Daniel Lyonsmith for District 65 School Board

I'm running because I feel that I can fill a critical need for competent management, transparency, and accountability in decision making and experience in overseeing public funds. What makes this issue personal for me is that 2 of my children are currently in D65 schools, the educational and growth opportunities our children have access to matters.

Also from a parent's perspective, the challenges and mixed results D65 has had the past decade, as well as watching my oldest go through D65 from K through 8th grade, has motivated me to run. I saw beloved and talented principals leave. Teachers and families have also left our district due to frustration with mismanagement and lack of communication and transparency by the D65 administration and Board.

Finally, the economic crisis that has been created because of the current Board's lack of oversight is unacceptable. Evanston voted to securely fund their educational system in 2017 when Evanstonians feared education funding was threatened under Gov. Rauner. With a resounding 80%, we voted to raise our own property taxes to preserve it. The 2017 Board also unanimously passed and crafted a roadmap for fiscal responsibility given the overwhelming trust expressed by the community. The following Boards and Administrations have squandered that legacy and blown the excellent hand they have been dealt.

But this problem is fixable.

I have experience in working with dysfunctional government systems and working to improve them. At the state, it was my responsibility to clean up and improve the dysfunctional employment and training division of DHS. Monies were being wasted and vital services weren't producing results for jobseekers who needed help the most.

In my past roles as a community advocate it was my job to advocate for those who needed help and secure support from government leaders; at the state it was to design programs that worked, figure out how they would function and how to fund them; and at the federal level I manage and oversee public investment for workforce programs and monitor program outcomes. I am certain that these 3 areas encompass what we need to do to fix the District 65 system while holding to the values of the Evanston community.