Taylor Tidmore - AISD Place 1 School Board Trustee

10/03/2026

In the 89th Texas Legislative Session the bill approving vouchers (Education Savings Accounts) was finally passed. It was a win for the governor but a loss for public education, in my opinion. Millions of dollars were spent supporting candidate’s campaigns who were pro vouchers. Not to mention the $1 billion price tag that was attached to the bill’s final version. That’s a lot of money spent to make sure Texas parents have “school choice”.

Well, last week early application data for the state’s voucher program was released. As of now 152,389 applications have been filed. That sounds like a lot, but as always, the devil is in the details. Only 24% (36,242) of those students indicated they attended Texas public schools last year. That represents about 0.7% of the 5.5 million students currently in Texas public schools.

So all that money and political wrangling so that 0.7% of our public school students can choose a different school. I would have much rather seen all that energy and resources put towards something the other 99.3% of our students might benefit from. I am sure our educators could come up with a long list of ways that $1 billion could have been better spent.

But it seems it was never about what was best for public-school students. It was a political game, and our kids were the pawns. Our children deserve better from our elected officials in Austin.

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14/02/2026

I had someone recently ask me what my biggest frustration related to being on school board has been so far. As I thought about this, I realized most of my frustrations do not come from within the district but come at the state level. While we are technically “independent” school districts in Texas, so much of what occurs in public education is determined by the state. The state dictates school finances, curriculum, instruction, school safety, and parental control just to name a few.

I used this space frequently last year to discuss what was going on during the last legislative session and how it was affecting public education. I was really encouraged by the engagement with those posts. So many of you reached out to the governor, your state representative and other elected officials to let them know your position on public education. Despite this it was still a rough session for public education in my opinion.

Determining how the 2027 legislative session shapes public education really starts now. Who we vote for in the upcoming March primary election and November general election, especially at the state level, will dictate what happens to public education in the next several years. While national elections get more press, I believe our local and state elections have a much bigger impact on our day to day lives.

Texas has around 5.5 million children in public schools. As citizens we have a responsibility to make sure all 5.5 million of them are educated well. I would encourage you, as you decide who you will be voting for, to really consider public education as a big factor in that decision. Who we vote to be our future governor, lieutenant governor, state senators, and state representatives will shape public education during the 2027 legislative session and beyond. So, this is my plea to vote and consider the millions of Texas public-school children in your decision.

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10/02/2026

One of the more interesting items at every Board Meeting are the public comments. I am thankful the public has the opportunity to address the board almost every time we meet. Usually, it is a time for members of the public to bring their concerns, frustrations, or issues to the board.

The last few months we have had an increase in the number of public comments at most of our meetings. It has been encouraging to see members of our community take time out of their evenings to come address the board and show their interest in public education. Last night this time felt especially unique. We had 17 public comments and the overwhelming majority of them were very positive. We had students, parents, librarians, teachers, and members of the public speak, mainly singing the praises of the district. They expressed their appreciation for counselors, teachers, librarians, and fine arts. They shared stories of victories and encouragement. They thanked district staff who were making a difference in their life or the life of their child.

As a board member it is sometimes easy to get bogged down in the problems, complaints, and areas that need improvement. Last night was a refreshing reminder of all the good that goes on within the walls of our schools. All the victories we have to celebrate. All the amazing staff who invest in our students. All the community members have committed to supporting public education.

I want to express my gratitude for those who have attended and spoken at our meetings the last few months. Your willingness to show up, support public education, and share your stories have been a source of encouragement for me. Thank you for supporting AISD and public education! It is being noticed and it is appreciated!

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10/02/2026

AISD made a major announcement tonight regarding the district’s leadership. While I hate to see Dr. Kuhn step down I fully respect his decision to prioritize his health. Dr. Kuhn’s time here was shorter than we had hoped but his impact will continue for years to come.

Since Dr. Kuhn informed the board of his decision we have been working diligently to ensure this transition does not disrupt our momentum or the positive direction the district is heading. I remain confident that strong leadership will continue to guide AISD and I continue to be excited about the future of our amazing district.

https://abileneisd.edurooms.com/engage/abilene-isd/newsletters/important-leadership-update-from-superintendent-dr-john-kuhn?fbclid=IwdGRjcAP3fdBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeAN1n23238H0BQ9eWusXN-SWisYXO2D3_IvGwevdi7M6wd4CIfHFXc4LwxHA_aem_aO6Zkiur2ZE615Tx93q9Wg

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05/11/2025

I want to express my gratitude to all of you in our community who voted and helped the district pass the VATRE. I am thankful for everyone who was willing to sacrifice a small amount of savings on their property taxes for the betterment of our community. Your support results in an extra $10 million in funding for the district EVERY YEAR!

I am excited about the direction AISD is heading, but we can’t accomplish our goals without the support of our amazing community. So thanks for showing up, voting, and doing tangible things to improve our schools and our city.

We still have work to do and challenges to overcome, but I truly believe we have the team in place to continue to do positive things for the district.

And a big thanks to Dr. Kuhn and the district communications team. They did an amazing job making sure our community had ample opportunity to fully understand the complexities of this election. They met with 70 community groups over the last two months to explain the details and importance of the VATRE. I am thankful for our district’s leadership and their willingness to tirelessly advocate for the students of AISD!

23/10/2025

Early voting has started. I voted FOR the VATRE yesterday! It took less than five minutes. Please get out and vote. This is an incredible way for each of us to support public education, the children of Abilene, and our community as a whole.

13/10/2025

We are just a week away from early voting for the VATRE. In my opinion, the passage of this proposition is vital for the long term success and health of the district. AISD has worked hard to provide accurate information about the VATRE and make it available to everyone. The district cannot influence you to vote yes or no, they can only provide details about what this means for the district and tax payers.

If you have any questions, concerns, or doubts about the VATRE I would implore you to watch this 17 minute video. Dr. Kuhn clearly lines out the important details of this proposition and the impact it will have on our schools and tax payers. I think after watching this you will feel well informed as you head to the voting booth.

If you have questions please feel free to reach out to me as well.

Abilene ISD Superintendent, Dr. John Kuhn, delivers a presentation on the upcoming VATRE.

05/10/2025

I have been serving on the AISD School Board for the last 15 months and I can honestly say I have enjoyed it. I have learned a lot, and I am excited about the direction our district is headed. Serving in this capacity has forced me to pay a lot more attention to our state legislature and what happens in Austin. This latest legislative session was eye opening for sure. I recently heard that over 200 of the 800 new bills passed will affect public education in some form or fashion.

When I think about these educational bills there are few that seem to actually improve public schools and make educating our students easier. Few that pour needed resources into our struggling schools. Few that give educators the tools they need to do their job efficiently and at a high level.

Some bills just seem like a direct attack on public education - SB2 that directs $1 billion dollars towards private schools via education savings accounts / vouchers instead of using that money to improve public schools.

Some bills just seem like a power move to push an agenda – SB10 that requires a copy of the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public-school classroom.

Some bills just seem like they create more stress on our students and teachers – HB8 that, instead of simplifying and improving the STAAR test, tripled the amount of standardized testing students will take every year.

Some bills just seem like they undermine our educator’s expertise and ability to do their job – my current favorite, SB 13. SB 13 focuses on regulating library materials and parents’ rights regarding these materials. A few of the highlights:
- Librarians now must post a list online for 30 days of every material they want to purchase, remove or accept in donation for public review.
- The school board now must approve every library material that is purchased, removed, or accepted as a donation.
- All materials that are added, removed, or challenged must be reviewed by a newly formed parent led SLAC (School Library Advisory Committee).
- Instead of efficiently adding books to our school libraries, it now becomes a multi-step, multi-month process for librarians to complete.
- Every book in a teacher’s personal classroom library needs to be catalogued and be made available online for parent review.
- Abilene Public Libraries, at no fault of their own, have ended their partnership with AISD due to their inability to comply with the regulations of SB 13.

(Insert sarcasm) All of this just to make sure our students are safe from our extremely dangerous libraries and untrustworthy librarians. Give me a break. I am much more concerned about what my kid has access to on their phone or online rather than in any library.

Last year AISD had ZERO formal challenges to materials in our libraries. In my opinion this is an example of our legislature wasting time and resources addressing a non-existent problem and making our educators jobs more difficult.

Next March and November we will be voting for our state representatives and senators. This is just a reminder that who we vote for matters. Their view on public education is of the upmost importance and has real impacts on our students and educators. I hope when you vote next year you take public education into consideration when deciding who you will support.

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04/10/2025

I am convinced that for Abilene to be strong, AISD must be strong. I am grateful for community members who recognize this and are actively finding ways to support public education in Abilene. Next month citizens who live within the AISD boundary have the opportunity to show their support of the district by voting FOR the VATRE (Voter Approved Tax Rate Election). I am thankful for groups who are showing their support for the VATRE publicly. Please check out the links below to learn more about the VATRE and community groups in support of this exciting opportunity for AISD.

https://voteforpropa.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawNOaihleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE1YXBQWjlYbzdaTkkwdHp2AR4dO5fTZZPZmt_QURXfsEf5Ubg90C4MKWgjntdPkt-nawUUn9KLEi-bDky53w_aem__Q2xi0bHDqRLXTt6lqh4eg

LEARN MORE We know the ballot is written in very confusing language. Use the link below to see important points of clarification to have a better understanding why voting ‘FOR’ is so crucial to AISD. View the Ballot Breakdown What Is It? It’s NOT A New Tax A VATRE is a local school funding ele...

12/09/2025

This is a long post, but well worth the read. It's another example of the difficulties that public education is facing and the attack that it is under. I am grateful to work along side a superintendent who is willing to speak the truth and fight for our students and teachers.

Our educators need your support now more than ever. Drop them a note of encouragement today. Volunteer at your kids school. Let them know that we realize the work is hard, that we appreciate what they do, and that we have their back.

23/08/2025

As I recently posted, the AISD school board voted to approve a Voter Approved Tax Rate Election (VATRE) that will be on the November 4th ballot. I really want voters who live within the AISD boundaries to be well informed about the details of a VATRE, what it means for the district, and what it means for taxpayers. There will be meetings at each campus over the coming weeks where parents and community members can learn more about all of this. You can also check out the district’s VATRE25 website. https://budgetblueprint.abileneisd.org/vatre25

A VATRE is really the only way a district can increase funding for itself. Public school funding is otherwise completely dictated at the state and federal level. In the most recent legislative session, the Basic Allotment (the amount of money the district gets per student) was increased for the first time since 2019. Many reports I saw stated the Basic Allotment would need to be increased by about $1000 to keep up with inflation and the rising costs of educating our students. It was only increased by $55. It is predicted that 75% of districts in Texas will adopt a deficit budget this year. Since funding from the state is not currently adequate you will see many districts across the state having a VATRE election this year, including AISD.

For AISD, if voters approve the VATRE, it will result in an extra $10 million in funding every year. It would increase revenue from local tax dollars by $3.7 million and unlock an additional $6.3 million from the state. It would allow the district to eliminate a deficit budget, ensure we keep teacher and staff salaries competitive, address our aging facilities and buses, and continue to invest in innovative instructional programs for our students.

If the VATRE passes, taxpayers in AISD will still see a decrease in the portion of their property taxes they pay for public education. The AISD tax rate has decreased from $1.32 per $100 of property value in 2019 to $0.99 last year. Due to several factors including increasing total property values (thank you new AI center), the new homestead exemption law, and shrinking district debt, the AISD tax rate this year without a VATRE will drop to $0.89. If voters approve a VATRE it would increase the rate to $0.95, still a four-cent decrease from the previous year.

The average homeowner in Abilene paid $726 in public education taxes last year. Due to the factors mentioned above the average homeowner this year would pay $517 in education taxes without the VATRE. If the VATRE passes the average homeowner in Abilene will pay $552. Passing the VATRE means the average homeowner in AISD would still pay $174 less than they did the previous year and only costs them $34 in potential savings.

Thirty four dollars. That’s about what is costs to feed three people at Chick-Fil-A these days. It’s still a sacrifice, but a small one in my opinion. And if there is anyone worth making a sacrifice for it’s the kids in our public schools.

So please educate yourself about this election and encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same. The district will provide lots of resources and opportunities to learn about this topic. Please take advantage of those. This is an opportunity for our community to support public education locally in a huge way. I’m confident we can count on the good people of Abilene to step up for our students in November.

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