Local voices. State impact. A new chapter for Bulldog Nation.
On any given day in Wylie ISD, you might hear the hum of a welding torch in a CTE lab, the rhythm of a drumline warming up, or the steady voice of a teacher guiding a first grader through a brand-new book.
Those moments feel local. Personal. Ours.
But sometimes, the decisions that shape those moments happen a few hundred miles away- under the dome of the Texas Capitol.
That’s why this news matters.
Wylie ISD (Taylor County) has been selected as one of just 32 public school districts across the state to join the inaugural Community Leaders Fellowship through Raise Your Hand Texas - a statewide, non-partisan initiative designed to equip communities to advocate for public education at the state level.
And yes — it’s a big deal.
What Is the Community Leaders Fellowship?
Launched in January 2026, the Community Leaders Fellowship is an 18-month program designed to bring together teams of parents, educators, business leaders, and school trustees to better understand and engage in state education policy.
The program is part of Raise Your Hand Texas’ newly established Education Advocacy Academy and builds upon its earlier Trustee Advocates Program.
But this time, the table is bigger.
Each participating district forms a team of seven to 10 local leaders — including at least three community members who are not school board trustees or district employees. That means this isn’t just about administrators. It’s about entire communities stepping forward together.
Dr. Libby Cohen, executive director of Raise Your Hand Texas, shared:
“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. 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.”
In other words: If public schools belong to all of us - then so does the responsibility to speak up for them.
A Seat at the Table - With Purpose
The Fellowship is issue-based and non-partisan. Its goal is not political campaigning, but education and engagement.
Participants will take part in in-person sessions, virtual training, and self-paced learning experiences that cover:
How the legislative process works
How education policy is shaped
How to build meaningful relationships with lawmakers
How to communicate district needs clearly and effectively
Amy Dodson, dean of advocacy for Raise Your Hand Texas, described the heart behind the program:
“Our goal is to build more and deeper relationships between local leaders and their communities, so that they can work together to identify what’s important to them with respect to public education.”
That kind of collaboration fits right into Wylie’s culture.
We’ve seen it before — in bond elections, in safety initiatives, in community partnerships. When something matters, Bulldog Nation shows up.
Why Wylie ISD?
Raise Your Hand Texas selected 32 districts through a competitive application and interview process. Districts range in size from 500 to 50,000 students, each bringing its own perspective and unique needs.
Wylie ISD was chosen alongside districts such as:
Abilene ISD
Plano ISD
Lewisville ISD
McKinney ISD
San Marcos CISD
And many others across the state.
The diversity of the cohort matters. Rural districts. Suburban districts. Coastal districts. West Texas districts. Each brings a different story.
And Wylie’s story is one of steady growth, strong academics, community trust, and a deep belief that public education changes lives.
What This Means for Our Community
So what does this really mean for Wylie?
It means when decisions about public education are being shaped at the Texas Capitol, the voice representing Wylie will be informed, prepared, and rooted in real experience. It means local parents, trustees, and community leaders will better understand how funding formulas work, how legislation moves through committees, and how to communicate clearly with the lawmakers who serve Taylor County.
But more than that, it means advocacy won’t feel distant or abstract. When someone from Wylie engages in those conversations, they’ll be thinking about the kindergarten student learning to read her first book, the senior signing a college acceptance letter, the teacher staying late to tutor after school, and the CTE student earning an industry certification. They’ll carry with them the faces and stories that make this work personal.
That’s the difference.
Because when advocacy grows out of real classrooms and real relationships, it doesn’t just speak loudly — it speaks authentically. And that authenticity is something Bulldog Nation knows well.
They’re thinking about:
A kindergarten student learning to read.
A senior signing her name on a college acceptance letter.
A teacher staying late to tutor after school.
A CTE student earning an industry certification.
Advocacy isn’t abstract when you know the names and faces behind the policies.
A Foundation 20 Years in the Making
Raise Your Hand Texas was founded in 2006 by Charles Butt and a group of business and community leaders who believed every child deserves access to a high-quality public education.
For nearly 20 years, the organization has strengthened educator preparation, school leadership, and civic engagement across the state. The Community Leaders Fellowship builds on that foundation — expanding the focus beyond school boards to equip entire communities to engage thoughtfully and effectively in education policy.
At its core, the program reflects a simple truth: public schools are not isolated institutions. They are the heart of their communities — and those communities deserve a voice in shaping their future.
The Bulldog Way
At Wylie ISD, we often talk about excellence in the classroom. About student achievement. About innovation.
But we also talk about responsibility.
Responsibility to steward taxpayer dollars wisely.
Responsibility to protect and support our teachers.
Responsibility to prepare students for the future.
Joining the Community Leaders Fellowship aligns with those values.
It reflects a commitment to not just react to legislation — but to understand it. Not just observe policy — but to engage with it.
It says that Wylie is willing to do the hard work of learning, listening, and collaborating for the long-term benefit of our students.
And that’s something to be proud of.
What Happens Next?
Over the next 18 months, Wylie’s Fellowship team will learn, collaborate with districts across Texas, and engage directly with state leaders.
Along the way, they’ll bring those insights home.
Transparency matters. This work isn’t about closed doors — it’s about strengthening local conversations and deepening our community’s understanding of how education policy shapes our schools.
Because when parents understand policy, when trustees understand funding, and when business leaders understand workforce impact, everyone benefits.
The Bigger Picture
There are more than 1,200 public school districts in Texas.
Only 32 were selected for this inaugural cohort.
Wylie ISD is one of them.
That’s something worth pausing for.
It would be easy to think of advocacy as something loud or combative. But often, the most meaningful advocacy looks quieter. It looks like preparation. It looks like thoughtful questions. It looks like relationships built over time. It looks like showing up informed and ready.
That’s what this Fellowship represents.
Wylie’s selection reflects confidence — in our leadership, in our community, and in the way we approach public education. It reflects trust that when Wylie engages in important conversations, we do so thoughtfully and with purpose.
And as this work unfolds over the next 18 months, one thing will remain steady: our focus on students.
From Pre-K to graduation, from the classroom to the Capitol, the mission does not change. Because at the end of the day, it isn’t about policy language or committee hearings.
It’s about kids.
And around here, we know how much that matters.
It’s great to be a Wylie Bulldog.