Candidate: David F Dyer

Why I am Running for School Board

I am passionate about literacy, instructional excellence, and supporting our teachers.  I am passionate about all students succeeding in school and life regardless of their backgrounds. I am passionate about high academic standards and the accountability for improvement towards those standards.

In 2015, as the newly appointed chairman of the Florida Council of 100 PreK – 12th Grade Education Committee, we set out to develop long-term recommendations for the Governor and the Florida Legislature to improve our public schools.

Reading is perhaps the most critical skill.  In the years from Pre-K through Grade 3, students are expected to learn to read.  At the beginning of fourth grade, students are expected to shift from learning to read to reading to learn across the curriculum.  When students struggle with reading, it can have severe consequences for their learning and their ability to be successful in school and beyond.

Research and data tell us half of the third-grade students in Florida are not reading on grade level. Nationally, it is even more alarming. Two-thirds of U.S. fourth graders are not proficient in reading.  Only one in four students reading below a third-grade level will ever catch up. We must stop this awful cycle.  

I commend the Indian River School District on their progress.  Indian River is now one of 16 out of 67 school districts in Florida given an ‘A’ rating for the 2022-23 school year with the new Florida B.E.S.T. standards.  Of the three county school districts on the Treasure Coast – Indian River, St Lucie, and Martin – only Indian River was given an ‘A’ grade. 

I believe there is great promise for Indian River County students and schools.  I think that with data-driven accountability for academic achievement and the ability to understand the needs of each student, we can achieve 75% to 85% literacy within the next few years, up from our current 60% literacy rate.

School and student safety is a top priority.  By utilizing technology and the resources of our law enforcement partners, we must ensure our children are safe at school.  No exceptions. 

We must review the budget and ensure all money is appropriately allocated to benefit our children.  We must continue to support teacher excellence and training, high standards of academics, and data-driven accountability.  The stability of district leadership is also necessary to continue our momentum. Indian River County can be a model for Florida and our nation. 

We must not fail this generation of students!

I appreciate your consideration.  Please feel free to contact me at 772-925-9975 or votedyer2024@gmail.com.