Lesley Guilmart

Lesley Guilmart

Nonpartisan

Candidate, Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, Position 5

Elections and appointments

Next election

November 4, 2025

Education

Bachelor's

New York University, 2003

Graduate

University of Houston, 2012

Personal

Birthplace

Durham, N.C.

Profession

Educator

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Instagram

Personal Facebook

Lesley Guilmart is running for election to the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District to represent Position 5 in Texas. She is on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.^[source]

Guilmart completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Lesley Guilmart was born in Durham, North Carolina. She earned a bachelor's degree from New York University in 2003 and a graduate degree from the University of Houston in 2012. Her career experience includes working as an educator. As of 2025, Guilmart was affiliated with Cypress Families for Public Schools.

Elections

2025

See also: Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, Texas, elections (2025)

General election

The general election will occur on November 4, 2025.

General election for Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, Position 5

Terrance Edmond, Lesley Guilmart, and Radele Walker are running in the general election for Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, Position 5 on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Terrance Edmond (Nonpartisan)
		Lesley Guilmart (Nonpartisan)
		Radele Walker (Nonpartisan)

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
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Endorsements

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Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Lesley Guilmart completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Guilmart'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.

As a former Cy-Fair ISD educator, mom of two CFISD students, and proud wife of a CFISD teacher, I am deeply committed to the future of our schools and the education of our children. I’m the daughter of a nurse and a teacher, both first-generation college graduates who impressed upon me the importance of education and serving others, so it makes sense that I went into teaching as soon as I earned my Bachelor's degree.

I moved to Houston in 2003 and have lived and worked in this area ever since. With over 20 years of experience in public education, I have had the privilege of serving in various roles, including high school English teacher, instructional coach, school administrator, and teacher certification officer. I hold a Master's Degree in Educational Administration and Supervision from the University of Houston.

My passion for education extends beyond the classroom, as I have advocated for CFISD schools since 2022 as president of Cypress Families for Public Schools.

I am excited to run for the Cy-Fair Independent School District Board of Trustees alongside fellow candidates Dr. Cleveland Lane and Kendra Camarena, both dedicated educators and CFISD parents. All three of us know how to give students what they need on a shoe-string budget and a ticking clock. Together, we will get CFISD back on track with a common-sense, pro-public education approach to leadership.

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?

• As CFISD Trustee, I will work to ensure student safety and success. Broadly, this looks like (1) allocating resources that clear the path to success for every learner, (2) prioritizing the well-being of students through evidence-based practices, and (3) implementing innovative ways for working families to be partners in their students' educational success.
• I will prioritize smart financial decision-making by (1) working to ensure the Board's time is spent discussing and funding data-informed programs and services and (2) streamlining the budget process to prioritize student needs and stakeholder input.
• I will push to optimize opportunities for all stakeholders to engage with the Board. This includes (1) reimagining the creation of Board subcommittees to ensure transparency, (2) expanding existing communication channels to engage the community and inform decisions with data and feedback, and (3) providing clear rationale for how the Board makes decisions.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am a strong advocate for our public schools, because they welcome and serve all students. A great public-school education can be transformational to a child's future. It is crucial that our schools are led by public servants who believe in serving EVERY child. That means ensuring a safe, data-informed learning environment for children of all backgrounds. It also means ensuring that all educators and support staff have the pay, benefits, resources, and working conditions they need to thrive. When we take great care of the adults who work in our schools, they can take great care of students.

I am also passionate about public school funding. We need a vast coalition of stakeholders who will advocate for adequate funding from the state.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

What legacy would you like to leave?

To have been part of a team of Trustees that guided CFISD toward a bright future: I envision a CFISD community that continues to thrive through every challenge that comes its way because the schools are strong and effective; a community that continues to attract young families and makes prosperity possible for hardworking people; a community united in lifting up every single child and ensuring they have what they need to flourish.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

September 11 stands out to me. I was a college student in New York City at the time, and I remember watching the second tower fall in real time. Experiencing that day and its impact on New York City and the nation was a shaping experience for me.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I can't remember whether I first earned money babysitting or working at a bagel shop. Regardless, I preferred babysitting! That experience gave me my first inkling that I might enjoy teaching. (I went on to teach high school English for ten years which was my first job out of college.)

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I struggle to stay silent in the face of injustice and wrongdoing.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

- Set district mission and vision; approve goals and check on progress

- Set policy and budget
- Hire and evaluate the performance of the superintendent
- Engage the community; invite and consider community feedback
- Ask thoughtful questions and guide the school district (The superintendent and the school district enact policy and determine day-to-day operations.)

- Advocate for our schools at the local and state level

Who are your constituents?

My constituents are CFISD students, families, and stakeholders (including school district staff).

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

I will listen and ask questions, so I can learn about the needs of stakeholders who may have different backgrounds and experiences from my own.

What strategies or plans would you advance to ensure the schools are properly funded?

I will work with stakeholders to engage and inform the community around issues of school finance. My goal is to leverage my organizing, communication, and leadership skills to strengthen our local coalition of advocates so we speak to our elected officials with one strong, unified voice. We must leverage our collective influence to get the funding our district needs.

What principles drive your policies for safety in schools?

- clarity of expectations, consistency of enforcement

- fostering warm, authentic relationships between students and educators as well as students with one another
- great instruction and classroom management that minimize boredom and opportunities for off-task behavior
- engaging families and the community
- enough adults in the hallways to effectively monitor behavior during transitions

- anonymous Tipline

How might you support the mental health needs of students/faculty/staff?

We need to look at how we can bring back the counselor positions that were cut. This will help student mental health because they will have better access to qualified adults to counsel them. It will help staff mental health because students are less likely to act out in class if they have a counselor's support.

For faculty and staff, we need to continue working to streamline and eliminate redundancies in responsibilities. Helping them achieve work-life balance will go a long way.

What existing district policies would you like to change, or what new policies would you like to implement?

I would like to bring back the librarian positions that were eliminated to save money. This has a negative impact on student literacy, which in turn negatively impacts test scores / accountability. We need to find ways to save money that do not harm student literacy.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Cypress Families for Public Schools, The Caucus, A Voice for Public Schools, Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation, Cy-Fair AFT, Cy-Fair Strong Schools, CFISD Advocates for Public Ed (CAPE), Ministers for Quality Education

Describe your ideal learning environment for students.

- certified, highly qualified teachers / educators

- warm, welcoming classroom and school culture
- clear, fair rules and discipline practices that keep everyone safe
- relevant, engaging instruction
- text-rich environment (including choice in reading materials)
- project-based learning
- opportunities for exploration and discourse in class
- plentiful electives and extracurricular opportunities
- safe, comfortable facilities

- specialized programming depending on student need

What are your preferred strategies for faculty, staff, and administration recruitment?

- offering competitive pay and benefits

- fostering a positive working environment by showing employees respect and trusting them as professionals
- ensuring facilities are as safe and comfortable as possible
- fostering strong discipline, so staff feel safe with their students

- working to provide employees with the resources they need to do their jobs well

Are there any areas of school curriculum you would like to see changed?

We must restore the chapters from State Board of Education-approved instructional materials that were censored by the current Board majority.

What role should artificial intelligence have in your school district?

Artificial Intelligence is constantly evolving, and it is important to research its uses and impacts. We will need to make data-informed decisions on an ongoing basis about how best to harness it, because it will continue to evolve. For now, there are ways educators can use AI to streamline their heavy workloads. I would like to support them in doing that without sacrificing instructional quality. Our students need to learn how to use AI responsibly. We need to ensure educators are trained in how to incorporate AI into assignments / learning such that it is not a tool for cheating. Students must learn how to use it thoughtfully.

Candidates hear many personal stories from voters. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching or memorable?

A CFISD teacher shared with me the increasing control she and her colleagues are experiencing this school year from the district. They don't have the autonomy they used to over texts, assignments, or pacing. Another teacher shared with me that she and her colleagues are afraid to bring up relevant current events in class - in fact, their instructional leaders discourage them from doing so. Both teachers shared that district administrators point to the Board of Trustees when asked where these changes are coming from. It is not the job of the Board to dictate day-to-day functioning of the school district. Furthermore, most of the current trustees are not professional educators, so they're not even qualified to do so. It's time to elect trustees who respect the professionalism of our educators and let them teach our students at an appropriate pace using engaging, up-to-date resources. Teachers who feel set up for failure and micromanaged will not want to continue working in our district for long. It is urgent that we do away with this climate of fear in our school district.

What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?

I earned my Masters Degree in Education from the University of Houston. It took me four-and-a-half years, because I did it while teaching full-time. I also had my first child during that time period. There were some semesters when I only had the bandwidth for one course. However, I stuck with it, because it was important to me to have an advanced degree in my chosen field. I graduated with a 4.0 GPA! The experience deepened my respect for parents who are pursuing a degree. It's a lot to juggle, and it's 100% worth it.

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