April 11, 2014 5:19 PM

School superintendent promises a reasoned approach in his first session as a House member - With extended audio interview

"We have to able to negotiate in some areas and compromise on some things.”

TYLER – The longtime educator who defeated two-term incumbent Rep. George Lavender, R-Texarkana, said this week he’s going to bring the ability to compromise with those he might not necessarily agree with in order to get things done in the Texas House. Gary VanDeaver is the Superintendent of the New Boston Independent School District and said that he’s going to take a reasoned approach to governing in Austin. He won 54 to 46.

When Quorum Report caught up with VanDeaver at an education conference at the University of Texas at Tyler this week, he was visiting with other superintendents and school board members about the challenges ahead for public schools in the 2015 session. "We have to able to negotiate in some areas and compromise on some things," he said. "Maybe we don't get everything we want but maybe we get some of what we need."

His experience working on a school district’s budget will help guide him in how he thinks about school finance after the courts weigh in, VanDeaver said. He and other observers expect The Legislature to be under court order to address how schools are financed. "The suit is going to dictate where we go as far as finance," he said.

VanDeaver also expects there to be much scrutiny of House Bill 5 when it comes to both the amount of standardized testing required by law and the multiple pathways that were created for a high school diploma. “That was a huge piece of legislation and as we implement it we're going to see some things that are going to need some attention," he said.

By Scott Braddock