Vote the PersonNot the party
Texas general election: November 3, 2026

Who is running for State Board of Education, District 7 in 2026?

Here are the candidates for State Board of Education, District 7 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in State Board of Education District 7.

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.

IssueTiffany PerkinzDemocratJulie PickrenRepublican
Curriculum and booksTeachers and librarians, as trained professionalsSaid · mediumParents, including the right to remove material they object toSaid · medium
School choiceNo, keep public money in traditional public schoolsSaid · mediumYes, universal school choice for every familySaid · low
Religion in schoolsNo single answer fits; see evidenceSupport laws requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms and optional prayer periodsSaid · medium

Private citizen (owner of a tutoring business)

Tiffany Perkinz is a Democrat and former public school English teacher who owns the tutoring business Perkinz with a Z Education2. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Lamar University2.

Where they stand 3 issues · tap any issue for the evidence

  • Curriculum and booksTeachers and librarians, as trained professionalsmedium
    Said · medium confidence
    • Her campaign says curriculum decisions should be guided by educators and experts, not political pressure, and that she trusts teachers as content-area experts. (2026-05-20) source
    • Her campaign says she will reject censorship disguised as parental rights when it undermines learning and opposes challenges to books because they are uncomfortable. (2026-05-20) source
  • School choiceNo, keep public money in traditional public schoolsmedium
    Said · medium confidence
    • Her campaign says she will oppose voucher programs that drain public school funding. (2026-05-20) source
  • Religion in schoolsNo single answer fitsmedium
    Said · medium confidence
    • Her campaign says she will keep political and religious indoctrination out of public schools. (2026-05-20) source

No public position found on: DEI programs.

Julie Pickren

Republican · Incumbent

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

Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.