Rainwater Seeks Reelection to Killeen ISD School Board

Incumbent touts leadership experience as district faces challenges with enrollment, funding, and student performance

Apr. 7, 2026 at 9:51pm

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print featuring repeating icons of textbooks, a school bus, and a graduation cap, conceptually representing the complex issues facing the Killeen Independent School District.A vibrant, pop art-inspired illustration captures the challenges and changes facing Killeen ISD as it navigates a new partnership to improve underperforming schools.Killeen Today

Marvin Rainwater, a retired Killeen educator and administrator, is running for reelection to the Killeen ISD school board. Rainwater highlights his over 40 years of experience in education, including serving as a principal at all campus levels and as the first executive director of the Killeen ISD Career Center. As an incumbent trustee for 12 years, Rainwater says he brings a profound understanding of school operations to address the district's current 'crisis situation' involving declining enrollment, loss of federal Impact Aid funds, and the need to improve student performance.

Why it matters

Rainwater's reelection bid comes at a critical time for Killeen ISD, which is facing several significant challenges, including the potential state takeover of three underperforming middle schools. His experience and institutional knowledge could be valuable assets as the district navigates these issues and implements interventions like the partnership with Third Future Schools to operate Manor Middle School.

The details

Rainwater discussed the district's partnership with Third Future Schools to take over operations at Manor Middle School in order to avoid a state takeover. He expressed concerns about the charter network's plans to potentially eliminate athletics and fine arts programs in favor of a 'teach to the test' focus. Rainwater also highlighted the need to reorganize the district's special education department and fix the budget, while keeping teacher salaries competitive.

  • In September 2025, the Texas Education Agency issued a letter to Killeen ISD regarding consecutive unacceptable performance at three middle schools.
  • In late March 2026, the Killeen ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved a three-year contract with Third Future Schools to operate Manor Middle School.

The players

Marvin Rainwater

A retired Killeen educator and administrator who is running for reelection to the Killeen ISD school board. He has over 40 years of experience in education, including serving as a principal at all campus levels and as the first executive director of the Killeen ISD Career Center. Rainwater has been a trustee on the Killeen ISD school board for 12 years.

Third Future Schools

A Colorado-based charter school network that will assume control of staffing, curriculum, and budget at Manor Middle School in Killeen ISD as part of a Senate Bill 1882 partnership. The charter network plans to implement a different operating model at the campus, which Rainwater expressed concerns about.

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What they’re saying

“What I bring to the voters is, I draw from my experience in all those situations, plus 12 years of service on the board, which I think gives me a profound understanding of school and school business.”

— Marvin Rainwater, Incumbent school board trustee

“It's very different. They can change the school day. They've done away — are going to do away — with athletics and probably fine arts, and develop what I think would be a teach to the test focus. How are you going to match creative thinking and problem-solving when you're going to teach to the test? ... But that's where we are, and that's what we have to do. It doesn't matter if I like it or not. What we have to do is everything possible to support those kids and make it happen.”

— Marvin Rainwater, Incumbent school board trustee

What’s next

The Killeen ISD Board of Trustees will continue to monitor the partnership with Third Future Schools at Manor Middle School, and Rainwater will face three challengers in the May 2 election for the Place 4 seat.

The takeaway

Rainwater's extensive experience in education and long tenure on the Killeen ISD school board could be valuable assets as the district navigates significant challenges, including declining enrollment, budget constraints, and the need to improve student performance. However, his concerns about the potential changes at Manor Middle School under the Third Future Schools partnership highlight the difficult decisions the board must make to address the district's issues.