Stephane Rovelo
From Ballotpedia
This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.
Stephane Rovelo ran for election to the Garland Independent School District to represent Place 1 in Texas. He lost in the general election on May 3, 2025.
Rovelo completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Stephane Rovelo was born in Dallas, Texas. He earned an associate degree from Richland College in 2010, a bachelor's degree from the University of North Texas in 2013, and a graduate degree from Lamar University in 2018. His career experience includes working as an educator and administrator.[1]
Elections
2025
See also: Garland Independent School District, Texas, elections (2025)
General election
General election for Garland Independent School District, Place 1
Incumbent Larry Glick defeated Stephane Rovelo in the general election for Garland Independent School District, Place 1 on May 3, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Larry Glick (Nonpartisan) | 61.6 | 8,374 |
 | Stephane Rovelo (Nonpartisan)  | 38.4 | 5,214 | |
| Total votes: 13,588 | |||
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Rovelo in this election.
Campaign themes
2025
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Stephane Rovelo completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Rovelo's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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My name is Stephane Rovelo, and I am running for Place 1 of the Garland ISD Board of Trustees. I grew up in Mesquite and was raised by two immigrant parents. My mom was born and raised in France, and my father is a native of El Salvador. They both came to the U.S. to attend college, where they eventually met before moving to Dallas and getting married.
I grew up with three sisters and graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor's in Strategic Communications. After working in the private sector for a few years, I moved to South Korea and began my journey in education by serving as an English teacher for elementary students. When I returned to the U.S., I started teaching at Richland Collegiate High School while pursuing my teaching certifications. During this time, I married my wife, Kristine, and we moved to Garland and started a family. Once I became certified, I began teaching in Garland ISD as a science teacher at Sam Houston Middle School for three years.
While teaching, I attained my Master’s Degree in Educational Administration and earned my principal certification simultaneously. I then served as Assistant Principal of Richland Collegiate High School for a year and as Principal for two years. I graduated from Leadership Garland Class 43 (the best class!) last year and stepped down as a principal at the end of the school year to spend more time with my young children.
I live in Firewheel Estates with my wife, Kristine, and three children.- Since 2012, literacy rates for GISD third graders (as indicated by state assessments) have been largely stagnant. While we are certainly still in a recovery period from COVID, the reality is that every district touching Garland ISD has at least improved from where they were in 2012. Students who cannot read by the end of third grade have a 23% chance of dropping out of school, while proficiently reading third graders have a 4% chance. By the end of third grade, students who are proficient readers have the foundation to find success in future grade levels. As a GISD trustee, I want to direct attention and resources to Pre-K through third-grade reading programs so that Garland ISD students achieve higher proficiency rates.
- GISD educators are not earning a large enough portion of the incentive-based pay that they are eligible for.In 2023, GISD was eligible for over $10 million in state funds, and the district only pulled down about 35% of that. This is money that we are leaving on the table at a time when educators and support staff are being asked to do more than they ever have before. Teachers are the single largest indicator of student success, and our teachers deserve the absolute best here at GISD.As a GISD trustee, I will work with the board and superintendent to support our teachers so that they can consistently draw down more of the incentive-based pay they are eligible for.
- The community of Garland ISD will benefit from more visible and vocal board members. Last year, GISD trustees passed new goals for the district meant to guide all initiatives for the next five years. The lack of community involvement in these goals was a missed opportunity to engage the public to educate and listen to perspectives. This is just one example of a board that isn't actively involved with the community. As a GISD trustee, I will work with the board to involve ourselves in educating and listening to the community. Engaged trustees create engaged community members. Engaged community members create engaged students. Engaged students have higher success rates at school, which is why we are here.
I am passionate about the current conversation concerning education across our country and across Texas. Senate Bill 2 takes money that would go into a public school (which would be held accountable for every dollar spent) and moves it to a charter or private school where accountability isn’t necessarily the same. For example, public schools are only funded based on students attending class. If a student is absent, a public school is not funded for that student on that day. A $10,000 voucher guarantees money to a private institution regardless of student performance or attendance and feels like an insult to public schools that have to jump through hoops for every cent.
I look up to Martin Luther King Jr. and his example of focusing on non-violent protest against an oppressive system. MLK used his skills as an orator to inspire a generation to care for one another despite conventional prejudice. His views on “The Triple Evils” of poverty, racism, and militarism, as well as his vocal opposition to the Vietnam War, inspire me to consider what we can best do as a community, both as citizens of a city and citizens of the world, to support one another. "If we are to have peace on earth, our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional. Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective."
What a tough question! While I have many influences, I think that a foundational film for me was "All the President’s Men," a political thriller that shows the events of the Watergate Scandal that eventually led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. This movie was one of the first strong influencers in my understanding of the importance of journalism in keeping the public informed and in holding our elected representatives accountable. This has helped to influence my desire to serve with complete transparency through a commitment to the truth. I believe that an informed GISD community will serve to help hold the school board to high standards that will, in turn, positively affect student performance.
Integrity, transparency, and diligence are the most important principles of elected officials.
Officials with integrity act in the best interests of those they represent while making decisions based on the good of their communities, not for their re-elections. Having elected officials that act with integrity is the foundation for success in our elected systems.
Transparency helps the public understand the processes we engage with and the reason for our decisions. This leads to the buy-in of our systems and spreads trust in how we manage and lead our communities. Without trust, our systems cannot function optimally.
My strongest quality is my ability to broker peace and civil conversation. When working as an officeholder, conversations can be challenging when two impassioned perspectives meet and try to mediate. I work very well with others and can help reach a consensus with a group of people who may have the same goal but disagree on how to get there. In this day and age, that skill is proving to be of exceptional value to my community.
School board trustees have four explicit responsibilities to the district:
1. Set the vision and goals for the district
2. Hire and evaluate the superintendent
3. Approve budgets
4. Adopt district policies
When I leave, I want to leave the legacy of a bridge builder between divided communities. Right now, I believe that a divide exists between our school district and our community that isn’t in the best interest of students. I want my legacy to be acknowledged as the catalyst for a strengthened union between our school district and community, resulting in a unified tri-cities rallying behind the cry for a stronger public education for our students. Together, we are capable of doing so much for our students; we just need to allow ourselves to engage with others.
The first major historical event that I remember was the attack on the Twin Towers on September 11. I was 9 years old, and I remember coming home to turn on the TV and watching the smoking towers. I didn’t fully understand the implications of the attack or that it was the first attack by a foreign power in the history of the United States, but I did come to recognize the change in the American zeitgeist that followed.
My very first job was working at McAlister's Deli in high school. I worked there for two years until graduation. I loved working there as it provided an opportunity for flexible employment after school hours, and I was also close enough to home that I could walk. Working in a restaurant at 16 helped expose me to the demands of timely service and caring for customers while operating smoothly as a team.
My favorite book is The Lord of the Rings. I know it is a cliche, but the movies had a powerful impact on me when I was growing up, and the books paint such a colorful world. I am currently halfway through a re-read! Gandalf gives a piece of advice that came to be a big influence on my worldview. When Frodo laments to Gandalf that he wishes the ring had never come to him and that none of the bad things that transpire had ever happened, Gandalf responds,So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to do is decide what to do with the time that is given to us.” Amazing.
If I had answered this question while growing up, I would have easily said Goku from Dragon Ball Z.
Now that I am older and view problem-solving a bit differently, I find myself inspired by Samwise Gamgee from Lord of the Rings. I think that the world would be a better place if we prioritized friends and loyalty over personal gain and fear.
Now that I am older and view problem-solving a bit differently, I find myself inspired by Samwise Gamgee from Lord of the Rings. I think that the world would be a better place if we prioritized friends and loyalty over personal gain and fear.
Changes- 2Pac
I have struggled with my youth in my professional career. I graduated high school at 17, college when I was 20, and I became a principal before I was 30. I am grateful for the opportunities I had at a young age and how they have brought me to where I am today while also recognizing the challenges that have come with success. I have been stereotyped about my work ethic or my skills because of my age and this has brought me to a point where I recognize that I need to be on top of my game to overly demonstrate my capabilities. Mistakes I make are often attributed to a lack of experience when those same mistakes are brushed over by more experienced personnel. This has been a blessing in disguise, pushing me to learn constantly and growing my competency. I continue to focus on a growth mindset and work to do the best that I can for the community.
I believe that the primary responsibility of the school board is to increase student outcomes and represent the best interests of students. Every meeting we have, every question we ask, and every decision we make should be tied to how we can best increase the outcomes of our students to provide a better quality of life after graduation.
As a school board trustee, my constituents are the students of my district. I am elected to represent the best interests of these students and the futures available to them. Second to the students, the parents and the community of Garland ISD are all important stakeholders that I also see as my constituents.
As a trustee, I will support the diverse needs of the GISD community by listening to feedback from all stakeholders and working with board members to address challenges in the district. The school board is a team; together, we can address issues and elevate all positions within the district.
As a trustee, I will utilize relationships with my voter base, members of the district, and social media platforms to engage in dialogue. I have found that most community members appreciate it when we can make time to meet together and discuss matters in the district. Being available to meet with the community and district personnel to hear different perspectives will be how I build relationships as a board member.
Good teaching provides students with opportunities to learn and then expand upon concepts. As a trustee, I will not personally measure good teaching, but view reports that provide data to evaluate our students. I will support our superintendent in implementing effective teaching strategies for our district and evaluate the efficacy of those practices by reviewing student data.
A trustee, thankfully, is not responsible for advancing the curriculum in our district. It is important to keep in mind that, although I personally have classroom experience, most school board trustees do not. We do not want trustees without educational expertise to decide what curriculum to have in the classrooms. We want trustees to set expectations for our students and leave it to the superintendent to meet those goals. I will support any innovative programming proposed by our superintendent that is set to improve student outcomes directly.
Since public school funding is determined by the state, school board trustees do not have the power to allocate funds to schools as they want; rather, they work with the funding provided by the state. I firmly believe that the Texas Legislature needs to raise the basic student allotment and look at having the basic student allotment tied to enrollment instead of attendance.
Regarding utilizing the funding that we are provided, the key to spending wisely is to capitalize on high-leverage strategies that push students to achieve at higher levels. This is done primarily through evaluating the process that we have in place and considering if different systems/programs might better serve the students in our district. Consistently assessing the efficacy of our programs is key to properly funding our schools.
Regarding utilizing the funding that we are provided, the key to spending wisely is to capitalize on high-leverage strategies that push students to achieve at higher levels. This is done primarily through evaluating the process that we have in place and considering if different systems/programs might better serve the students in our district. Consistently assessing the efficacy of our programs is key to properly funding our schools.
The core principle is that every student deserves a safe and secure learning environment. Consistent safety measures, SEL strategies, and mutual respect are all essential aspects of a safe environment. Garland ISD makes safety the top priority and has even announced a Security Training Center to enhance school safety by providing first responder training.
I want to examine the current counselor-to-student ratio at our middle and high school campuses. To effectively serve students and care for their mental health, we need to ensure that we have the appropriate number of counselors dedicated to the campuses. Receiving student/faculty/staff feedback on the effectiveness of current mental health supports could also help to further the discussion on what needs to be done.
Knock-knock.
Who’s there?
Interrupting cow.
Interrupting cow wh-
I want to review existing policies related to our five-year goals and propose adding constraints to the goals that we create. Providing constraints with goals helps to set a framework in which the superintendent can operate that helps clarify what the community and school board believe is acceptable. For example, providing a constraint limiting the number of first-year teachers at low-performing schools could help to improve outcomes for those students while helping to retain teachers.
My ideal learning environment for students is one in which students are safe and able to learn content to the degree of mastery. This often means allowing students to explore topics and push their own learning by taking ownership of their work. An ideal learning environment can look like a school garden when learning about biotic and abiotic factors or like a classroom rug with letters to help students learn to spell their names.
During the coronavirus pandemic, I served the district as an eighth-grade teacher. I think our board of trustees did what they felt was best for the students and teachers at the time. If something like the pandemic were to happen again while I was a trustee, I would prioritize personally meeting with teachers and campus-level employees to hear about their experience firsthand. I would then share the feedback that I received with fellow trustees and would inform the decisions that we made for our employees.
In order to build relationships with parents in the district, I will be out in the community discussing big topics that the community wants to know about. I would like to do this with my fellow trustees so that we can spread out and cover different areas of Garland, Sachse, and Rowlett. This effort will lead to more educated parents with confidence in their elected members as we demonstrate our willingness to listen and engage.
As a trustee, my preferred strategy for recruitment is to leave the recruiting to the HR professionals of the district. I am not an HR professional, and I recognize that their experience is far more beneficial for hiring in the district than mine.
Financial transparency is crucial for maintaining trust with the public, and our governmental institutions should be accountable to the public. I am running for the Garland ISD board in part to help bridge the gap that currently exists between the community and the matters of the district. The district and community would both benefit from mutual accountability in the success of our students.
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.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 18, 2025
