I met Rachel Hogue at a candidate forum Monday night, and what struck me most was not flash or theatrics. It was steadiness. She wasn’t there to perform. She was there to talk about students, teachers, and what is actually happening inside Texas classrooms.
In a political season where soundbites travel faster than substance, it is unusual to meet a first-time candidate who comes with a detailed, experience-based plan. As one supporter put it, “It’s unusual to find a first-time candidate who comes to the race with a plan, but Rachel Hogue has one.” After listening to her, I understand why that comment resonates.
An Educator, Not a Career Politician
Rachel Hogue is running for Texas State Board of Education District 9 as a Conservative Republican—but she is very clear about something: education should not be reduced to political theater.
She has spent 14 years working in Texas public schools. Not observing from afar. Not consulting from an office. Working.
She has served as:
• A classroom teacher from Kindergarten through high school
• A Reading Interventionist
• A SPED Resource instructor
• An Instructional Coach
• An MTSS Coordinator
• A principal-certified leader
She holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction with a reading specialization. In other words, she understands both the theory and the daily reality of how students learn—and how they fall behind.
And according to her, too many are falling behind.
A Hard Truth About Texas Schools
Rachel speaks plainly about what she has seen in classrooms.
She notes that in reading, 30–40% of students are performing multiple grade levels below where they should be. A seventh grader reading at a fourth-grade level doesn’t magically catch up without intentional intervention.
In math, she has seen students struggle with foundational skills like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and even counting back change.
We often hear that we need to “raise the bar.” Rachel’s response is simple and grounded in classroom experience:
We cannot raise standards when students are not mastering the ones already in place.
Texas is one of the largest economies in the world. Yet academically, we rank in the lower half nationally. That disconnect is part of what compelled her to run.
Her Six-Point Plan for Texas Education
Rachel Hogue’s platform is not built on abstract slogans. It is structured around practical reforms she has already implemented at the campus level.
1. Strengthen Support Systems for Students
She believes Texas must invest in Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 intervention systems that actually close learning gaps—not mask them. Mastery should come before promotion.
2. Respect, Support & Retain Good Teachers
Rachel is clear: teachers are not the problem. They are essential to the solution.
She advocates reducing burdensome mandates, cutting unnecessary red tape, and providing teachers with time, training, and resources to succeed. Retention matters—and support drives retention.
3. Set Academic Expectations That Make Sense
As a reading specialist and instructional coach, Rachel believes curriculum standards (TEKS) must align with what is developmentally appropriate and achievable. Excellence begins with a strong foundation, not unrealistic benchmarks disconnected from classroom realities.
4. Expand Trades, CTE & JROTC Opportunities
Not every student’s path includes a traditional four-year degree—and that is not a failure.
Rachel wants expanded access to:
• Welding
• Electrical
• Plumbing
• Mechanics
• Agriculture
• Healthcare pathways
• Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs
• JROTC opportunities
She believes every Texas child—rural, urban, or suburban—deserves a real pathway to success, whether that leads to college, the workforce, the trades, or military service.
5. Elevate Local Voices Over Politics
Schools should not be battlegrounds. They should be safe, structured environments where students are challenged and teachers are respected. Rachel emphasizes local input over political agendas.
6. Create a Future Every Texas Child Deserves
At its core, her campaign centers on one principle: every child deserves a strong foundation in reading, writing, and math—and every teacher deserves meaningful support.
A Practical Voice for Special Education and Intervention
One of the things I appreciated in meeting Rachel was her background in special education and reading intervention. She understands firsthand what it means to sit beside a struggling learner and build skills brick by brick.
She has closed learning gaps. She has built intervention systems. She has trained teachers. She has worked with students who needed someone to believe they were capable of more.
That perspective matters at the State Board level.
Policies drafted in Austin impact classrooms across Texas. Having someone who has lived the daily realities of SPED resource rooms, reading circles, and data-driven intervention planning could bring a different lens to those conversations.
A Candidate Focused on Work, Not Spotlight
Rachel describes herself as a Christian, a wife, a daughter, and a seventh-generation Texan. What she does not project is self-promotion.
She speaks with calm conviction rather than political bravado. She acknowledges problems without blaming teachers. She calls for higher standards while insisting those standards must be attainable through real support systems.
Her message is consistent:
• Put students first.
• Support teachers.
• Strengthen public education.
• Expand real-world opportunities.
Whether voters agree with every policy detail or not, it is difficult to argue against the value of having a classroom-tested educator at the table when decisions are made for millions of Texas students.
If you care about foundational skills, teacher retention, expanded trades education, and practical solutions over political slogans, Rachel Hogue is a candidate worth learning more about in the race for Texas State Board of Education District 9.
Texas students deserve leaders who understand classrooms from the inside out—and Rachel Hogue appears ready to do the work.
Early Voting: February 17–27, 2026
Election Day: March 3, 2026
Visit the Rockwall County Elections website for polling hours and locations.
View Rockwall County Elections for Hours and Locations.
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