the Judson Independent School District to represent District 6 At-large in Texas. She won in the general election on May 6, 2023.

Stanford completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Laura Stanford was born in Kingsville, Texas. Stanford earned a bachelor's degree from Trinity University in 1974. Her career experience includes working as a mortgage loan officer and public school teacher. Stanford has been affiliated with Alamo Area Partners for Animal Welfare (AAPAW) and the nonprofit organization HeavenSent.^[1]

Elections

2023

General election

General election for Judson Independent School District, District 6 At-large

Laura Stanford defeated incumbent Renée Paschall in the general election for Judson Independent School District, District 6 At-large on May 6, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Laura Stanford (Nonpartisan)	52.6	2,847
	Submit photo	Renée Paschall (Nonpartisan)	47.4	2,569

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,416
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Campaign themes

2023

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released April 1, 2023

Ballotpedia survey responses

Laura Stanford completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Stanford's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Born in Kingsville, Tx, I was raised in upstate NY the oldest of 9 children. Deciding I wanted to teach, I went to Abilene Christian College for 2 years, transferring to Trinity University where I graduated cum laude with a secondary certificate for English and Speech. I taught 3 years at Harris Middle School in San Antonio and eventually decided to enter the business world as a mortgage loan officer where I continue to help many families get into homes through Homebridge Financial. Even in business I use a teacher's approach, educating my clients about all available choices. I moved to Converse in 1992, where I remain close to my family and my 9

nieces and nephews.

 I taught Jr. High Sunday school for 18 years.  For the past 20 years I've been involved in pet rescue.  I've helped foster and find homes for dozens of homeless cats and dogs on the streets of Converse....so rewarding.  In 2004 I was involved in organizing citizens to stop San Antonio's use of the gas chamber to euthanize unwanted pets, and to move toward a no kill policy. I then joined the board of Alamo Area Partners for Animal Welfare where I've served for the past 15 years.  In 2017, I founded HeavenSent, a ministry that provides free greeting cards and regular visits to the residents of a Converse nursing home.

My faith in God defines the way I live and how I treat others: He loves them and calls me to do the same. I currently attend Community Bible Church.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Performance. Students have to be our top priority: they are the reason the school system exists in the first place, so providing what they need to succeed is paramount. 62% of our student body being below grade level (per last TAPR), says that we aren't accomplishing our primary purpose. Teachers should be listened to & provided what they need in the classroom to help students reach & exceed grade level. As a taxpayer & someone w/ family at Judson HS, I want us to seek outside the box solutions; clearly the current path isn't working. Let's find out why.
Accountability. I am advocating for student achievement goals that are more robust: at the very LEAST exceed the county levels, which are below standard themselves! And why not aim to be the best district in the area? / The budget would be assessed accordingly, w/ an eye to funneling more resources into the classroom to support teachers, so they in turn can better support students. / The Superintendent is reviewed by the Board for managing & attaining the goals set; perhaps an incentive could be considered for exceeding goals, but let's consider changing assessments that may encourage lower goal setting to avoid negative reviews.
Accessibility. Have a Q&A session as a part of the monthly Board meetings, so that the community can communicate directly with the Board members. I feel this would encourage more citizens to participate in the ongoing business of the district & keep Board members better informed of their concerns. / Create a district-wide community advisory committee of students (where appropriate), parents, teachers and staff to provide ongoing input on any obstacles being encountered in the implementation of programs & performance goals: how are things actually working in the trenches / Parents & taxpayers should have easy access to curriculum content & materials so they are kept aware of what is being taught, since they certainly have a stake in it.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I have found that what I am most passionate about is speaking to the recipients of public policy -- students, parents, teachers, staff, taxpayers -- about how they are being impacted by those policies. Are they working? Are policies/programs that sounded great upon approval proving in reality to be ineffective or even detrimental? Is the entity that is supposed to serve you, in this case the district, succeeding or failing in performing as needed? From feedback I have received, it sounds like we could benefit from more of a customer service approach to our constituents.

I find I also love problem solving -- these are the ways the policy is not working, here are the unintended consequences to the end user: how can we fix that.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I would have to say, my best friend from high school, Lynn. We lost touch for several years after college, then reconnected in our 40's and became best friends again. By that time she was a successful business owner with incredible instinct and business savvy....that was inspiring in itself. But more than that, she was a deeply spiritual person with a heart for people. She quietly, with no fanfare, helped countless people in countless ways -- from simple encouragement in the face of adversity, to helping them escape toxic relationships and get independently established. There's not enough space here to describe the kind of person she was. She passed away in 2017, a loss I still feel. But it was one of her dreams to provide free greeting cards to people in retirement homes that caused me to start HeavenSent here in Texas. Through that ministry, I bring in greeting cards to a local rehabilitation center which residents can access at no cost: this simple service encourages them to think of others, and to keep in touch with friends and family (a vital connection for their emotional and mental health). I'm also able to establish relationships with residents which keeps them encouraged and feeling connected to the outside world. That simple outreach has become a reality because of her. I can only hope to be a fraction of the blessing she was to others.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Being a good listener is key, and is not as common as it should be. It's also important to remain calm in the face of criticism, because that comes with the territory too -- and if you've made a mistake, admit it and make amends to the best of your ability. Being able to be fair minded -- openly considering the pros and cons of an issue regardless of personal bias -- is valued by constituents because they can feel heard regardless of your personal position. It is also important that a trustee be willing to put in the time needed to keep informed of how things are going in something as complex as a school district. Lastly, being accessible: people appreciate someone they can get in touch with.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I'm a good listener, and truly care about people: they can feel this when they meet me. I'm a problem solver -- I look for solutions that will meet the needs of those involved, and if I can't, then I look for someone who can step in to provide what's needed. In my regular job as a loan officer, I have even been willing to refer a client to another lender if I couldn't provide the product they needed. Ultimately, my desire is to find and share solutions, whether I personally benefit or not. I like to gather ideas from many sources when confronting a challenge. I believe that attitude will be an asset on the board.

I'm optimistic: I believe things can always be better, and that most people are willing to work together for a desirable outcome. I am able to admit I made a mistake and do my best to rectify it; but I don't focus on the errors others make: we all need leeway, since no one is perfect.

As a woman of faith, my faith in God defines the way I live and how I treat others: He loves them and calls me to do the same. Cultivating an atmosphere of respect is an obvious plus in any environment; that doesn't mean it is easy or even commonplace, but it is absolutely worth striving for.

What is your favorite book? Why?

There are many, but I'll go with "To Kill a Mockingbird" because it is not only an intriguing mystery but a moving and inspiring story of one man's effort to help another in spite of the community's bias and even hatred.

Who are your constituents?

My constituents are the students, parents, teachers, staff, and taxpayers.

How would you support the diverse needs of your district’s students, faculty, staff, and community?

I plan to establish an advisory committee of my own, consisting of parents, teachers, staff and taxpayers (& students where appropriate) that would meet together at least quarterly. We would discuss any issues they are experiencing along with possible solutions. The participants would benefit from hearing from each other and I would gain insight into their particular needs. For issues that need more in depth attention, I would seek to connect the person to the sources that could help. In addition, I would remain available by phone and email for all constituents, and would visit the campuses as regularly as possible. I would also seek to build relationships with the principals and assistant principals in each school. Creating an ongoing communication channel will be vital to the way I wish to serve on the board.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Jose Macias, Jr -- current trustee on the Judson ISD school board District 4

Describe your ideal learning environment for students.

The classroom must be a place of safety and order -- teachers need reliable support from the administration for dealing with any discipline issues. Such problems are said to be recurring and apparently worsening, according to many teachers I have visited with. One thing I have imagined is putting in place a system of better rewards/incentives for good behavior (instead of emphasis on punishment); I would like to have a round table discussion with teachers, parents and even students for input as to how this could be made meaningful. What would matter to the students? A free day? A pizza in the class day, a movie day? Something it would be worth working toward that they would care about losing. These are just some thoughts....I would seek input from all the stakeholders.

Also important for an ideal learning environment is having a manageable student:teacher ratio (ideally not over 22:1, with less being obviously better), along with any necessary tutors and/or aides; this gives the teacher optimal opportunity to meet the students' needs. We are reaching for this in PK to 5th grade which is a wonderful start.

The ability to receive extra help when lessons are difficult is an obvious key to keeping students from falling behind -- this needs to be provided either in the classroom with the help of tutors/aides or perhaps after school. Of course, encouragement and praise for progress are vital to young people and would be an important part of an good learning environment.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Candidate

Judson Independent School District, District 6 At-large

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 9, 2023

[bio-1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 9, 2023

[1]

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Laura Stanford

Contents

Biography

Elections

2023

General election

General election for Judson Independent School District, District 6 At-large

Campaign themes

2023

Video for Ballotpedia

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

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