Events

Header

Footer

<h3>Fighting for Our Community</h3>These are some of the top issues our campaign is focused on. Learn more about our issues <a href="/issues" target="" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">here</a>.

My Top Issues

Issues

Matt Wyatt

Tell your audience why they should sign up. Make it inspiring or simply make it direct. On the sidebar options, make sure to set up where form submissions go - the simplest is email, but your form can also be linked to various other services.

firstName

lastName

email

phoneNumber

zipOrPostalCode

Get Involved

Long Form

Volunteer

We’re grateful for your donations!

Donate

News

So much is happening right now. Sign up for updated events.

Latest Campaign Developments

An insightful image

News

Born

Party

Bullets

Campaign Events

Events

You might want to list additional contact information here as well. On the sidebar options, make sure to set up where form submissions go - the simplest is email, but your form can also be linked to various other services.

textarea

We’ll respond asap!

JOIN THE TEAM

Short Form

News Post

Issues

Matt Wyatt for School Board

<h3>Contribute now to support our campaign!</h3>

Landing Popup

<h2>How to handle donations on your website</h2>Run does not process donations directly on our platform, as is standard with most political and advocacy sites. Campaigns are often required to comply with reporting requirements, donation limits, and other regulations, so using a donation processor that specializes in serving campaigns is generally a good idea. Sign up with a donation processor and then on your Pages sidebar, click the Link icon on the Donate page and add the link to your donation page. Some common options for donation processing include:<ul><li><a href="https://secure.actblue.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ActBlue</a></li><li><a href="https://www.campaigndeputy.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Campaign Deputy</a> </li><li><a href="https://goodchange.app/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">GoodChange</a></li><li><a href="https://numero.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Numero</a></li></ul>

Text

12 Years of Public Service

2024

2022

2020

2016

2012

I learned about public service, and caring for your neighbors from my parents. My dad was a Vietnam veteran and mailman for the U.S. Postal Service, and my mom ran a local small business.

Timeline

Issues Post

Events Post

Twitter

<h2>A Fighter Against Charter Schools and Vouchers</h2>As a board chairman, I led a state-wide effort to stop Charter Schools in Kentucky. While Kentucky Republicans passed a Charter School bill, I was successful in helping strip all funding for Charter Schools, and created a system where the local boards of education would have to vote to allow a charter school in their community.Because we took away the cash grab from the profiteers who wanted to get their hands on our public school dollars, there has never been a Charter School created in Kentucky, and unlike in Ohio, Kentucky does not have vouchers. Public school serve all of our students, and vouchers are a scheme to rob Ohio public schools of much needed resources.I will always do whatever it takes to fight for our students. With vouchers on the rise, and Ohio Republicans de-investing in our public schools, we need a fighter who will stand up to the extremist locally and in Columbus. Below is an Op-Ed that I wrote about Charter School legislation in Kentucky.<h3>Invest in public schools</h3><h3>Matt Wyatt</h3>Guest Contributor: This appeared in several newspapers in Kentucky and across the country in 2017.Diana&nbsp;Ravitch&nbsp;wrote, “American Education has a long history of infatuation with fads and ill-considered ideas. The current obsession with making our schools work like a business may be the worst of them, for it threatens to destroy public education. Who will stand up to the tycoons and politicians and tell them so?”Ravich was&nbsp;Assistant Secretary of Education in the administration of President George H.W. Bush.You will be hearing a lot of talk about charter schools over the course of the next two months when our General Assembly convenes. Governor Matt Bevin and the new Republican majority in the House have indicated that they are going to do everything that they can to pass charter school legislation. Kentucky remains one of seven states which does not permit the privatization of public education (i.e., charter schools).On December 19th, 2016, the Elizabethtown Independent Board of Education unanimously passed a resolution stating our opposition to charter schools in Kentucky. We were the first Board of Education in Kentucky to pass such a resolution. Our opposition is based on 25 years’ worth of data which confirms that when the privatization of public education is allowed in a state, public schools suffer, taxpayers are swindled and students are often left worse off.What are charter schools? Charter schools are privately managed, taxpayer-funded schools which are legislatively exempt from many of the rules applicable to all other publicly-funded schools. The main argument initially offered for creating charter schools was a desire to create flexibility for innovation within public education. The results have shown that charter schools hire less qualified teachers, are often subject to unexpected closures when the profits dry up and are ripe with fraud and abuse due to the lack of public oversight and accountability. A recent study has shown that over $200 million taxpayer dollars have been stolen from charter schools over the last year. That was one year and only covering 15 states and include both private and “not-for-profit” charter schools.Are “public charter schools” actually public schools? The term “public charter school” was developed by a PR firm to reframe the way we understand schooling in relationship to “public funding.” Language and marketing are important when you have a debate, and the pro-charter schools, groups know this. It’s similar to how the inheritance tax all of the sudden became the “death tax.” Corporate interests utilize marketing strategies in politics much better than the rest of us even realize in order to gain support and calm fears.Kentucky public schools have an elected school board. Charter schools have an authorizer who appoints a board. Often charter boards are run by executive boards, management companies, Universities, committees or corporations whose members may live outside the community in which they are located and are not accountable to parents and taxpayers.Kentucky’s solution for better student performance must not be to open the doors of publicly-funded education to management companies or, worse, profiteers who claim they can “run things better” if only they have fewer pesky rules and less accountability. How did that work for Wall Street?If legislators believe the current rules governing public schools are hindering school performance, perhaps the Kentucky legislature would better serve our students by eliminating those pesky rules and restrictions that are overly burdensome and ineffective so that our public schools can better succeed?Conversely, if “innovation” is what is needed then look to the landmark legislation enacted in 2012 (House Bill 37), which says that every district in Kentucky has the opportunity to apply to the Kentucky Department of Education to become a District of Innovation. The legislation, which was modeled after charter school laws in other states, promised districts relief from a number of regulatory and legislative barriers in exchange for an innovative proposal to reimagine teaching and learning. Kentucky now has ten Districts of Innovation which are public schools under the control and direction of their local school boards which are accountable to the taxpayers whom they serve.Public institutions are the engines of our democracy. Their purpose is to promote and preserve the fundamental values of a democratic society. We do not privatize our city or county police forces or our fire protection, nor should we do so with our public schools. Public schools are held accountable to elected citizens, and the very taxpayers who fund them, while charter schools violate the idea of local control and accountability.Parents who send their children to poorly performing public schools understandably want more to be done. All parents want what is best for their kids. And taxpayers don’t want to throw their money into a system that doesn’t work. The answer is not to cripple public schools, the answer is to dig in and help them.Kentucky has come a long way over the past 25 years.In fact, Kentucky is the example that other states want to follow in making sure all of our students are college and career-ready. Governor Bevin and our legislators are already facilitating dual-credit initiatives and apprenticeship programs to promote improved outcomes for our public-school students. We should never be satisfied with where we are; we should always push to improve and not rest until every educational gap is closed and every child has an even playing field. Moreover, against great odds and fewer resources, Kentucky school districts are doing just that.As a point of personal privilege, I am proud of my own Elizabethtown district in its efforts to increase college readiness and close the achievement gap.I envision a Commonwealth where we are giving our public schools every resource and tool that they need to succeed. I envision a Commonwealth where our public-school educators are valued, our parents are more involved, and our students are ready to compete with anyone in the world. That vision cannot exist in an atmosphere where already limited public funding for our schools is squirreled away for corporate management companies to the detriment of our existing schools.However, my vision can be a reality if we commit to making the investments in our schools that are needed to succeed.Matt Wyatt is Chairman of the&nbsp;Elizabethtown Independent Board of Education

Item 1

Item 2

It's not enough to sit on a board and just mark time, you must use your voice to advocate for our students and our district.

A Leader Who Will Fight for Our Students

Text with sidebar

Raised

Children

Education

<h2>Matt Wyatt</h2><h4>Education Advocate | A Fighter for Public Schools | Strong Fiscal Steward</h4>Matt Wyatt is a dedicated education advocate who brings over a decade of school board experience to the Talawanda Board of Education. A Kentucky native, Matt relocated to Oxford, Ohio three years ago with his spouse, Amy. Together, they have three sons between them. Both are professionals at Miami University—Amy serves as the University's General Counsel while Matt works at the Farmer School of Business.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/e3b0dd7b-03a1-45fa-86e9-477347f823f5/fe4284e2-f6d7-4627-b721-fc6f17a16f41/fe4284e2-f6d7-4627-b721-fc6f17a16f41.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=5&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=-15&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=26&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C1125%2C1607&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="Handing my son Andrew his high school diploma. " align="left" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed">Handing my son Andrew his high school diploma. Matt holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville and an MBA from the University of Kentucky. His commitment to public education is demonstrated through his ten years of service on the Elizabethtown, Kentucky Board of Education prior to moving to Ohio.In September 2024, Matt was appointed to the Talawanda Board of Education to complete the term of a member who resigned. Matt’s presence was immediately felt by proposing and voting to restore full busing services for all students during his first board meeting—a decision that ensured equitable busing access for every student in the district.Recognizing that effective governance requires doing everything that you can to find common ground with fellow board members, Matt has cultivated strong relationships with board members, fostering a collaborative environment focused on student success.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/e3b0dd7b-03a1-45fa-86e9-477347f823f5/dc085236-dc34-4281-94d2-d58ae43af1bf/a0a850d3-a56e-4414-a929-d0b6f2b57781.webp?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=-18&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=18&amp;rect=360%2C1111%2C2626%2C2210&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="Taking the Oath as the New Member of the Talawanda Board of Education" align="left" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed">Taking the Oath as the New Member of the Talawanda Board of EducationThanks to the hard work and dedication of students, their families, and educators, Talawanda has achieved remarkable progress, and is now recognized as the #1 school district in Butler County on the current Ohio School Report Card.This accomplishment does not happen by accident. It reflects the districts unwavering commitment to educational excellence, and to the wiliness to have high standards for everyone.That standard of excellence applies to the Talawanda Board of Education, as well. We must have Board of Education members who put our students first-not their own personal or political agenda.During the next 4 years, Matt pledges to build on the momentum and success that Talawanda has achieved through three strategic priorities:<ul><li>Expanding Student Opportunities — Supporting innovative programs that prepare students for success in college, trade school, or direct entry into the workforce</li><li>Fiscal Responsibility — Providing vigilant oversight of taxpayer dollars with a proven track record of making sound financial decisions that maximize educational outcomes</li><li>Community Unification — Bringing diverse stakeholders together around the shared mission of providing exceptional education for every child in the district</li></ul>The complex challenges facing today's public schools in Ohio demands the experienced and forward-thinking leadership that Matt Wyatt provides.Vote for continued excellence in Talawanda schools. Vote for a School Board member who will always put our students first. Vote Matt Wyatt for Talawanda School Board.

Contact

“Our public schools reflect our values. I'm running for school board to offer more opportunities for our students, spend taxpayer dollars wisely, and help bring Talawanda together."- Matt Wyatt

Page Intro

Put Your Name &amp; Email Below

Putting Our Students First!

Our Gallery

Gallery

checkMark

<h3>Fighting for Our Students</h3>These are some of the top priorities my campaign is focused on.

More Opportunities for Our Students

Good Steward of Our Tax Dollars

Working to Bring Talawanda Together

Priorities List

<h2>Announcement Title</h2>Put your announcement description here.

<h3>Data Breach Leads to Call For School Board Member Resignation</h3>I agree with fellow board member Pat Meade, who called for Dawn King to resign at the March 26, special session meeting.&nbsp;The request comes from Dawn King’s involvement in a breach of information that came to light late last year. The breach included accessing the Talawanda Google calendar without authorization. Dawn King failed to report the security problem to the administration, and instead, accessed private information without authorization about students and the superintendent.&nbsp;

<h3>Talawanda Community Forum</h3>Come to our discussion on how the proposed state and federal budget cuts will affect our students.

<h2>Talawanda Board Appoints Matt Wyatt</h2>Matthew Wyatt, a senior director of development in the Farmer School of Business with nearly a decade of experience on a separate board of education, has been appointed to fill a vacancy on the Talawanda Board.

Announcement

Volunteer

Matt Wyatt for Talawanda

Home

Contact

About

Public schools are under attack in Ohio. As state leaders debate how to structure Ohio's biennial budget, Talawanda administrators are calling on locals to advocate for funding of public schools

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has b

Talawanda Legislative Community Town Hall Draws Big Crowd

OUR TEACHERS

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.

Event title here

<h2>REFORM: Code of Ethics/Code of Conduct </h2>Every Board of Education member must follow a clearer code of ethics and conduct and there must be consequences for breaking code of ethics rules. During the next 4 years, I will work with fellow board members to rewrite our current Code of Ethics/Code of Conduct rules for all Board of Education members. We have seen how one member of a school board can violate the public trust. The Board of Education believes quality public education and good Board service should be conducted in an ethical manner with traditional principles such as honesty, trust, fairness, and integrity. Each Board member should conform his/her conduct to Ohio law, the code of ethics recommended by the Ohio School Boards Association and the code of conduct set forth below as adopted from the National School Boards Association publication. While serving as a member of the Board of Education, each member is expected to agree to abide by the following code of ethics promulgated by the Ohio School Boards Association. It has become obvious to me that there is one member of the Talwanda Board of Education that has not met the expectations listed below for code of conduct of board members. I will propose that the Talawanda Board of Education adopts a clearer &nbsp;<ul><li>remember that my first and greatest concern must be the educational welfare of all students attending the public schools;</li><li>obey the laws of Ohio and the United States;</li><li>respect the confidentiality of privileged information;</li><li>recognize that as an individual Board member I have no authority to speak or act for the Board;</li><li>work with other members to establish effective Board policies;</li><li>delegate authority for the administration of the schools to the Superintendent and staff;</li><li>encourage ongoing communications among Board members, the Board, students, staff, and the community;</li><li>render all decisions based on the available facts and my independent judgment rather than succumbing to the influence of individuals or special interest groups;</li><li>make every effort to attend all Board meetings;</li><li>become informed concerning the issues to be considered at each meeting;</li><li>improve my boardmanship by studying educational issues and by participating in in-service programs;</li><li>support the employment of staff members based on qualifications and not as a result of influence;</li><li>cooperate with other Board members and administrators to establish a system of regular and impartial evaluations of all staff;</li><li>avoid conflicts of interest or the appearance thereof;</li><li>refrain from using my Board position for benefit of myself, family members, or business associates;</li><li>express my personal opinions but, once the Board has acted, accept the will of the majority.</li></ul>

Every Board of Education member must follow a clearer code of ethics and conduct and there must be consequences for breaking code of ethics rules. During the next 4 years, I will work with fellow board members to rewrite our current Code of Ethics/Code of Conduct rules for all Board of Education members. We have seen how one member of a school board can violate the public trust.

EITHICS REFORM

Public education in Ohio is under attack, that is why so many concerned citizens came to our 2025 Talawanda Legislative Community Meeting to learn about how the proposed Ohio legislative budget cuts will affect our students and families.

Talawanda Holds A Legislative Community Forum

Talawanda board member’s account was used to access IEPs without authorization, investigation finds. Talawanda board member Dawn King's email account was used to access sensitive student information more than a week before a security issue was made public by her husband at a board meeting last December, a district investigation found.

Talawanda School Board Member Violates Public Trust

<h4>Talawanda School District Welcomes and Serves All Students</h4>One of the cornerstones of public education is inclusivity. At TSD, we take immense pride in serving every child who resides in our district, regardless of their background, abilities, or economic status. As a member of the board of education, we work hard to make sure that we have the resources that we need to serve our students. That is our charge and I do not take it lightly. At Talawanda, our schools:Serve 1175 students (nearly 40%) who are economically disadvantaged, ensuring equitable access to high-quality education and resources.Support 382 students (13.7%) with disabilities, offering specialized services tailored to their unique needs.Provide advanced learning opportunities for gifted students, ensuring they are challenged and inspired to reach their full potential.This commitment to inclusivity reflects our belief that every child deserves the best opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive in a supportive environment. Over the next 4 years, I will do whatever I can as a school board member, to make sure that we will continue offering opportunities for every student in our district to thrive.

A Board of Education that doesn't focus on offering the best opportunities for their students, is failing the students, failing their families, and failing their community.

Write a short blurb about an issue your campaign is highlighting. Try to keep the text a similar size between the various issue blurbs.

OUR STUDENTS

<h3>Talawanda's Five-Year Financial Forecast</h3>When you talk about our school's budget, it's important to understand the numbers and the financial forecast board members are considering when making decisions. A financial forecast is like a picture of the future based on today's information. This picture will change over time, and the further into the future we look, the less accurate it may be. Many factors can affect these projections, including:<ul><li>State budgets (updated every two years)</li><li>Tax levies (new, renewed, or replaced)</li><li>Salary increases</li><li>Businesses moving into or out of the district</li></ul>Click this <a href="https://www.talawanda.org/media/user/departments/TSD%20November%20Five%20Year%20Forecast.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" style="color: var(--color-text-accent-primary)">LINK</a> to take a look at the Talawanda five-year forecast. The five-year forecast is an important management tool that requires regular updates. In Ohio, while school districts typically understand their current year finances, the five-year forecast helps management teams spot future challenges early and address them proactively.Remember that the numbers in a forecast tell only part of the story. To fully understand what they mean, you must review the assumptions behind the forecast before drawing conclusions or using the data for other calculations. These assumptions explain the reasoning behind the numbers, especially when there are significant increases or decreases.Purpose of the Five-Year ForecastThe five-year forecast serves three main purposes:<ol><li>To involve the local school board and community in long-range planning and financial discussions</li><li>To identify future deficits early, allowing districts to plan and eliminate projected shortfalls</li><li>To help the Department of Education and Auditor of State identify school districts that may face financial problems</li></ol>More information about five-year forecasts is available on the Ohio Department of Education's website.

Our school district's budget is a reflection of our values. As a school board member, I value the outcome of our students more than anything else. That is why I make thoughtful and cautious decisions when it comes to prioritizing our budget.

matt wyatt- school board

Putting Our Students First!

Why I'm Running for Talawanda School Board

We’re grateful for your donations!

matt's priorities

Fighting for Our Students

More Opportunities for Our Students

Good Steward of Our Tax Dollars

Working to Bring Talawanda Together

news & press

Latest Campaign Developments

Talawanda Legislative Community Town Hall Draws Big Crowd

Talawanda School Board Member Violates Public Trust

Data Breach Leads to Call For School Board Member Resignation

Talawanda Community Forum

Talawanda Board Appoints Matt Wyatt

sign up to

JOIN THE TEAM