Dr. Lisa Dawn-Fisher

Lisa Dawn-Fisher is the Deputy Associate Commissioner for School Finance at the Texas Education Agency (TEA). She oversees the State Funding and the Forecasting and Fiscal Analysis Divisions. The State Funding Division administers the Foundation School Program, including wealth equalization and facilities funding programs, as well as the bond guarantee program. The Forecasting and Fiscal Analysis Division develops forecasting models and pupil enrollment projections and writes all fiscal notes for the TEA in addition to responding to a wide variety of ad hoc requests for financial data on public schools. Dr. Dawn-Fisher also works closely with the legislative process and directs rulemaking activities related to the implementation of state funding programs.Dr. Dawn-Fisher has worked for 13 years in the area of school finance and education policy, as a legislative aide in the Texas House of Representatives, as a researcher for the Equity Center, and as a private-sector consultant to school districts with Moak, Casey and Associates. During her career in the State Funding Division at the TEA, she served as the first program administrator for the Instructional Facilities Allotment program from 1997 - 1998. Returning from the private sector in 2002, Dr. Dawn-Fisher served as the division’s Assistant Director for more than three years before being appointed as the Deputy Associate Commissioner.Dr. Dawn-Fisher holds a Master’s degree in Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs and a doctorate in Educational Administration from University of Texas at Austin, where she specialized in Education Policy and Planning.