Collin Leadership Policy Summit 2022: Education Priorities for the 88th Legislative Session

Education was a major point of discussion during the inaugural Collin Leadership Policy Summit. Education and political leaders came together in a panel to discuss education priorities for the next legislative session.

The panel included Senator Angela Paxton, UT Dallas Vice President Amanda Rockow, Plano ISD Board of Trustees Vice President Nancy Humphrey, and Wylie ISD Superintendent Dr. David Vinson.

For the upcoming session, the senate combined the two committees on education, K-12 and higher education, into one committee. Senator Paxton said its a fantastic idea to combine the committees.

The process begins early on in a childs academic career, the former educator said. We want to be aiming at a common goal, and I think its going to create a lot of benefits as we on the committee are not just looking at little chunks, but were going to be looking at the whole process.

School safety and mental health are part of that process and will be a big part of the upcoming session.

Dr. Vinson said Wylie ISD, along with other school districts in Collin County and Collin College, have always made safety a top priority.

In the last two or three years, weve invested funds for safety and security, not just school resource officers but also security cameras and new door lock systems, Dr. Vinson said. We are trying to find ways to ensure safety in our schools, but we also want to create a welcoming environment for students, parents, and the community.

In terms of mental health, Rockow said the UT Dallas counseling center visits increased by 65 percent in the past two years.

The need for mental health awareness is huge on college campuses, Rockow said. Were constantly looking at what other institutions are doing innovatively in this space and seeing what we can do to expand our reach and get as many students as possible the help they need.

The panelists also discussed the importance of increasing industry partnerships for their schools.

I think were fortunate to be located in North Texas, which is a huge economic driver for the nation, said Humphrey. Its really important that we make those connections, and that we have a dialogue with these businesses to prepare our students for todays and tomorrows workforce.

To view the video of this panel discussion, click here. For more information about the inaugural summit, visit www.collin.edu/policysummit/.