Documents obtained by The Dallas Express are raising questions about whether there is a revolving door in public education.
Former Prosper Independent School District (ISD) board member Jorden Dial attended the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) convention in San Antonio in September 2022 at the expense of district taxpayers. Copies of emails obtained via Public Records requests indicate that while attending the conference, he invited officials from several North Texas school districts to an open bar reception hosted by Joeris Construction. This firm does business with multiple school districts in the region.
District records show that Prosper ISD covered $242.97 in airfare and at least one night’s stay at the San Antonio Marriott Riverwalk for Dial for $246.65 for a combined travel cost of roughly $500. It remains unclear whether the district covered additional lodging and other expenses, as some travel records have not yet been fully accounted for.
Possible Conflicts of Interest
On August 23, 2022, Dial sent a mass email to numerous DFW-area school officials—bcc’ing recipients—stating that he had inadvertently sent them an e-vite to the Joeris-sponsored event but encouraged them to attend if they were in San Antonio for the conference. In a follow-up email on August 26, 2022, records show Dial confirmed the event would be held at Casa Rio on the Riverwalk on September 23, 2022, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Records indicate that officials from Richardson ISD, Denton ISD, Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, and Lewisville ISD were among those who received the invitation.
Dial’s dual role as a school board trustee and a director of client development at Joeris Construction at the time of the event raises concerns about whether he used his publicly elected position to strengthen private business relationships. While there is no confirmation that Dial personally benefited from these interactions, his involvement with Joeris Construction and subsequent employment at BWC Education Group—another firm doing business with some of the same districts—raises questions about potential conflicts of interest.
Career Moves and Vendor Relationships
Dial parted ways with Joeris Construction in November 2024. Shortly thereafter, in December 2024, he was hired by BWC Education Group as a Business Unit Leader, according to his LinkedIn profile.
A review of Texas Ethics Commission Form 1295 disclosures indicates that BWC Education Group also does business with Richardson ISD and Denton ISD—two districts where Dial had established relationships while serving on the Prosper ISD board. Dial’s name appears in Denton ISD meeting minutes for a bond in 2024, and emails obtained by DX show he had a relationship with executives at Richard ISD since at least 2016. Files from the Texas Ethics Commission show he also made donations to political groups in the district.
Additionally, December 2022 Form 1295 disclosures show that Joeris Construction and BWC Education Group worked together on a project for Denton ISD.
While no formal allegations of wrongdoing have been made, the sequence of events and Dial’s continued involvement with vendors that do business with North Texas school districts have raised questions about whether he used his elected position to facilitate professional networking that could later benefit his private-sector employment.
Ethical and Policy Considerations
State law generally prohibits public officials from using their positions for personal gain. However, the text of law appears not to address situations that could arguably be defined as informal networking and industry relationship building. The Texas Education Code and Texas Ethics Commission provide guidelines on conflicts of interest for school board members.
DX obtained no records showing that a formal complaint had been made.
As of the time of publication, Dial has not responded to multiple requests for comment.
Prosper ISD’s communications director told DX, “The district has not received formal complaints or identified specific concerns regarding Mr. Dial’s conduct or vendor interactions. Our board members regularly attend educational conferences and training sessions as part of their service to the district and are reimbursed according to Board Policy BBG.”