Charlie Torres defeats Melissa Lee in race for seat on Pflugerville school board

Charlie Torres defeated Melissa Lee in the race for the Place 2 seat on the Pflugerville school board.

Torres finished with 1,915 votes, or 56.5%, to Lee's 1,473 votes.

Former University of Texas, Pflugerville High and NFL football star Alex Okafor ran unopposed for the Place 1 seat. Place 1 incumbent David Aguirre and Place 2 Trustee Tony Hanson did not seek reelection.

Trustees in the Pflugerville school district, which has more than 26,000 students at 34 campuses, are elected at-large and serve three-year terms. The district also will be under new leadership. Quintin Shepherd, who has led the Victoria school district for six years, will replace Doug Killian as superintendent. Killian left in January to lead the Cypress-Fairbanks school district near Houston.

Lee, a 43-year-old district community advocate, earned her a bachelor's degree in business administration and economics from Benedictine University and developed and analyzed financial reports with companies such as Caterpillar, Nufarm and Ace Hardware. She said her experience volunteering in the schools and knowledge in finance makes her the best candidate.

Lee said the biggest issues facing the district are financial constraints and budget shortfalls due to insufficient state funding. She said the financial limitations the district is facing hinder the educational opportunities available to students and increase the workload on the teaching staff.

"Addressing these challenges requires a collaborative approach that prioritizes advocacy for adequate state funding, heightened commitment to good financial stewardship, and innovative solutions to sustain and bolster educational excellence within PfISD," Lee said. "I have a demonstrated commitment to engaging with our community to advocate for equitable funding and search for strategies to navigate these issues ensuring that all PfISD students receive the quality education they deserve."

Torres, 68, a retired representative at Communications Workers of America, said the biggest issues the district faces is the lack of funding, teacher shortages, school safety and a lack of equitable educational opportunities.

After serving four terms as a trustee at the Gregory-Portland school district, Torres said he hopes to work with the new superintendent to create rapid change.

"I also want to hit the ground running to discuss priorities from each department and campus, so I can make lasting and meaningful recommendations for the start of the 2024-25 school year." he said. "This is not a time for on-the-job training. I plan on utilizing my previous trustee experience to add insight and value from day one."

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: See the latest on Pflugerville school board election results