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As Deputy Commissioner of School Programs at the Texas Education Agency (TEA), Shannon Trejo is responsible for developing resources, services, and program models to improve quality, access, and opportunity effectively for all students in Texas. Joining TEA in 2024, Trejo oversees the teams responsible for standards, instructional materials, assessments, and performance reporting, in addition to teams that support the breadth of academic programs from our youngest to our oldest learners. Through their work, these teams support the agency’s strategic priorities, particularly building a foundation of reading and math and connecting high school to college and career.
Trejo joined the Texas Education Agency from Dallas ISD, where she most recently served as Chief of Innovation and Academic Officer. In these roles, she led key divisions such as curriculum and instruction PK-12, professional learning, early learning, special populations, choice schools, career institutes, and visual and performing arts. Over the past seven years in Dallas, Trejo has supervised the district’s transition to High-Quality Instructional Materials, increased participation in advanced academic pathways, and supported Career Institutes with access to stackable credentials. These initiatives increased student engagement and, most importantly, academic achievement with significant gains in early learning reading and math scores, college credit attainment, and workforce credentials for high school graduates.
Trejo began her career as a pre-law student tutoring third-grade students in reading. A pivotal experience in the classroom advocating for all students to have access to high-quality teaching and learning led her to change her major and pursue her dream of being a champion for students and families in Texas. With 30 years as a Texas educator, Trejo has served as a bilingual teacher, campus principal, and central office cabinet member in four school districts with student enrollments ranging from 35,000 to 153,000. In each role, she created a positive, learner-centered culture and climate for her teams while adhering to unwavering high expectations for student outcomes. She has extensive training from respected organizations such as the Harvard Principal Center, the International Center for Leadership Education (ICLE), The Holdsworth Center, and Curriculum21 (CMI). She has served on key committees at both the state and national level to provide insight on high-quality instruction, including the National Assessment Governing Board TUDA Task Force, the National Urban District Literacy Collaborative, Council of Great City Schools Strategic Academic Support Team, Texas Commissioner’s Curriculum Advisory Council, and the Texas Urban Curriculum Council.
Trejo graduated from the University of Texas Austin with her Bachelor’s, the University of Texas Arlington with her Master’s, and Texas A&M Commerce with her Doctorate, all focused on living according to her values as an educational leader and lifelong learner. Trejo is a proud mother of one daughter and two sons, who are all college athletes.
