Boerne ISD Board of Trustees Named 2026 Texas Outstanding School Board

TASA has named the Boerne ISD Board of Trustees the 2026 Outstanding School Board - the top honor in the TASA School Board Awards program, which has honored Texas school boards that have demonstrated commitment to their students and to their communities since 1971.

The Boerne board was chosen from among five finalists interviewed by a committee of Texas school administrators. The committee praised the board for its "one team mentality," culture of honor and commitment to shared leadership, with board members rotating officer positions to give more trustees the opportunity to lead.

The committee also noted Boerne ISD's Citizen Leadership Academy, which helps develop future board members and sustain effective governance.

"They're growing their own board members and creating the infrastructure for that continuation so that the expertise doesn't exit when they get off the board," said committee chair Larry Polk, superintendent of Colorado ISD, whose board received the Outstanding Board award in 2025.

The committee also commended the board's advocacy for public education and students across Texas. Polk noted that all seven trustees travel to Austin to advocate "not just on behalf of their school district, but school districts throughout the state."

In addition, the committee recognized the board's commitment to the "Boerne Advantage," which emphasizes affirming and supporting every student.

"Students are truly seen," Polk said. "Not just those that are in the programming that we hear about all the time - the athletics, the CTE - but every student is seen in that organization."

Boerne ISD Superintendent Kristin Craft, who nominated the board, also highlighted the board's strong advocacy for the district and its staff and the "unmatched level of stability" board members provide. The nomination also credited the board's commitment to training, collaboration and building a strong, unified leadership team.

Boerne ISD is a public school district serving more than 11,200 students on 14 campuses in Boerne, Texas, which is northwest of San Antonio in Education Service Center Region 20. The school district spans approximately 380 square miles, including most of Kendall County and portions of Bexar and Comal counties.

This is Boerne ISD's first Outstanding Board award. The board was previously named a finalist in 2003.

The other four finalists for 2026 Outstanding School Board (Honor Boards) are: Alice ISD, Region 2; Denver City ISD, Region 17; Lovejoy ISD, Region 10; and Tomball ISD, Region 4.

The 2026 Regional Honor Boards (semifinalists) are: Alba-Golden ISD, Region 7; Alvarado ISD, Region 11; Bridge City ISD, Region 5; Dumas ISD, Region 16; Goodrich ISD, Region 6; Henrietta ISD, Region 9; and Jarrell ISD, Region 13.

Featured in the photo (left to right): Dallas Pipes, trustee; Kristi Schmidt, trustee; Rich Sena, vice president; Courtney Darter-Bruce, president; Carlin Friar, trustee; Sarah Faulkenberry, secretary; Garrett Wilson, trustee.