Blair Schroeder files for election for Place 3 on Abilene ISD school board

Voters will have the opportunity to elect Abilene-area citizens to represent them in seats across the county at the spring 2024 election. On the Abilene ISD school board, four seats are open for election.

Blair Schroeder filed for Place 3 on the board with a four-year term.

Abilene ISD: a ‘unique blend of our community’

Schroeder is a born-and-raised Abilenian and attended Bonham Elementary, Lincoln Middle School and Abilene High School throughout his youth.

He continued his education at Lipscomb University in Nashville, where he met his wife, and then transferred to the University of Cincinnati receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.

After moving to Cincinnati, Schroeder said he and his wife “always kept an eye on Texas” and when the chance to move back arose, they jumped on the opportunity. Schroeder worked professionally in Cincinnati for 15 years and moved his family back to Abilene in 2019.

“Whenever we moved back to Texas, I joked with our real estate agent to not show me any houses that are not in AISD. I knew that AISD, specifically, is such a unique blend of our community, and that’s something I really want our kids to be exposed to,” Schroeder said. “AISD really gives a good view of what the world is, and I think as a parent you need to prepare students for how to operate within that world.”

Schroeder’s career involves years of experience in public policy, public affairs, and communications.

Previously he worked for Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and Duke Energy. Since moving back to Texas, he served as campaign director and district director for Congressman Jodey Arrington. He currently works at Abilene Christian University as the Chief Strategy Officer

‘Aspiring for more’ and ‘getting our fair share’

When asked why he decided to run for school board, Schroeder stated there were a couple of factors that resulted in his decision.

“First and foremost, I’ve got a wife who’s a special education teacher at one of the elementary schools here in town, and so I’ve got a unique perspective from that, but I also have four kids that span high school, middle school and elementary. Looking at the makeup of the school board, I know a lot of the members of the school board have a great deal of respect for the hard work that they do, but one point of view that’s not at the table is that of a parent, and so seeing that firsthand and thinking that I have an opportunity to speak into that, I think matters,” Schroeder said.

The candidate spoke on his successful track record for accomplishing tasks and leading change.

“I also recognize that, humbly, I've got a track record of not just having opinions, but also knowing how to build coalitions and lead and get things done. So, it's not enough just to have an opinion on what schools should do, but you also have to be able to impact change, right? So, given my track record, I recognize that I think I'm uniquely positioned to be able to do that,” he said.

With the upcoming cycle, Schroeder noted the stakes that will impact AISD directly including the transition with superintendents and the potential for state legislation to impact district budgets.

Given his time in different communities outside of Abilene and his experiences with education from AISD, Schroeder believes there is opportunities to “advocate and make sure we’re getting our fair share in how we serve our kids” and “recognizing that there’s nothing wrong with aspiring for more.”

“I think it's okay to aspire for more, but we have to have a plan on how we're going to get there. For me, that's part of what I would like to bring to the school board. Being able to lean into measure of student growth—fairly and adequately—be good stewards of what we have, use it as a vehicle to lift economic development, but also make sure that our kids have an opportunity to learn how to think and not be taught what to think,” he stated.

Schroeder’s 10 key priorities

The candidate mentioned many issues he wants to tackle if elected to the AISD school board this May. On his list includes 10 priorities and principles for K-12 education.

• We must prepare Abilene’s kids for success post-graduation that are going on to higher education or joining the workforce immediately. This helps ensure a brighter future for ALL of Abilene and Texas.

• Teachers and staff make the difference - we must improve morale to retain, attract, and help improve the educational experience for everyone

• Classrooms are for teaching not indoctrination - Abilene’s kids are not pawns in a national culture war and did not sign up for politics.

• We must keep parents informed and engaged in the process.

• Money matters in education and we must be good stewards of it, while at the same time advocating for a level playing field in funding from Texas.

• Serving the whole child promotes learning and has a positive overall impact on testing outcomes.

• Student growth and performance should be measured fairly.

• Education serves as the bedrock for a strong workforce that helps regional economic development.

• Provide leadership in hiring (if still necessary) and help acclimate a new superintendent.

• We must navigate the impacts of state policies and their implications at a local level.

Schroeder pointed to the guidance of his mentors and leaders in his life for his drive to impact Abilene education.

“For me, what it really boils down to is I have a deep love and affection for Abilene and service is a part of my background. I recognize that part of what makes West Texas and Abilene, specifically, special is the leaders that we've had go before us. I think it's important that this generation learns from the wisdom of the past, but also makes sure that we're leveraging our values and the things that drive us as a community to be the best that we can be,” Schroeder said.

The last day to file for a place on the Abilene ISD school board ballot is Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. Physical and mailing address for filing an application for Abilene ISD, visit or mail to 241 Pine Street, Abilene, TX 79601. School board election day is Saturday, May 4, 2024.

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Blair Schroeder files for Place 3 on Abilene ISD school board