Early ISD Selected for Inaugural Raise Your Hand Texas Fellowship

Community-based advocacy program aims to empower local leaders in public education policy

Apr. 1, 2026 at 7:30pm

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Early ISD has been selected as one of 29 school districts to participate in the inaugural Raise Your Hand Texas Community Leaders Fellowship, a new 18-month program designed to equip local teams with the tools and skills necessary to advocate for public education at the state level. The Fellowship expands on Raise Your Hand Texas' previous Trustee Advocates Program by including a diverse coalition of parents, educators, business leaders, and school trustees.

Why it matters

The Community Leaders Fellowship represents a shift in Raise Your Hand Texas' advocacy approach, moving beyond just school board members and superintendents to engage entire communities in shaping the future of public education in Texas. By uniting diverse local voices, the program aims to amplify community concerns and priorities when engaging state lawmakers on education policy.

The details

Each Fellowship team consists of 7-10 participants, including at least 3 community members who are not school board trustees or district employees. The selected districts range from 500 to 50,000 students, reflecting the diverse needs and perspectives across Texas. Over 18 months, the teams will develop advocacy skills, build relationships, and work to directly influence state education policy.

  • Raise Your Hand Texas announced the launch of the inaugural Community Leaders Fellowship on April 1, 2026.
  • The 18-month Fellowship program will run from April 2026 through September 2027.

The players

Raise Your Hand Texas

A nonpartisan, nonprofit organization committed to improving public education for all Texas students through advocacy, leadership development, and community engagement.

Dr. Joan Otten

Superintendent of Early ISD, one of the 29 school districts selected for the inaugural Community Leaders Fellowship.

Dr. Libby Cohen

Executive director for Raise Your Hand Texas, overseeing the launch of the new Community Leaders Fellowship program.

Amy Dodson

Dean of advocacy for Raise Your Hand Texas, leading the development of the Community Leaders Fellowship curriculum and model.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Dr. Libby Cohen, Executive Director, Raise Your Hand Texas

“Early ISD is deeply honored to be selected as part of the inaugural cohort of the Raise Your Hand Texas Community Leaders Fellowship. This opportunity reflects what we have always believed — that the strongest schools grow from the strongest communities.”

— Dr. Joan Otten, Superintendent, Early ISD

“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.”

— Amy Dodson, Dean of Advocacy, Raise Your Hand Texas

What’s next

The inaugural cohort of the Raise Your Hand Texas Community Leaders Fellowship will begin their 18-month program in April 2026, with the first in-person session scheduled for May 2026 in Austin.

The takeaway

The Community Leaders Fellowship represents a shift in Raise Your Hand Texas' advocacy approach, moving beyond just school board members and superintendents to engage entire communities in shaping the future of public education in Texas. By uniting diverse local voices, the program aims to amplify community concerns and priorities when engaging state lawmakers on education policy.