University of Pennsylvania
Ed.D., University of Pennsylvania (2025), with a dissertation titled “Navigating the Political Ecosystems: A Bounded Exploration of What Language Local Elected Officials Use, Where They Acquire It, and How They Learn It”
Columbia University - New York
Master’s of Science
University of Texas - Austin
Master's Research (UT Austin's LBJ School, Public Affairs)
Her master's thesis was titled: "A Grassroots Model for Constables to Eliminate Inequities in Minority Communities"
This research:
Examined proactive policing strategies
Studied community relationship-building methodologies
Proposed organizational structures for equitable service delivery
Proposed that law enforcement agencies must serve ALL neighborhoods equitably.
University of Houston
Bachelor of Arts degree in Interpersonal Communication with a minor in Spanish from the University of Houston
(Became a High School Spanish Teacher for 5 years)
Pillar 1: School Safety That Protects all Harris County Students
Awarded School Guardian Award 2026
Every student deserves to feel safe at school, physically and emotionally. But real safety isn't measured by how many metal detectors a campus has. It's measured by whether students feel seen, supported, and connected to adults they trust. Trustee Erica Davis believes safe schools are built on prevention, preparation, and relationships.
Pillar 2: Dismantling the School-to-Prison Pipeline
"Our children deserve support, not handcuffs. I'm committed to keeping kids in classrooms, not pushing them into courts."
No child should be pushed out of a classroom and into a courtroom. Too many young people are funneled from school discipline into the justice system for behavior that calls for support, not punishment. Trustee Erica Davis is committed to keeping students in school, connected to caring adults, and on a path to success.
Pillar 3: An Inclusive Educational Ecosystem for ALL Harris County Children
A child's zip code, race, language, disability, or family income should never decide their future. Yet across Harris County, opportunity is still unevenly distributed. Trustee Erica Davis is committed to building an educational ecosystem where every learner, at every stage of life, has the support they need to thrive.
Why an "ecosystem"?
Trustee Davis's doctoral research at the University of Pennsylvania studied how people learn through the many connected environments around them: home, school, community, and the wider systems that shape opportunity.
Enjoyed a wonderful conversation with former U.S. Ambassador to Qatar Chase Untermeyer. I learned so much! Chase Untermeyer was United States ambassador to Qatar from 2004 to 2007, on appointment of President George W. Bush.
Diversity matters in education
Diversity matters in education because our students are diverse, and every one of them deserves to see a future for themselves in the classroom.
Harris County is one of the most diverse communities in the nation. Our children speak different languages, come from different cultures, and bring different experiences through the schoolhouse doors each morning. That is not a challenge to manage; it is a strength to build on.
When students learn alongside peers from different backgrounds, they learn to listen, to think critically, and to work with people who see the world differently. Those are the skills our economy, our democracy, and our communities need. When students are taught by educators who reflect the community they serve, they are more likely to feel seen, supported, and inspired to achieve.
As a trustee, I am committed to making sure every student, in every neighborhood, has access to excellent teachers, strong programs, and an education that prepares them for the world they will inherit. Diversity is not an add-on to that mission. It is part of it.
— Dr. Erica Davis, Trustee, Harris County Department of Education
Civic Education
Most residents of Harris County will vote for a school board trustee at some point, but very few have ever been told what that office actually does. That is not a failure of the voter. It is a gap we, as elected officials, have a responsibility to close.
Education governance is complicated. A family in Harris County may live within an independent school district with its own elected board, a county department of education with its own board of trustees, a community college district, and a state board of education, each with different responsibilities, budgets, and authority. Many people are unsure which body sets policy, which one manages funding, and which one to call when something goes wrong. When the system is that layered, it is easy for constituents to feel shut out of decisions that shape their children’s future.
Civic understanding is not automatic. It is learned. In my own research on how local elected officials acquire the language of governance, I found that even those of us who hold office learn it over time, through experience, mentorship, and our communities. If it takes intention for officials to learn, it takes intention to share that knowledge with the public.
That is why I believe constituent education is part of the job. People cannot hold their institutions accountable, advocate for their students, or decide who to vote for if they do not know how those institutions work. When we explain plainly who does what, we invite more people into the conversation, and better decisions follow.
My commitment is simple: to make the work of the board understandable, accessible, and open to every family we serve.
— Dr. Erica Davis, Trustee, Harris County Department of Education
Fighting for fair education for all. Together, we can end the school-to-prison pipeline and build community-focused schools that serve every child.
