Diana Dávila and Jolanda Jones were elected to the Houston Independent School District Board of Education on Tuesday, according to final, but unofficial results of Tuesday’s trustee election.
Jones won a seat on the HISD Board of Education for the first time, beating out three opponents to fill the District IV spot being vacated by departing Trustee Paula Harris. Jones defeated Davetta Daniels, Ann McCoy, and Larry McKinzie.
Jones is an owner and attorney with the Law Office of Jolanda Jones. In 2008, she was elected to Houston City Council, where she served for four years as council member at-large in District V. Jones earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from University of Houston and a Juris Doctor degree from University of Houston Law Center.
Dávila, who previously served on the HISD Board from 2003 to 2010, defeated incumbent Trustee Juliet Stipeche for the District VIII seat. Stipeche has held the seat since 2010.
Dávila is a former HISD teacher. She is an HISD graduate of Milby High School. She also attended Park Place and Lewis elementary schools and Deady Middle School in HISD. Dávila earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies with an emphasis on bilingual education from University of Houston and a master’s degree in educational management and principal certification from University of Houston-Clear Lake.
Both the District II and District III races have resulted in a run-off election.
District II Trustee Rhonda Skillern-Jones, who was first elected to the board in 2011, will face challenger Larry Williams in a run-off. District III Trustee Manuel Rodriguez, who has served on the board for 11 years, will go up against challenger Jose Leal. A run-off election is scheduled for Dec. 12.
The HISD Board of Education is composed of nine trustees. Each will serve a four-year term, which formally begins when they are sworn in during the first 2016 Board of Education meeting in January.