Qualifications: What training, experience and characteristics qualify you for this position?
SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM: How should the K–12 social studies curriculum balance state, national, and world history to best prepare students to be responsible citizens in today’s world?
TEACHER SUPPORT: How can the SBOE strengthen teacher preparation, certification, and ongoing professional development to support high-quality instruction?
DIGITAL EDUCATION: How can the SBOE balance technology use with traditional instructional methods to best support student learning?
RELIGION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Should Christianity or any other religious beliefs be incorporated into the public school curriculum? Explain your position.
Ben Estrada
I have a bachelors in Management Information Systems from UH and I’ve worked for the last 15 years in Oil & Gas and Tech as an IT professional to teach technical concepts to business operations teams
World history is essential to providing context to Texas and US history. We should take a balanced approach that recognizes Texas and US history while also acknowledging that they are subsets of a broader global narrative. We must reject sanitized history that focuses only on exceptionalism and embrace a curriculum that includes robust world history, geography, and diverse cultural perspectives.
The SBOE should support teachers by strengthening the new residency and mentorship pathways funded by HB 2. We need to ensure these programs provide real pay and support to help reverse the teacher shortage. We must also end curriculum whiplash by depoliticizing standards, approving better materials to reduce workload, and focusing training on core subjects instead of political mandates.
Technology should remain a tool to enhance lessons, not a replacement for teacher-led instruction. The SBOE should prioritize student wellness by following LRPT guidelines on digital health and screen time. We should also support traditional, print-based methods to ensure foundational mastery, using tech only when it adds clear value to learning and protects student development.
Separation of church and state is vital to ensure public schools remain inclusive and neutral. Religious instruction is the responsibility of families and places of worship, not the government. By keeping the curriculum secular and centered on core subjects, we protect students of all backgrounds from state-sponsored indoctrination and ensure that public funds never favor one belief over another.
OTHER ISSUES: What other issues do you believe will be the most pressing for the State Board of Education?
Separation of church and state is vital to ensure public schools remain inclusive and neutral. Religious instruction is the responsibility of families and places of worship, not the government. By keeping the curriculum secular and centered on core subjects, we protect students of all backgrounds from state-sponsored indoctrination and ensure that public funds never favor one belief over another.
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