Julie Pickren was born and raised in Houston, Texas and currently resides near Pearland, Texas with her husband David and two sons, Miles and Tyler. Currently, Mrs. Pickren is a home school mom since her son is the youngest student enrolled in Liberty University Dual Credit Program School of Business.

SBOE Member District 7 | Texas State Board of Education

Currently, Mrs. Pickren is a home school mom since her son is the youngest student enrolled in Liberty University Dual Credit Program School of Business. Julie has a joy for learning and is currently enrolled in The Wharton School of Business Executive Leadership Program.

Julie Pickren was born and raised in Houston, Texas. She is enrolled in the Wharton School of Business Executive Leadership Program. She lives near Pearland, Texas, with her husband, David, and their two sons.

SBOE Member District 7 - State Board of Education - Texas.gov

Like many across the district, Mrs. Pickren is a successful small business owner. Reinvesting in the community and supporting charities is very important to her family.

Mrs. Pickren has a longstanding education leadership experience while serving in many capacities including serving as a board member of two Christian private schools, an Alvin ISD Trustee from 2015-2021, and an education policy advisor for many states.

Julie Pickren is a small business owner. She has served as an education policy advisor for many states.

Additional Information

First elected to the State Board of Education in 2022. Current term expires January 2027. Running for re-election; won the Republican primary and will be on the November 2026 general election ballot.

Julie Pickren | TTV

District Profile Information
Board Term: Jan. 1, 2023 - Jan. 1, 2027
SBOE Committee: Vice Chair, Committee on School Initiatives
Member, Ad Hoc Committee on Social Studies

Julie Pickren currently serves on the State Board of Education. She was first elected in 2022. Julie previously served as an Alvin Independent School District trustee from 2015 to 2021.

2026 Texas General Election

1. If elected, what do you believe your primary role and responsibility as a state board member should be?
Set standards for academic excellence, responsibly manage The Permanent School Fund, and adopt textbooks that uphold Texas Values.

5. Do you believe our state’s public education system, including current regulations on testing and accountability, graduation requirements, and curriculum standards, enables students to receive a well-rounded education throughout all grade levels? Would you recommend any changes?
We must do away with STAAR testing. Because of all of the strings attached to STAAR, too many schools are teaching to the test and it is putting our teachers under tremendous amounts of stress. Teachers want to educate their children, not teach a test.

Banning Critical Race Theory in Texas Education
The movement to ban Critical Race Theory (CRT) from every aspect of education in Texas is not just a policy initiative, but a crucial step towards preserving the integrity of our educational system and upholding the values that define both Texas and the American Dream.

Banning Critical Race Theory in Texas Education | Julie Pickren

Plans to adopt textbooks that uphold “Texas Values.”

Opposes State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) testing.

Advocates for banning Critical Race Theory from all areas of education in Texas.

Advocates for banning critical race theory from all areas of education in Texas, education that argues racism is ingrained into society as a whole, particularly through policies, laws, institutions, and structures.

- Plans to adopt textbooks that uphold “Texas Values.”
- Opposes State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) testing.
- Advocates for banning critical race theory from all areas of education in Texas, education that argues racism is ingrained into society as a whole, particularly through policies, laws, institutions, and structures.

School Curriculum

As of July 22, 2026, Julie Pickren’s website did not contain information on this issue.

School Facilities & Resources

We need to work together to build relationships back and bring all of our teacher supports back to campuses. Also, we need to protect our teachers from politics in the classroom.

Providing support for teachers. Our system of education is designed for teachers to have support within the district, from parents, and from community stakeholders. Because of Covid we have seen many of these relationships severed. We need to work together to build relationships back and bring all of our teacher supports back to campuses.

Calls for protecting teachers from politics in the classroom.

Calls for restoring teacher-support resources to school campuses.

- Calls for protecting teachers from politics in the classroom.
- Calls for restoring teacher-support resources to school campuses.

Teachers

Student Wellbeing

6. What role, if any, should charter schools have in the Texas public education system?
We need to bring school choice, charter schools, to poor areas where public schools are failing. It is unacceptable for a poor child to be locked into a school with an 80% graduation rate or an elementary school where 60% of the children can not read on a 3rd grade reading level. All children deserve an equal opportunity education so they can achieve their American Dream.

7. What role should the SBOE play in overseeing charter schools, such as approving or denying new charter applications and expansion requests of existing charters?
SBOE should have full contriol over every charter application and expansion.

Advocacy
School Choice
Julie is committed to diverse educational needs, advocating for public, private, charter, and home school options in Texas.
Committed
To providing Texas children with exceptional educational opportunities.

Julie Pickren

Calls for charter schools in low-income areas where public schools are failing.

Supports State Board of Education control over all charter-school applications and expansions.

Advocates for public, private, charter, and home-school options in Texas.

- Calls for charter schools in low-income areas where public schools are failing.
- Supports State Board of Education control over all charter-school applications and expansions.
- Advocates for public, private, charter, and home-school options in Texas.

Access to Education

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- Advocates for banning Critical Race Theory from all areas of education in Texas.

- Advocates for public, private, charter, and home-school options in Texas.

Julie Pickren is from Houston, Texas. She is currently enrolled in The Wharton School of Business Executive Leadership Program. She and her husband, David, have two sons. 

Julie is a small business owner. She also invests in real estate. Julie is a homeschool mom. 

Julie is currently a member of the Texas State Board of Education, representing District 7. Before her current role, she served as an Alvin Independent School District trustee from 2015 to 2021.

Julie Pickren - Texas Candidate - Transparency USA

For Candidate Julie Pickren on Issue school-curriculum:  
Supports banning Critical Race Theory in Texas education.

Supports preparing all children equally for their future, focusing on readiness for college, vocational training, and military service, regardless of race or socio-economic status.

For Candidate Julie Pickren on Issue teachers: Advocated for high teacher salaries and benefits, with a significant portion of the M&O budget allocated directly to the classroom.

Advocates for diverse educational options in Texas, including public, private, charter, and homeschooling.

Julie is a small business owner. She also has experience in educational leadership, including serving as a trustee for Alvin Independent School District from 2015 to 2021. 

Julie is currently a member of the Texas State Board of Education representing District 7. She was first elected in 2022. From 2015 to 2021, she served as a trustee for the Alvin Independent School District.

Said, "Banning Critical Race Theory in Texas Education"

For Candidate Julie Pickren on Issue teachers:  
Believes in providing competitive teacher salaries and benefits, with a significant portion of the budget allocated directly to the classroom.

Said, "Julie is committed to diverse educational needs, advocating for public, private, charter, and home school options in Texas."

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Tiffany Perkinz

- Members of the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) set statewide education policy, including approving graduation requirements, selecting textbooks and instructional materials, overseeing the state’s Permanent School Fund, and approving or vetoing charter school applications. 
- Board members participate in rule-making, review and adopt academic standards, and offer final approval on educator certification and other statewide education regulations. 
- SBOE members are elected from geographically defined “education districts.” Under normal circumstances, they serve staggered four-year terms.
- Serving on the board does not pay a salary, but members may be reimbursed for expenses incurred while doing board business.

Member of the board that governs the state's education system. 