Texas House District 1 State Representative Gary VanDeaver officially tendered his resignation from his seat in the Texas House last Monday, September 21, with a letter of resignation sent to Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
VanDeaver served six terms as the House District 1 representative, after first being elected back in 2014.
His tenure as a state representative saw him spend much of his time in an effort to support and fund public education in Texas and his district, leaning on his decades of experience as an educator to understand the needs of teachers and public school districts. As a member of the Texas House Appropriations Committee, VanDeaver worked to get public schools across his district much needed funding.
VanDeaver also worked to improve higher education, and here in Bowie County, his efforts were instrumental in supporting improved educational opportunities at Texarkana College and Texas A&M-Texarkana, including funding for a new nursing program at TAMU-T.
In his resignation letter to the governor VanDeaver stated, “My reasons for leaving the legislature before my term expires in January are two-fold.
First, the constituents of HD1 remain the priority and this decision will provide the opportunity for my successor to be better positioned to serve the great people of HD1 in the upcoming 90th legislative session. Secondly, this decision will allow me to better prepare for life after the legislature as I continue to search for ways to make Texas a better place.”
A day after his resignation, the Board of Directors of the Texas Association of School Boards announced that they had chosen VanDeaver to be their organization’s next executive director.
TASB Board president Tony Hopkins stated in the announcement, “Gary has dedicated his life to serving the cause of public education both inside our districts as a teacher and administrator and for the last 12 years as a leading voice in policy discussions on public education. The ability to relate to elected school board members who are responsible for governing school districts, to understand the challenges and opportunities in running school districts, and to bring the perspective of the many rural members were key reasons for his selection.”
VanDeaver noted of his selection, “My entire career reflects my belief that a strong public education system represents the best shot for all Texas children to achieve the American dream. I am excited to have the opportunity to work with the great people at TASB and thankful to the TASB Board for trusting my leadership as we continue to serve our members and the students they represent.”
VanDeaver is expected to begin his new role at TASB on October 1.
