Fiscal Accountability · Literacy · AI Preparedness
Not a record to defend. A pattern to end.
I came of age professionally at the dawn of the computer revolution, modernizing operations for large corporations. I then spent years as a licensed stockbroker. I was good at it — but I couldn't shake the fact that what had energized me most was teaching. So I returned to the classroom.
I had taught in private school and internationally — in New Hampshire and Taiwan. After leaving Wall Street I taught in New York City public schools for fifteen years, then came to Sioux Falls, where I have been a registered substitute since 2022.
I bring something rare to this race: I understand budgets, technology, and classrooms — and the major issues before this board require all three.
Since 2019, the district's operating budget has grown 22% while enrollment has remained essentially flat. For five consecutive years, the board voted to opt out of state property tax limits, passing that burden directly to homeowners.
I will vote no on opt-outs for all four years of my term. Not "I'll look into it." Not "I'll consider all options." No. That is a commitment — hold me to it.
A recent legislative review found the district missed every performance target, and fewer than half of students are proficient in reading. My goal is to make Sioux Falls — and ultimately South Dakota — number one in reading in the nation. Is that a lofty goal? Yes. That is exactly why I want to pursue it.
Over the next twelve years, AI will displace at least half of all current jobs. Research shows students are already using it for schoolwork — ChatGPT usage drops dramatically when summer break begins. The question is not whether AI is in our schools. It already is. The question is whether we train our children to be pack leaders — driving a team of huskies with AI doing the pulling — or leave them alone in the wilderness as their jobs are replaced by machines.
On these three issues — fiscal accountability, reading literacy, and AI preparedness — I haven't just identified problems. I have filed formal curriculum proposals with the district. Showing up with solutions is what leadership looks like.
The district's budget has grown 22% since 2019 while enrollment has stayed flat. Non-teaching staff grew 17%. I will demand a line-by-line audit and vote no on every property tax opt-out for four years.
Fewer than half of students read at grade level. A legislative review found the district missed every performance target. My plan uses a literature-based approach — reading as the curriculum — to put Sioux Falls first in the nation.
AI will reshape the workforce. Students are already using it for schoolwork. The district needs a curriculum that teaches students to lead with AI — not be replaced by it. I have a specific proposal filed and ready.
I have submitted three formal curriculum proposals to the district under policy IG-R. These are not talking points — they are working documents, available to anyone who asks.
A phased K–6 pilot where students direct AI to create original published works — picture books in early grades, expanding to websites, videos, and debates as students grow. Students are always the author. AI is the press.
A literature-based reading curriculum grounded in Stephen Krashen's Input Hypothesis — treating reading itself as the curriculum. Two daily hours across 15 sequenced titles, targeting 90% of students reading at grade level within four years.
Unspent year-end building funds redirected into competitive teacher-driven classroom grants, paired with AI-assisted grant-writing training so experienced teachers can move their best ideas from the hallway to the board room.
Questions about any proposal? Email me and I'll respond personally.
Every claim in this campaign is backed by research or public record. These documents are available to any voter, parent, journalist, or board member who wants to go deeper.
"The nation is looking for a community to step forward on fiscal accountability, on literacy, and on artificial intelligence. Sioux Falls has that opportunity — but only if voters choose to seize it. Great moments are born from great opportunities. This is yours."
— Stuart Willett · Candidate, Sioux Falls School Board
Have a question about my proposals, my background, or where I stand on an issue? I read every email personally and respond to every one.
Paid for by Stuart Willett for Sioux Falls School Board