SEPTEMBER 4, 2025

By Mary Beth Gahan

FLOWER MOUND, Texas — Mindy Bumgarner, wife of State Rep. Ben Bumgarner, has filed to run for State Board of Education, District 14.

Bumgarner, who lives in Flower Mound and failed to secure a spot on Lewisville ISD’s Board of Trustees in 2023, announced her intent on Tuesday. The primary will be on March 3 and the general election will take place in November 2026.

Bumgarner has been a proponent of parents having more of a say in what’s discussed in the classroom and focusing on curriculum rather than teaching to standardized tests. She also strongly supports school choice, a hot-button issue since the Texas Legislature passed a law in May allowing for private school vouchers using public funds.

“I’ll stand up for school choice and public charter schools because parents should have the right to choose what’s best for their kids,” she wrote in the first paragraph on her website.

The State Board of Education “sets policies and standards for Texas public schools,” according to its website. It is responsible for curriculum standards, reviewing instructional materials, and establishing graduation requirements. It also oversees the Texas Permanent School Fund, the largest public education endowment in the country with more than $57 billion in assets.

“As a proud Republican, I’m committed to promoting transparency, protecting parental rights, and keeping radical political agendas out of our classrooms. I will fight for a curriculum that focuses on core knowledge, real-world skills, and the values that make Texas strong with faith, family, and freedom,” Bumgarner wrote.

She starts the race with $100,000 on hand, as well as several endorsements within the Texas Legislature, including Rep. Pat Fallon, Rep. Richard Hayes, and her husband.

There are about 5.5 million public school students in Texas according to the Texas Education Agency. District 14 covers parts of Denton, Dallas, and Collin counties, as well as all of Palo Pinto, Comanche, Navarro, Ellis, and others. It has 337,000 public school students enrolled from preschool to 12th grade.