Who is running for State Board of Education, District 4 (Unexpired Term) in 2026?
Here are the candidates for State Board of Education, District 4 (Unexpired Term) on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in State Board of Education District 4.
Positions come only from each candidate's own votes, official actions, statements and questionnaire answers, never from party labels. Every item links to its source.
Side by side
Each candidate's position on the issues this office handles, from their own record. Details and sources are in each profile below.
| Issue | Coretta Mallet-FontenotDemocrat | Tammie NielsenRepublican |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum and books | Teachers and librarians, as trained professionalsSaid · medium | No public position |
Coretta Mallet-Fontenot
DemocratPrivate citizen (Houston ISD educator)
Coretta Mallet-Fontenot is a Democrat and 27-year educator in Houston ISD with a doctorate in professional leadership2. Democratic precinct chairs in District 4 picked her in August 2026 as the party's nominee after Staci Childs resigned the seat3. She has served as a Houston Federation of Teachers officer and as political action committee chair for NAACP Houston2.
Where they stand 1 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
Curriculum and booksTeachers and librarians, as trained professionalsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her campaign says we cannot allow noneducators to make important decisions that govern the direction of school communities, and that curriculum should be based on science and facts. (2026) source
No public position found on: School choice, Religion in schools, DEI programs.
Tammie Nielsen
Republican · IncumbentMember, State Board of Education, District 4 (appointed August 2026)
Tammie Nielsen is a Republican from Pasadena whom Gov. Greg Abbott appointed to the District 4 seat on August 24, 2026, after Democrat Staci Childs resigned to run for the Texas House23. She is the advancement director for Sarah's House, a nonprofit, and president of the City of Pasadena Library Board2. Her campaign says she is committed to supporting parents and teachers, but no positions on the board's major issues were found4.
No public position found on: Curriculum and books, School choice, Religion in schools, DEI programs.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.