Candidate name: Miguel Solis DISD

district: 8
Please complete questionnaire below.
You must send a completed electronic copy to Political@StonewallDemocratsOfDallas.org or mail
a completed copy to P.O. Box 192305 Dallas, TX 75219 by Monday, March 6th. You can download
an editable MS Word version of this document at the Endorsements page of our website at
www.StonewallDemocratsOfDallas.org .

1. Your background and the LGBT community

Please share any experience that illustrates your understanding and interest of the
needs of LGBTQ Dallas residents.
Over the past 3.5 years, I have worked to ensure that the needs of LGBTQ students and
staff of Dallas ISD are welcomed in our schools, treated fairly, and given the opportunities
every other child and adult is provided. I have worked with key community groups like the
Resource Center, LULAC Rainbow Council, as well as other LGTBQ political allies like
Councilman Adam Medrano to ensure that the interests of the LGBTQ community are
advanced. When Austin launched its misguided bathroom campaign, I was one of the first
local elected officials to push back and have continued to make my voice heard on the
matter. I was also a yes vote on our recent Welcoming Schools resolution which reaffirms
our commitment to support LGBTQ students and staff. Finally, I have been the key
intermediary on the school board between the LGBTQ community and the district
administration. This is a responsibility that I take very seriously and will continue to seek
any and every opportunity to assist the LGBTQ community moving forward.

Stonewall Democrats of Dallas seek to inform members of the LGBTQ and Democratic
Party community of candidate's political background. Our organizations by-laws
require us only to consider candidates with Democratic Primary voter history or
affirms their party affiliation via an oath of allegiance to the Democratic Party. Do you
qualify or would you be prepared to sign an oath of allegiance form from the Dallas
County Democratic Party?
Yes

2. Creating an inclusive community

Cities and Counties compete for residents, tax payers, conventions and new
businesses/economic development. As a member of the Dallas Independent School
Board, how would you insure that Dallas County can compete effectively with other
places in the area of LGBTQ inclusion?
The first way I can ensure that Dallas County can compete effectively is to ensure that our
own institution is continuously seeking ways to improve the experience of our LGBTQ
community. During my time on the school board, I have made it a point to serve as an ally
 for the LGBTQ community and in particular, students and staff. I have led an effort to
create a welcoming culture by both maintaining a presence in the LGBTQ community in
order to seek out suggestions for improving DISD on their behalf, defending LGBTQ
students and staff from attacks by Austin (see link) and D.C. lawmakers, and leading an
effort to create a LGBTQ liaison position. It is my belief that the LGBTQ community needs
champions on the school board in order to advocate for a welcoming culture that will
ultimately improve their experience and show the broader community that Dallas County
is inclusive for all. I intend on continuing to be that champion.

Would you recruit and consider qualified LGBTQ constituents for your staff and
appointments?

Yes. I currently have one gay man serving as an appointee to a commission in DISD
and have appointed him multiple times to the role. He has done an outstanding job
for my constituents.
3. Dallas Independent School District (DISD) as a LGBTQ inclusive
employer

The private sector has seen a large increase in policies and benefits for LGBTQ
employees, how should the DISD remain competitive to attract and retain top LGBTQ
talent?

I do think that we have to tackle health benefits related to the LGBTQ community.
Currently, the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) basically boxes out the LGBTQ
community. This is wrong, it hurts our ability to retain LGBTQ employees, and it must be
changed. I also think it is critical that we build HR supports for our LGBTQ employees. One
way to do this would be to create a LGBTQ liaison position that works with our staff to
ensure they have an ally that they can go to for support throughout the year. Other school
districts have shown that this can be done, and I have begun the effort to create this type
of position in our school system with the help of the Resource Center.

Do you support comprehensive LGBTQ and especially transgender-inclusive health

benefits? As a DISD board member will you work on lobbying the state and Teachers
Retirement System to implement such benefits?

I do and I will. This is an issue that I have discussed at board meetings in the past
and believe that as the second largest school district in Texas, when we speak,
Austin listens. I pledge to spend this upcoming term advocating for a broader
consensus from the district and the board around the issue.

It is great to have policies supportive of non-discrimination for LGBTQ personnel and

students. Does DISD do any diversity training of personnel related to non-
discrimination and anti-bullying?

We do have training but unfortunately, in my opinion, it is lacking in certain areas.

Several LGBTQ allies have reached out to my about ensuring that the training is
improved and this is an issue I have spoken with the district administration about. This
school year I led the push to ensure a certain training provider that was delivering
gender identity training not based in research was removed. It is my view that all
trainers delivering professional development remain based in research and inclusive.

What will you do to support Gay Straight Alliances for your school district?

I will continue to meet with key LGBTQ community groups to seek their input on how best to
improve DISD and will keep pushing for the creation of an LGBTQ liaison position that can serve
as the main intermediary between the LGBTQ students, staff, community and the district
administration.

4. Current Events

What do you see as the top challenges for the DISD board going into the next school
year, and what are your personal priorities for your work on the board for DISD?

The next three years in Dallas ISD present multiple opportunities to continue to
transform the district into a premier urban institution. These potential opportunities
include expanding early childhood education opportunities, creating more collegiate and
career academies, and tackling issues of inequity. I seek re-election to the District 8 seat
because these and other issues will require steady, thoughtful, and focused leadership
that keeps children at the forefront of every decision. I hope to continue to serve our
community and will work hard every day to make sure that all of our kids get the great
education they deserve.

Expanding high quality early childhood education options will allow Dallas ISD to get
ahead of the game by investing early in our childrens learning and development. There
are currently more than 17,000 three and four year old children not accessing public pre-
kindergarten through Dallas ISD. I am proud to have authored and passed the first early
childhood education policy in the district's history that aimed to maximize the number of
children ages 0-5 who have access to high quality early education. This plan focuses on
creating more slots for pre-kindergarten by maximizing state dollars and efficiently using
our facilities-doing everything we can to make sure every child in our district has access.
It also builds strong public/private partnerships with childcare providers so that we can
work together as community to support all of our students. As your school board
member I will continue to ensure that we focus on ensuring all children have high quality
early childhood education.
While it is important to ensure kids get an early start towards success, it is equally
critical that students at the tail end of their academic careers are prepared to enter
college or the workforce. For too long, school systems have focused too much on tests
and too little on the knowledge and skills one needs to make it in the 21st century.
Luckily in Dallas ISD, we have decided to make sure students are well-rounded as their
prepare to leave our schools. Through our Collegiate Academy model we have
collaborated with local two and four-year colleges to ensure our high schoolers leave the
district with both a high school diploma and an associate's degree, cutting the cost of
college and giving them a head start towards their bachelor's degree. But that's not it.
We have also partnered with corporations across the metroplex to ensure students have
job training that ensures they have the skills necessary to compete in today's workforce.
I am seeking another three years on the board in order to expand this program to all high
schools in Dallas ISD.
The data are clear, too many children in our district are suspended. Too many English as
a second language (ESL) students do not have the teachers they need. Too many of our
students live in communities of hyper-concentrated poverty. These issues of inequity are
only a few of the myriad of challenges we face at the district. These problems require
innovative solutions and they require them now. That's why I have proposed replacing
the archaic practice of suspension with tools that help to grow the character of our
students matched with training on how to use the tools for our campus staff. I have also
proposed growing our ESL students to be our future dual-language educators. And I have
not only challenged the district administration to work with the county and city to
address issues of poverty, I have offered my own service by serving on Mayor Michael S.
Rawlings' City Poverty Commission. I have done and will continue to do these things
because I believe that every child, regardless of their circumstances, should be provided
an education that unlocks their dreams in an educational institution that respects their
human dignity.

LGBTQ youth make up approximately 40% of the homeless youth population, but only
10% of the youth population as a whole. They also face considerable discrimination
and abuse in traditional homeless assistance programs. Given these facts, is there
anything that DISD can do to help this at risk population stay in school, and any other
assistance to help get them off the streets?

I do believe that we can work with community groups to assist homeless students more
effectively. I have had initial conversations with members of the Dallas City Homeless
Commission about aligning our strategies with the relevant recommendations. I have also begun
the process of reaching out to the philanthropic community about identifying resources that can
be used to bolster the work we are already doing in DISD.

Dallas County's Department of Elections has made it a priority to encourage new

young voters to participate in elections more. In what ways would you attempt to
increase participation in Dallas County's successful Student Election Worker program?
Is there anything more that DISD can do to help student voters participate in
elections?

I have supported recent efforts by LULAC and other groups to register students to vote. This
effort led to a marked increase in registered students across the district. I believe it is critical that
we ensure students are registered to vote as soon as possible to ensure their voices are heard. I
will continue to work with groups like LULAC to ensure the program they launched this year
continues to expand throughout the district.

What are your concerns regarding the new A-F grading system for Texas public
schools that is being rolled out in 2018? What specific improvements to this new
school evaluation system should DISD be lobbying for?
This system does not adequately capture the reality of the work of DISD given the myriad
number of challenges our students face. It must be changed to reflect issues related to poverty
and funding. DISD has recently launched a pilot program aimed at assessing full scope of the
work we do on behalf of children. While this system still reveals areas in which we must improve,
it gives the public a much more realistic assessment of the progress we are making.

I, Miguel Solis, am seeking an endorsement from the Stonewall Democrats of Dallas for the 2017
Dallas Independent School Board elections.

Signed Miguel Solis Date_3/6/17