Northside ISD Trustee Bobby Blount Named 2024 James B. Crow Recipient

Austin— Bobby Blount, a longtime Northside ISD school board member and president of the Texas Caucus of Black School Board Members, has been named the 2024 recipient of TASB’s James B. Crow Innovation in Governance Award. 

The James B. Crow Innovation in Governance Award was established in 2022 in honor of its namesake, who retired as TASB executive director in August 2021, after 40 years of service to the Association. Crow was known for his relentless commitment to improving public education by supporting excellent local school board governance through visionary leadership. Those eligible for the award include individuals who have significantly influenced effective school district governance practices at the state or local level. 

Blount, a San Antonio resident, has served continuously on the Northside ISD Board of Trustees since first being elected in 1999. He was selected for the honor by the TASB Member Services Committee, which praised his ongoing commitment to public education and his work to improve the lives of the children in his community and beyond. The award includes a $10,000 contribution to the district of the recipient’s choice. Blount has selected Northside ISD, located in Bexar County.

“The entire committee was impressed by Bobby Blount’s long tenure of school board service and his track record of always putting kids first,” said Nederland ISD Trustee Nicholas Phillips, who chaired the selection committee and serves on the TASB Board of Directors. “As we reviewed the nominating application, several highlights stood out, including his unique ability to build collaborative relationships to strengthen school board governance and student outcomes. He also excels at making connections and building relationships with other organizations and leaders to expand student opportunities and foster thriving communities.”  

While serving on his local board, Blount has held many notable leadership roles in San Antonio, including the Bexar County School Board Coalition, the Go Public Campaign, and the San Antonio Area African American Community Fund. He is the founder and director of the Northside Solar Car Races, which involves more than 1,000 students annually, and the founder of the Northside Soccer League. He is a former director on the TASB Board, served on the TASB Legislative Advisory Council, and is an alumni of the Leadership TASB program. Until his retirement in 2023, he served for 35 years as a systems engineer for the MITRE Corporation, a company dedicated to advancing national security. 

Upon learning of his selection for the award, Blount said he was both honored and humbled. “There are so many individuals who are doing so many great things for our public schools,” he said. “It’s an honor to be recognized with an award named after James B. Crow whose work over decades was so critical to advancing school board service in Texas.” 

Blount said he’s stayed motivated on the Northside ISD Board of Trustees for 25 years because there’s still work to be done with increasing student opportunities across the state. “To really move the needle, it takes time and effort, so that’s why I continue to serve.” 

TASB Executive Director Dan Troxell said the James B. Crow Award offers an important opportunity to showcase outstanding and effective school district governance in Texas public education. “In establishing this award, the TASB Board sought to recognize individuals who demonstrate integrity, collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to relationship building and empowering others,” he said. “There is no better way to honor the legacy of James B. Crow than by paying tribute to a longtime servant leader like Bobby Blount.” 

Blount earned his law degree from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, and holds a master’s degree in systems management from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio and a bachelor’s degree in engineering science from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He and his wife have two children, both graduates of Northside ISD.  

The award will be presented at the TASB Summer Leadership Institute in June. Nominations for the 2025 James B. Crow Innovation in Governance Award will open at the end of the year.