04/15/2025
While the results of the election were not what we hoped for, we are grateful to Kelly Byrne and David Myers for stepping up and running for the Springfield School Board. We know running for office requires a lot of sacrifice, and we are thankful for the energy and passion you put into this race. This loss means that we will no longer have any SPS dads on the board—both Kelly and David represented this important voice.
Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who knocked on doors, made phone calls, donated money, and helped inform voters about what’s happening in Springfield Public Schools. Your commitment to improving our schools was inspiring, but it came with a cost. You spent time volunteering on Election Day, speaking to voters about the realities our schools are facing. You did it because you care about education. Sadly, many of you were met with hostility, verbal abuse, and false accusations—fueled by fearmongering and misrepresentations spread by some local leaders and media outlets.
Too many community leaders are ignoring the reality facing our schools—but we can’t fix what we refuse to face.
Here are the facts about Springfield Public Schools:
• 59.9% of students are performing below grade level in math.
• 61.5% are performing below grade level in science.
• 54.6% are performing below grade level in English.
• More than half of new teachers leave the district within their first three years.
• Hundreds of teachers have left SPS in recent years.
These numbers are alarming—and they must be taken seriously.
This year, we worked to reach voters who do not usually participate in local elections. Unfortunately, most of those people stayed home once again—only 14% of registered voters participated.
To the business leaders who did not vote: If students cannot read or do math, they will not be productive employees.
To the real estate developers who did not vote: If our schools are filled with chaos and teachers are leaving, no one will want to move to Springfield.
To the people without children in Springfield schools who did not vote: The majority of students in this town attend SPS. Failing schools will affect you, even if you don’t have children in the system.
To the Christians who did not vote: If students are illiterate, they are not able to read or comprehend God’s Word.
To the parents who did not vote: Your child deserves a quality education, and the dire situation at SPS will not change until we have a majority of school board members who take it seriously.
And to the newly elected board members: We hope you approach your role with seriousness and a sense of duty. Our schools need leaders who are ready to confront the challenges head-on. Please take your role seriously. Ask hard questions and be an independent thinker. Be willing to step outside your comfort zone and see the reality facing so many students, teachers, and families in our district.
And to the remaining board member who is already standing up—thank you. Thank you for your courage, persistence, and dedication. Many in this community are grateful for your leadership. Please continue to raise critical issues that will improve our schools, including revisiting the district's cell phone policy, examining the overuse of Chromebooks, and addressing how the district handles behavioral issues.
Unfortunately, the majority of the board has refused to address these issues, but we are hopeful the new board will put aside their need to present an “everything is fine” façade and will do their job by representing the best interests of the students.
We believe every child in Springfield deserves a quality education—one that prepares them for success and helps them reach their full potential. But the harsh reality is that our schools are failing to deliver on that promise.
As one Springfield teacher wrote to us after the final election results came in: “God help us.” Because clearly, the people in power won’t.
