"Richardson ISD is a scaled-down big-city school district. With about 36,300 students, it’s diverse ethnically and racially. Half of students come from economically disadvantaged households, and one-third speak a language other than English at home.

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Richardson ISD also has significant strengths, including supportive parents and property owners who approved a $1.4 billion bond package last year. And it attracts dedicated education advocates to its school board races.

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...Burney is the better candidate. Her top concerns are increasing state funding for public schools, supporting teachers and closing achievement gaps. She has taught in elementary and high school settings and has a master’s degree in education. 

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Burney said enrollment is shrinking for a variety of reasons. Some, such as lower birth rates and an aging population, are beyond trustees’ control. The sustained increase in homeschooling after the pandemic and the state’s new private school voucher program have added to the competition for students, she said. That’s why she supports a proposed $450,000 marketing campaign, even though she’d rather invest that money in the classroom. 

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“It’s become necessary to demonstrate to the public why public education, and RISD, is the best choice for their students,” she said. Publicizing the district’s strong programs in the fine arts, science and athletics, along with a new career and technical education training center, could encourage parents to try Richardson ISD, she said.

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Burney supports the district’s cellphone ban. She also praised a partnership that has brought a mental health clinic, staffed by Metrocare Services, to the former Thurgood Marshall Elementary, which now serves as an alternative education center."