TEA To Review Vendor Process After Convicted Felon Registers As School Board Trainer

He was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison.

at YourConroeNews.com. Conroe ISD expansion plans will include larger and more expensive buildings thanks to a new Texas law.

Dan now runs Gulf Coast Community Action, the Angleton-based nonprofit he founded in 2019. The organization provides continuing education and training to school board members, according to public information from the group. Dan became a registered TEA provider in September and is one of 621 registered in the state. Your registration is valid until September 2025.

Dan could not be reached for comment.

School board principals are traditionally trained through the Texas School Boards Association, but may train with a TEA-approved agency early in their tenure.

New Conroe ISD board members Melissa Dungan, Misty Odenweiler and Tiffany Nelson said at their swearing-in ceremony that they do not plan to train with TASB, but with two other organizations, including Dunn's group. They trained with him on 10 December. Dunn posted a photo of the women to her Facebook page with the caption, "Country Action Agency Texas School Board Trustees Training of the Bay in Deer Park, Texas." The three also said they would train with Hope Rising, an organization that "creates social and emotional educational programs."

Dan also has ties to Citizens Defense Freedom, which describes him as a political analyst who has advised and consulted with 25 conservative candidates for the Texas School Board. The organization endorsed Dungan, Odenweller and Nelson, who ran a conservative slate under the name "Mama Bears". According to its website, the organization "empowers and empowers American citizens to protect their liberties and liberties at the local level."

Sarah Blakelock, director of communications for Conroe ISD, said the district covers the cost of training and continuing education for board members if the organization is a registered provider in the area. He said Dunne and his organization are not registered in the area. He said Dungan, Odenweiler and Nelson paid to train him.

Dungan, Odenweiler and Nelson did not return calls or emails. During the swearing-in ceremony, the three also said that they would not sign the code of ethical conduct that managers usually sign.

Jake Kupersky, director of media relations for TEA, said the agency does not have authority from the state board of education to refuse registration in its database of education providers. He said TEA does not pay coaching providers and maintains the database only as a tool for school districts to find an instructor suitable for their needs.

However, after learning of Dunn's sentence, Kuporsky said the agency is considering potential rule changes and improvements to the school board's registration process.

According to the TEA website, anyone interested in providing continuing education to school board members and/or charter school board members and school staff must register with TEA and provide information and/or a resume related to your area of ​​expertise. Background checks are not required to register with the database, Kupersky said.

Dunn was sentenced to federal prison in September 2009 for filing more than $300,000 in fraudulent claims against the government, according to the US Department of Education. Indicted in May 2007, Dunn pleaded guilty in 2008 on August 12 to filing fraudulent claims against the government, admitting to fraudulently obtaining federal vocational rehabilitation funds between 2001 and 2003.

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