Executive Director’s Blog
Kevin Brown, Ed.D., joined the staff in 2018 as TASA’s fourth executive director. Formerly the superintendent of Alamo Heights ISD and a past TASA state president, he chaired the TASA 2025 Task Force, which developed the TASA Strategic Framework, a plan to ensure TASA’s continued success.
Prepare Like a Prize Fighter
Being an educator has never been easy. Educators are called to serve, so they instinctively put the needs of others ahead of their own. They spend countless hours designing lessons, grading work, coaching individual children, completing endless paperwork, dealing with...
Voting in the Primary is Primary to Our Democracy
Whether you are a Democrat or Republican, far right, far left, or somewhere in between on the political spectrum, voting in the primary elections is the most important civic responsibility we have as Texans. In our state, the most important elections occur in the...
Showing Up for Your Community
For the past 18 months, I have had a bit of survivor’s guilt. After 28 years of serving in public schools, the last 10 as a superintendent, I left school district work to serve at TASA in 2018. In the best of times, being a superintendent is barely sustainable, though...
Public Education – and Educators – are Core to Our Democracy
Recently, an elected state leader told me that public education, like health care, has long been on the fringe of what the government should be involved with. In other words, public education is not really a core function of our government. I couldn’t disagree more....
The Benefits of Local Engagement
Tip O’Neill, the legendary U.S. Speaker of the House in the 1980s, was famous for getting things done in a bipartisan fashion, most notably with President Ronald Reagan. He is also famous for saying “all politics is local.” That is, while national politics might be...
Teacher Appreciation Week is Coming!
Teachers have a special place in my heart. They are part of my DNA … literally. Both of my parents taught in public schools, including my mom, who taught at my elementary school. They were my first teachers, and they instilled in me the importance of service to others...
Show Legislators Your ESSER Funding Plans
District Leaders, Thank you for all the work you’re doing on behalf of Texas students! We have an important request regarding federal education stimulus dollars. As you know, with the passage of the American Rescue Plan, the total amount of federal COVID relief funds...
Engagement is One Way We Can Protect Our Democracy
When I was in college at the University of Texas, I majored in government and minored in history. For three of my years as an undergrad, I worked as a runner at a law firm in downtown Austin. Each day, I would walk from my dorm room to the law firm. The Capitol...
What Have You Done to Get Students Back to School? It’s Time to Show Your Work, #txed
I have been inspired this past year to hear stories on a daily basis about the work educators are doing to reach out to encourage students (and their parents) to enroll in school. Teachers, counselors, and principals have all made home visits, in the midst of a...
Holiday Greetings
Please press play to watch my recorded message to TASA members and other school leaders. -TASA Executive Director Kevin Brown, Ed.D. ...
Gratitude
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Hands down. While I like all of the holidays, there is just something special about Thanksgiving. Maybe that is thanks to my mother. One of the many lessons she taught me was gratitude. No, she never sat me down and said, “Kevin,...
The First and Second Times I Voted
The first time I voted, I skipped down the ballot and voted for one person: my father, who was running for city council. He was unopposed, but it felt good because he is a great man and, well, he is my dad. Along with my father, many of our close family friends were...
Let’s Talk Cybersecurity and Decision Fatigue
As the reality of the pandemic continues to take a toll on our daily lives, we are faced with many new challenges. Superintendents and school leaders have “decision fatigue” as they are constantly rethinking every process in their schools. Things that were at one time...
A Time to Lead
Several years ago, during the recognition of TASA Honorary Life members, a superintendent was walking across the stage when Commissioner of Education Robert Scott stepped to the microphone. He said, “You know, you have been superintendent of the same school district...
Leadership Development Focused on a New Vision for Public Schools
Exceptional superintendents are innovative, committed, and always learning and improving because of their deep commitment to serve children, communities, and our nation. It is an incredible responsibility with endless possibilities, but one that requires constant...
A Message from TASA Leadership
Although this blog is usually written by Kevin Brown alone, he co-authored this with TASA leaders who also actively serve as school superintendents. Dear TASA Members: As educational leaders, we have devoted ourselves to public education because we believe in the...
Pivoting for COVID-19
In my 30-year career, I have never been prouder of public school educators as I am right now. My “family” here on the TASA staff is included in that assessment. Schools across our state and nation have completely redesigned learning systems from in-person to at-home,...
The Strength to Persevere
“Suffering teaches us gratitude. Normally we take love and friendship for granted. But in seasons of suffering we throw ourselves on others and appreciate the gifts that our loved ones offer. Suffering puts you in solidarity with others who suffer. It makes you more...
Those Who Can, Teach
During my last three years of college, I planned to be an attorney; I even worked for a law firm part time. But right before my senior year, everything changed for me. I had spent the summer working with kids as a camp counselor, and over the course of my final year,...
Finding Meaning in a Time of Crisis
“Dad?” From the tone of the voice on the other end of the phone, I knew it was time. My youngest daughter, Molly, is an independent, resilient honor student at the University of Colorado. Her classes had already gone virtual, but she had decided to stick it out in her...
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Thank you to TASA Corporate Partners ETS and LPA for their sponsorship of Executive Director Kevin Brown’s speaking engagements during the 2020-21 school year!
