Lynne Ryan (Place 6)

What inspired you to run for Coppell ISD Board of Trustees?

“I was asked by my neighbors to run for Coppell ISD Board of Trustees because of my educational and military experience. They asked me because many of their friends were forced to move out of Coppell due to their inability to pay the high property taxes.”

What experiences make you the ideal candidate to serve as a Coppell ISD trustee?

“I am the only candidate who is a certified teacher in the State of Texas with 20 years teaching experience, the only candidate retired as a Lieutenant Colonel with 20 years military experience and the only candidate who has started a business from scratch, exceeded a million dollars in sales and appeared on QVC.”

What are the biggest issues facing Coppell ISD today and in the near future?

“The biggest issues facing Coppell ISD stem from the fact that we have not been paying attention to the numbers.  Our schools are overcrowded. This did not happen overnight. We did not properly prepare and plan for our growth. The average ACT of our learners has dropped. This is an indication that we have not been focusing on our primary mission of educating the students in the classroom.  Even though property tax revenue increased by over 50% in the last five years ($100 million to $152 million) we still felt the need to borrow $249 million. This indicates that we have not been good stewards of taxpayer money. Simply stated, we have been spending too much money in the wrong places. We have not been proactive and now find ourselves reactive.”

What plans do you propose to address these issues and concerns?

“Addressing these issues and concerns will require paying close attention to the numbers. Coppell ISD will need to refocus spending to emphasize its instructional mission.”

When you have the opportunity to tell a stranger about Coppell ISD, what do you say?

“Coppell ISD has been built by a very generous community that values education and by parents that love their children. Coppell ISD is proud of the accomplishments of their graduates as well as their present learners. Coppell ISD currently enjoys a fine reputation for excellence in academics, as well as sports and the arts. However, to maintain these high standards, Coppell ISD must redirect its focus to the classroom and become more fiscally responsible.”