Courtesy of RRISD

Newly-reelected Place 1 Trustee Mr. Chuy Zárate hopes to promote unity throughout the community by celebrating cultural and societal differences. Aiming to foster a communal culture of appreciation and respect, Mr. Zárate is eager to make an impact on the district.

In a political climate where all eyes are on the federal and statewide races, local elections that dictate the lifeblood of communities may often be overlooked. As a child of hardworking teachers in the San Antonio area, Mr. Chuy Zárate grew up in an environment where he saw firsthand the shortcomings of the current education system. Now as a teacher himself, Mr. Zárate has worked his way up to become the newly-reelected Round Rock Independent School District (RRISD) Place 1 Trustee for a second time. 

“My involvement with the district began about 10 years ago when I started with the PTA by volunteering at my kiddo’s school and really liked it,” Mr. Zárate said. “It’s [at this] time I noticed that there was just a lot of fervor about the school board and [controversies] that were happening. And so after getting talked into it by some of my friends, I decided to give it a try and run for school board. I ran and two years later, here I am reelected.” 

 As someone who’s been part of the RRISD community for so long, Mr. Zárate believed he had a clear vision of what the community needed in a deeply polarized time.  

“We ran on three things: equity, collaboration, and students. Not many people know there’s a difference between [being] equitable and equity,” Mr. Zárate said. “Equitable means the district is handing out bicycles for everyone while ignoring that some might need a tricycle. But for those left out, they are forced into learning how to ride a bicycle and it’s not really what they need. And so equity is making sure they get the tricycle and everybody else gets a bicycle. That’s what really drives me.” 

However, Mr. Zárate believes that introducing a platform of change isn’t built overnight, nor by just one person. As the Trustee, he had the help of parents around the district who formed the local committee, Operation Round Rock, to help him grow every step of the way. 

“Oh, man, we learned a lot!” Mr. Zárate said. “One of the biggest lessons we learned was the importance of being present at the polls. School board elections often get overlooked because people are more focused on higher-profile races, like for president or governor. But school boards make crucial decisions—setting tax rates, making policy changes, and more. It was essential to convey to voters that we were committed to strengthening public education.”

In District 1, a diverse community with a 30.5% Latino population, 21.2% Asian population, and 8.2% African American population, Chuy rallied around one unifying note. 

“My main message was that we’re a community, and we all need to succeed together to keep our district strong. Schools don’t just teach reading, writing, and arithmetic—they also provide arts education, career and technical programs like auto mechanics, and even floral design at Stony Point [High School],” Mr. Zárate said. “Our differences should be respected and celebrated, but they don’t divide us. Instead, they enrich our community.”

“We’ve made some significant changes in our student well-being services. Previously, these services were under the police department, which sent the wrong message, especially to our Black and Brown students who’ve been the victims of prejudice before,” Mr. Zárate said. “We now have a new identity-based anti-bullying policy. When bullying occurs, counselors bring together students, parents, and staff to address the issue in a restorative way, fostering growth and understanding rather than relying on punitive measures.”

With feedback from students and teachers, Mr. Zárate was also able to work with the board to get through bonds to renew Chromebooks for all students in the district, as well as creating a Career and Technical Education (CTE) center for robotics programs across the district.


”I am so excited about the bonds and what we’re going to do for the district. I can’t wait to be at groundbreaking ceremonies for things that are going to be built to make things easier for students, and I’m proud that we did all of this without raising the tax rate,” Mr. Zárate said. “Thanks to our strong financial management, we’re able to fund these projects while maintaining fiscal responsibility.”

Looking at the next two years, Mr. Zárate understands there are challenges with the state coming up ahead. One in particular stands out to him: Texas seeks to pass school vouchers, a system that would subsidize students’ decision to transition to private and charter schools using public school funding.

“The basic allotment per student hasn’t been raised since 2019, despite inflation and rising costs. Yet the state legislature has a $31 billion dollar surplus that they are not allowing public education to use until they get their vouchers,” Mr. Zárate said. “Our core message remains centered on community, equity, and supporting students. However, I’ve put more emphasis on advocating for increased state funding. I believe it’s up to local boards like ours to navigate [the current] political climate to uplift students.” 

As public education across Texas is expected to experience rapid transformation in the coming years, Mr. Zárate remains constant in what he wants to prioritize: the students.

“I know a lot of students sometimes feel that they’re not welcome at school or they don’t feel like they’re appreciated at school. But I think we have a really good staff that is concentrating on that now.” Mr. Zárate said. “I’m looking forward to fostering and supporting [students] as much as I can from the daily policy and using my vote to empower them.” 

To achieve progress, Mr. Zárate understands it often comes from the bottom up: By amplifying the voices of students from all grade levels, from all walks of life, and from all different viewpoints makes sure that the community can continue to move forward in its march for equity.

“For students, my biggest advice is to organize. Find like-minded peers and work together to make changes in your school. If you encounter a policy issue, start with your principal. If they can’t resolve it, go to the administration,” Mr. Zárate said. “And if it needs to go higher, that’s where the school board comes in. Lobby us, email us, come to meetings—your voice matters. I genuinely want to hear from students.”

As Mr. Zárate enters his second term in office during such a politically sensitive time, he wants to know that the school board is here to hear from everyone. 

“We’re here for students, teachers, and the community,” Mr. Zárate said. “We want to hear from you—whether it’s feedback, concerns, or ideas. We’re committed to making our district better, and we need your help to do that.”