Martha Salazar-Zamora, Superintendent, Tomball ISD

In an interview with Invest:, Martha Salazar-Zamora, superintendent of the Tomball Independent School District (ISD), discussed innovation in career and technical education, artificial intelligence in schools, and the future of public education in Texas. “Students are the future, and if we don’t invest in them today, our tomorrow may not be as bright as it could and should be,” Salazar-Zamora said.

How has Tomball ISD evolved over the past year, and how does that reflect broader trends in public education across Texas and the Houston region?

A lot has happened in public education. We continue to see legislation that does not always fully support public education, including the passage of the voucher bill. There were two superintendents from the entire state of Texas who were there to speak, and I was one of them. I spoke for three minutes, but I sat in Austin at the state Capitol for 23.5 hours because I felt it was a turning point in history. I wanted someone from Tomball, Texas, to be there because Tomball ISD represents the highest academically rated school district in Harris and Montgomery counties. We are the only A-rated school district across that span. 

I believe in public education, but I believe in education first. Parents and families should have the right to choose the setting that works for them. My concern with vouchers is that public dollars may now be spent on families who have historically paid for private school options themselves.

What we do well in public education is provide opportunities for all students. For Tomball ISD, that includes special education, a strong dual language program, advanced placement, dual credit, Project Lead The Way, and career and technical education. Research shows that students who speak more than one language have an advantage, and I do not know if we are fully embracing that as a nation.

How is Tomball ISD expanding career and technical education opportunities?

Tomball ISD is the only school district in the nation that partners with an oil and gas company in the way we do. Before 2020, we created the Academy of Energy and International Business, where students would receive their full high school experience within an industry, alongside chemists, biologists, logistics professionals, and business leaders.

By February 2020, everything was ready to begin the following school year. Then COVID happened, and our partner at the time, BJ Services, went bankrupt. I had to call families and apologize for something that could not happen, while telling them that it could happen in the future.

As we came out of COVID, I saw a for-sale sign on the property. It was 70 acres with 10 large buildings, warehouses, and office space. We ended up purchasing the property, now valued at more than $400 million, for $39.5 million. I presented it to the school board as a legacy purchase. We named it the Tomball Innovation Center. Today, Building No. 1 is rented to Baker Hughes through a multimillion-dollar contract, and the revenue will help us create the CTE facility of the future.

We have a hangar where students are learning how to become pilots. Students can leave Tomball ISD and, with a few more hours, sit for a pilot’s license. We have aviation mechanics, a fully functional courtroom where a neighboring judge holds court alongside our students, law enforcement simulations, robotics, drone simulators, a 911 call center, and a graphic design business center.

We also have an agricultural robotics center. This year alone, our students raised more than $1 million through our agricultural show. When the livestock leaves, we partner with First Robotics, and our students compete nationally.

As educators and leaders, we cannot simply wait for state or federal funding. We need to find ways to create additional revenue and prepare our children for the future.

How is the district preparing students for careers that may look different in the future?

We are not preparing students only for jobs we know exist today. The world is changing quickly, and we need to prepare them for careers and positions that involve technologies and environments we may not yet fully understand.

Artificial intelligence is a good example. Some people say they want nothing to do with AI, but if you have a cellphone, you are already in the world of AI. It has transformed my life and given me hours back. If I need a presentation, meeting notes synthesized, or something rewritten in a different tone, it is like having a personal assistant. Why would we not want students to be prepared for a workforce that uses those tools carefully, with policies and safeguards in place?

Tomball ISD started talking about AI more than three years ago. We created the Tomball Roundtable AI Network Symposium, or TRAINS, to bring vendors and school districts together to discuss policies, concerns, and opportunities around AI. We were sharing and learning at the same time.

Tomball ISD is not just a district, but a destination, and not just a destination, but a destination of excellence. In the last 13 years, we have grown from 9,000 students to nearly 25,000. We passed bonds in 2017, 2021, and 2025 for growth, schools, facilities, and the future.

What is Tomball ISD doing to recruit, support, and retain high-quality educators?

Teacher recruitment and retention are national challenges, and Texas and Houston are not immune. Tomball ISD’s story is a little different. A big part of our success is culture and relationships. Many of our staff were once students in the district and returned because they want their own children to be part of it.

We are not the highest-paying district, although we pay well. What we provide is consistent support, professional development, and a real sense of care for every staff member. 

Since before COVID, we have been fortunate to have a certified staff member in every classroom. Many districts had hundreds of openings and had to bring in people who were not certified. We take teachers where they are and help them continue to grow.

We are a model professional learning community district, one of the few in the nation. We also place a major emphasis on character, which means how students treat staff, how students treat each other, and how they carry themselves as people.

Academics also matter, and Tomball ISD has always been A-rated since accountability began. Eighteen of our campuses are A-rated, and 15 of those 18 are straight A’s. Every high school in Tomball ISD is A-rated.

But it is not just about test scores. It is about the whole child. Our goal is for every child to find a place to belong, a passion to pursue, and a love for learning that serves them well beyond the time they are with us. If we do that, teachers will want to come and stay.

What are your top priorities for the district over the next two to three years?

Any district in Texas has to stay on top of what is happening legislatively. A lot is changing quickly, and there are many unfunded mandates and high expectations. I believe in excellence and high expectations, but I also believe expectations must be reasonable. It is difficult to be expected to keep students safe and meet new requirements when funding is limited.

We also need to remain optimistic. The work we do in education is about the future. Education is the profession that makes all other professions possible, and we need to remember to give the respect that education and educators deserve.

Over the next few years, the priority is to stay focused and student-centered in a world that is shifting quickly. Students are seeing the world change from the time they start school to the time they graduate. 

We need to continue creating meaningful opportunities for all students. That includes expanding AI-integrated educational experiences that prepare students for the future workforce, advancing our cybersecurity pathway to meet the growing demand for high-skilled careers, and providing more innovative programs that help students discover their passions and strengths early. By continuing to invest in career exploration, technology, and real-world learning opportunities, we can ensure Tomball ISD students are not only prepared academically but are inspired about their future.