Member, State Board of Education, District 7

Julie Pickren is a Republican from the Pearland area who has represented District 7 on the State Board of Education since January 2023²³. She is a small business owner and was an Alvin ISD trustee from 2015 to 2021³. Her campaign says parents should have the first and last word on what their children are taught⁴.

Where they stand 4 issues · tap any issue for the evidence

• Curriculum and booksParents, including the right to remove material they object tomedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • Her campaign says Texas parents, not a district office or curriculum consultant, have the first and last word on what their children are taught. (2026) source
  • Told Ballotpedia in 2022 that children belong to their parents, not the government, and listed protecting parents' rights as a key message. (2022) source
• Religion in schoolsSupport laws requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms and optional prayer periodsmedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • Her campaign platform lists God in schools and public prayer among her solutions. (2026) source
  • Her campaign lists a Texas House resolution reaffirming prayer in schools and the national motto in schools bill among measures she worked on. (2026) source
  • A campaign video makes the case for the Bible's place in history and a classical education. (2026) source
• School choiceYes, universal school choice for every familylow

  Said · low confidence

  • Her campaign lists school choice as part of her plan and says she advocates for public, private, charter and home school options. (2026) source
  • Told ATPE in 2022 that school choice, meaning charter schools, should come to poor areas where public schools are failing. (2022) source
  • At her first board meeting, the board voted 8 to 5 along party lines to drop its opposition to vouchers from its legislative priorities and take no official position; ATPE reported that only one Republican member was absent and the chair did not vote, which places her with the Republican majority. (2023-02-02) source
• DEI programsNo single answer fitsmedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • Told Ballotpedia in 2022 that critical race theory should not be in education for students or teachers, and said she advised lawmakers on the Texas ban. (2022) source