Larry Mike for AISD School Board - Place 3 Trustee

22/08/2026

Rules for thee but not for TEA.

The State Auditor just released Report 26-034 on the Texas Education Agency. No stolen money. No unallowable expenses. But the findings still raise a real question about consistency.

Texas law limits agencies to 1 manager for every 11 employees. TEA was running at 1 manager for every 3.5.

If a school district showed the same gaps in management structure, grant monitoring, and program verification, the response from TEA would be formal and escalating.

Watch the full breakdown and decide for yourself.

Report:https://sao.texas.gov/reports/main/26-034.pdf

09/08/2026

"The Mississippi Miracle"

Texas keeps waiting for a miracle.
Mississippi, the poorest state in the country, built a system.

Mississippi went from near last in the nation to top 10 in fourth-grade reading.
Texas is still stuck in the middle.

One state put coaches in the classrooms that needed them most and kept them there.
The other relied on training and the power to replace boards.

Watch the full breakdown.

These are my personal observations as a trustee. I do not speak for the board or the district.

31/07/2026

This might make some people mad…

But the numbers don’t lie.

For more than a decade Texas has graded schools, taken over districts, and doubled down on the same high-stakes system.

The result? Still stuck in the middle of the pack on the Nation’s Report Card.

Meanwhile, Massachusetts faced a broken system in the early 90s, made hard bipartisan choices, and rose to the top of the nation.

The data is clear. The question is simple.

Are we willing to keep doing the same thing… or demand better for every Texas student?

Watch the full story.

These are my personal views as a trustee, not an official statement from the board or district.

30/07/2026

Apply if you are interested!

Apply to join the School Health Advisory Committee. Make a positive impact on overall student health and wellness.

25/07/2026

A DEEPER DIVE INTO THE NUMBERS.

I put together a new video looking at Arlington ISD enrollment trends, school utilization, facility conditions, and the need for right-sizing. It walks through the data on declining student numbers, underused campuses, and options like moving 6th grade and targeted consolidations.

DISCLAIMER: I do not speak for the District or the Board. I speak for myself.

28/06/2026

This will change how you think about Arlington ISD’s budget.

If we keep doing the same things, we risk serious financial trouble. Enrollment is dropping, costs are rising, and the numbers don’t add up anymore.

But there’s a clear path forward: right-sizing staff, consolidating underused schools, and exploring creative options like opening programs to voucher families.

I break it all down in this short video: the real numbers, the classroom realities, and what we can do together.

15/06/2026

Episode 2: Why Change Has Been So Slow in Texas and the Nation

We’ve known what works in reading instruction for over 25 years. So why are we still seeing persistent gaps?

In this episode, I walk through the real challenges from research to classroom reality, the ambitious Texas Reading Academies, and why “why” matters more than just pass/fail on STAAR.

This series isn’t about blame. It’s about understanding the problem so we can make better decisions for our kids.

03/06/2026

Day 2 of graduation is in the books for Arlington ISD. NINE GRADUATIONS in 2 days! Congratulations to all of our graduates! Here is another peek at what we see during graduation. # # Melody Bell Fowler

02/06/2026

Graduation Day in Arlington ISD!!! Here is a quick peek of what I see. Melody Bell Fowler

29/05/2026

The official Arlington ISD 2025-26 PASA Demographic Study shows some important realities about our district's enrollment.

Episode 1 of this series breaks down the data: where we came from, where we are now, and what the future projections show. It covers the sustained decline, elementary utilization trends, the possibility of moving 6th grade to junior high, and long-term facility needs.

This is a serious conversation we need to have as a community. I encourage you to watch it and share your thoughts.

What we are seeing is clear. Arlington has changed, and we have real decisions ahead if we want to best serve all our students and our community.

Disclaimer: I do not speak for the District or the Board. These are my personal thoughts after reviewing the data, and they do not mean I am necessarily right.