Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD has been selected as one of 32 school districts across the state to participate in the inaugural Community Leaders Fellowship through Raise Your Hand Texas.
The 18-month Fellowship is designed to equip local teams composed of parents, educators, business leaders, and school trustees with the tools and skills to effectively engage in state education policy and advocacy.
“SCUC joins the Raise Your Hand Texas Community Leaders Fellowship at a time when elevating local voices and engaging our community is more important than ever,” said Superintendent Paige A. Meloni. “This is a unique opportunity for our school district leaders and community to raise our voices on policies and legislation impacting our schools, our students, and our teachers.”
Districts from across Texas applied through an application and interview process. The selected cohort represents communities of varying size, from districts serving 500 students to those serving more than 50,000, each with distinct needs and perspectives but a shared commitment to strengthening public education.
“The Community Leaders Fellowship empowers Texans to become stronger public education leaders in their hometowns, directly shaping the future of their local school districts by engaging state lawmakers,” said Dr. Libby Cohen, executive director for Raise Your Hand Texas. “Public schools impact their entire communities. That means the work of advocating for public education in the Texas Capitol belongs to entire communities, as well. We’re excited these advocacy teams are stepping up to the challenge of bringing more hands to this important work.”
The Fellowship builds on the foundation of the Trustee Advocates Program, launched in 2022, expanding participation beyond school board members and superintendents to include a broader cross-section of local stakeholders.
About Raise Your Hand Texas
In 2006, Charles Butt and a group of Texas business and community leaders founded Raise Your Hand Texas with the belief that all Texas children should have equal access to high-quality education. Raise Your Hand Texas is working to create a vibrant civic culture where Texans vote, engage lawmakers and their neighbors, and act together to champion public education in their communities and at the state Capitol. For more information, visit raiseyourhandtexas.org.