Dana Homesley, Lexington One
Name: Dana Homesley District: Lexington One
Contact Information:
Cell: (803) 528-5107
Email: Homesleyforlexington1@proton.me
Facebook: DanaHomesleyForLexington1SchoolBoard
Website: HomesleyforLexington1.com
School Board Trustee Duties:
1. Why are you running for School Board Trustee?
Most board members spend more time patting each other on the back than taking care of business. While there are good things happening in Lexington One, there is a lot of work to be done! We need to be willing to tackle issues when they arise and board members need to be willing to have honest and open discussions ON THE RECORD.
I think that our educators are being asked to do more and more and they are being given less and less. BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD ALWAYS ASK: “What would be most helpful for students?” and “Have we asked the community how they feel about this?”
What we are being told is: “When we want your opinion we will give it to you.”
Our students deserve a board that does their homework and what is best for the people of Lexington One as a whole, not just what is in the best interest of the people at the top. I want our community to be happy to live and work in Lexington One!
I’m not a “yes woman”. But, I won’t vote no just to be disagreeable, but because I have educated myself. I have faithfully attended board meetings for 3 years so I can hit the ground advocating the following:
Don’t raise millage when we have millions in surplus every year! I will review financials with a fine-tooth comb and alert the public of concerning expenses. Lexington One does not have a funding problem – we have a spending problem.
We have policies from the 1980s. The law mandates school boards set policy. Lexington One should not rely solely on draft policies from the SC School Boards Association, who provides model policies that conflict with state laws. The board should be proactive in revising and creating their own policies. We could have already had policies for new legislation if this board was doing their job like boards in other districts, instead of playing follow the leader.
Students and staff need someone to voice their concerns without fear of retaliation. I will be their advocate. Stakeholders deserve responses to calls and emails from individual board members. I will serve the community through proper policy, fiscal transparency, and responsibility, all while keeping the citizens informed so that they are able to provide input and feedback. I will follow up with citizens that take the time to speak during board meetings.
2. What is the most important issue facing your school district today or a key problem you want to address?
“Show me your checkbook and I’ll show you your priorities.”
Everything is tied to funding – classroom size, salaries, facilities, student meals, etc. It is clear where the current board’s priorities are – over the last couple years, district office employees were given raises ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. After June, when teacher salary scales of surrounding districts were published, the board realized they were the only Midlands district paying the minimum required starting salary. Only then did the board decide to increase certified staff and licensed professional pay, however, we also need to pay a livable wage to food service workers, custodians, instructional assistants and others who play a major role in influencing our students and shaping the learning environment in our schools.
3. If you could make only one change, what would you advocate?
Hire an internal auditor that reports directly to the board, followed by a forensic audit. You cannot audit your own work without a conflict of interest. Based on what little financial information the board receives, they cannot assure the public that they are being good stewards of our money. The community has rightfully lost its trust in the school board.
4. What knowledge and skills are currently lacking that you will bring to your School Board of Trustees?
I have spent years learning about school board governance, policies, processes and procedures, laws, and regulations. I have extensive knowledge of the Freedom of Information Act and have researched and investigated our budget and finances. School boards have four main purposes, and this is what I would advocate for:
1. BUDGET for student and staff needs and actual expenses only. Stop over budgeting as a reason to raise millage when we have millions of excess dollars at the end of every year. An accurate budget can allow for increasing staff pay without raising millage. Staff recruitment and retention is a high priority as this is key to student achievement and outcomes. Provide fairness of funding and resources across schools in the district.
2. POLICY setting that reflects the educational values of our district. Student success and staff support are the highest priorities. Bring back the Ad Hoc Policy Committee to review and revise policy where needed. Currently we still have policies from the 1980s.
3. SUPERINTENDENTS receive an annual review by the school board. It is the board’s job to fairly assess and change course if needed. The board hires the superintendent who runs the daily operations of the district. Quality leadership produces quality education for our students and better staff retention.
4. ADVOCATE for students and staff. They need someone to voice their concerns without fear of retaliation. I will be their advocate. Stakeholders deserve responses to calls and emails from individual board members. I will serve the community through proper policy, fiscal transparency, and responsibility, all while keeping the citizens informed so that they are able to provide input and feedback. I will follow up with citizens that take the time to speak during board meetings.
5. What does the word “stakeholder” mean to you?
Stakeholders include everyone in our community – students, parents and families, teachers, staff members (including support staff, such as instructional assistants, bus drivers, custodians, food service workers, etc.), business owners, residents, and taxpayers.
6. How do you plan to communicate with constituents and how accessible will you be?
For three years I have been:
Posting to Informed Citizens of Lexington County School District One – a Facebook page dedicated to keeping the community informed.
Meeting people where they are – by phone, email, social media, and in-person to hear their issues and point them in the right direction for solutions.
7. Have you supported millage increases in the past and what are the circumstances where you would support them in the future?
Lexington One has a spending problem, not a funding problem. I have never supported millage increases and cannot think of any circumstance where I would support a millage increase in the future. The previous board did not increase millage while Jada Garris was on the board because she spoke up every time the discussion of raising taxes came up. The current board increased millage as soon as the next budget opportunity presented itself. I will be the voice protecting your wallet with the financial data on the tip of my tongue.
8. What should be the top funding priorities?
We should ask ourselves, “What would be most helpful for students?”
A highly qualified teacher in every classroom – Recruit, Retain, Reward!
Learning on a full stomach – Offer no cost meals to all students through the federal meal program as required in a state budget proviso, except our board claims this would be a “financial hardship”, despite raising taxes when we have a surplus of millions of dollars each year. Feed the kids so they can focus. Research supports this.
Smaller class sizes – higher student achievement, increased teacher retention, better classroom environment and relationships.
Increase pay for support staff – specifically, our instructional assistants, food service workers, custodians, and bus drivers deserve better pay.
9. It is difficult to get an IEP or 504 for Special Education. How would you address this and how would you support Special Education?
The real issue here is getting the district to follow an IEP or 504. Many parents must get an attorney to come to meetings with them for change to take place. That is wrong and we should not treat our students and families that way. Board members can and should consider IEP, 504, and Special Education resources and experiences in setting district policy, budgets, and evaluating the superintendent.
10. What are your thoughts on the budget proviso requiring use of restrooms and changing facilities based on birth sex?
Follow the proviso to require facility use based on birth sex.
11. Would you make any changes to your district's policy on challenging instructional materials, and if so, what would those changes be?
This link takes you to the policy on challenging instructional materials. Notice it was updated in February 2024. https://boardpolicyonline.com/?b=lex&s=262852
The good news is the board recognizes their responsibility is to select instructional materials and all challenges should work through two committees in about 5 weeks. The bad news is certain stakeholders are excluded from challenging materials. This link takes you to the instructions for the committees, issued in 2017. https://boardpolicyonline.com/?b=lex&s=365480
This is where the policy needs serious work as there is no guidance on committee selection other than the principal and superintendent name the committees, so this could be the fox guarding the henhouse. Although students have a state constitutional right to an education, I have yet to see a “constitutional standard” for taxpayers to supply materials designed to promote social and political issues. Lexington One has a duty to provide an education to all students in our district, and the school board has a duty to provide high quality educational materials.
12. Teachers often complain about the lack of discipline in the classroom, stating that many times students are sent to the principal’s office and promptly returned to the classroom, where the student continues to disrupt the class. As a board member, how would you address student discipline through policy?
Policy needs to reflect the issues occurring in our schools. In order to understand the issues, board members have to spend time in the schools. Discipline on the bus is an issue as well. Students deserve a safe learning environment and staff deserve a safe working environment. Part of the discipline issue is that current rules are not being followed. Enforcement is key. Teachers and staff need support from administrators, but administrators must have support from the district office.
Experience:
13. What has been your involvement at a school level and at a Board of Trustee or district level?
I have faithfully attended board meetings for the past three years, using my accrued annual leave when meetings were during work hours. I am secretary of the PTA and volunteer at my children's school. I have also been an elected member of the School Improvement Council for three years.
14. How many board meetings have you attended in person and over how long?
I have attended almost every board meeting in-person for the past 3 years. So, I would estimate around 40-50 meetings.
15. Have you spoken during citizens’ participation? If so, how often and what topics did you address?
I have spoken during citizens’ participation many times. I have addressed transparency, accountability, FOIA, board member conduct, teacher retention, fiscal irresponsibility, and the district report card to name a few.
16. Have you made SC FOIA records requests for information? If so, what information were you seeking?
I have made numerous FOIA requests over the years. Some of those include board member emails, details of bond referendum projects, employee salaries, meeting minutes, expenditures, credit card statements, superintendent evaluations, superintendent contract, superintendent search community feedback, and attorney general opinion that was obtained by the district regarding board member emails.
17. Have you served on any district boards or committees? If so, which ones?
I served on the Principal Advisory Committee, providing feedback regarding the search for a new principal at Lexington Elementary. Unlike other boards, our board only has one committee that includes community members, and only because that committee is required by law.
Get to Know You:
18. Do you have kids currently enrolled in Lexington One? If so, which schools do they attend? If they graduated, what schools did they attend?
I have two children that attend Lexington Elementary School.
19. What is your current occupation and are your hours flexible?
My current occupation is a Property and Liability Claims Adjuster. My hours are not necessarily flexible, but I have taken personal leave to attend meetings and will continue to do so.
20. What other occupations have you held, if any?
I was an administrative assistant prior to being promoted to a Property and Liability Claims Adjuster.
21. How much time do you plan to invest each week in board-related activities?
As previously mentioned, I already attend board meetings in-person and use annual leave time when needed. I am committed to the huge responsibility and time demands that are required of board members and I look forward to attending events, ceremonies, and celebrations.
22. Please list your community involvement – previous and current.
I co-founded the Facebook page Informed Citizens of Lexington County School District One, which has over 4,000 followers. I was also a part of the Corley Mill Grassroots Community group back in 2022 that advocated for a better site for the proposed Corley Mill Road elementary school. I also attended and spoke at the joint Town Council and County Council meeting regarding the proposed SmallwoodCovedevelopmentonLakeMurray. IalsoparticipateinMomsinPrayeratLexington Elementary School.
Politics:
23. In an age where partisan politics have crept into K-12 classrooms and boards, how would you describe your position on partisan politics?
I hold conservative beliefs and values. It is important to follow law and policy and to do so with integrity.
Other:
24. Please include any other relevant information not mentioned above.
I attended Clemson University where I obtained my bachelor’s degree in history.
Lexington One – Specific:
1. Do you support districted board seats? Why or why not?
Absolutely! Currently all of our board members reside in the Lexington attendance area. Districted board seats would give a chance for better representation of citizens and taxpayers across the Lexington One attendance area, especially rural areas. It would also ensure a greater chance of accountability to our elected officials and help provide fairness of funding across the district. Lexington School District One has a population of 147,868 according to the latest census data and is one of only 16 districts statewide that retain at-large representation.
2. Do you support the planned 2025 bond referendum?
No, absolutely not. Bond Referendums do not guarantee that the promises made to voters are kept, as the board proved by not fulfilling their promises in the 2018 bond referendum by entirely omitting building an elementary school promised in Lexington and omitting the Early Childhood Center in Gilbert. In addition, there has been no mention of the Pelion Early Childhood Center that was slated to open a couple of years ago. The 2018 bond referendum is still ongoing – with projects behind schedule and over budget.
3. If the referendum passes in 2025, how would you ensure that projects stay on track both financially and within the scheduled time frame?
Should voters choose to give additional funds to the district for capital projects, board members must track all projects, insist on operations updates during board meetings and verify all financial information that’s provided to district-level staff. Did you know not all bond projects are audited? The board should insist on all financial information so they can be good stewards of taxpayer dollars.
4. What are your thoughts on reporting teachers to the SC Department of Education for breach of contract when teachers do not know how much they will be paid prior to signing their employment contract?
I strongly disagree with reporting teachers to the SCDE for breach of contract. School boards are contributing to the teacher shortage when teacher’s certificates are suspended. Your school board is basically saying, “If we can’t have you, neither can anyone else.” How does this benefit students? In what other profession are you expected to sign a contract without knowing what you will be paid?
5. Do you believe Lexington One would benefit from a forensic audit of financial records?
Absolutely! I feel very strongly about a forensic audit of financial records and advocated for this during the last election cycle, while speaking at school board meetings, sending emails to the board, and again during the community conversations in July 2024. If voters remember the 2022 election cycle, the 3 board members who were elected all promised this but have yet to deliver, or even request an item be added to the agenda to discuss a forensic audit.
6. Are you in favor of electing officers by secret ballot? If not, will you go on the record prior to the vote, per policy, to announce that you want a voice vote?
While state law says meeting minutes do not have to include how individual members voted unless a member requests it, that does not mean that our school board can vote secretly, even though they believe they can. If state law makes it illegal to vote behind closed doors, what makes the board think it is okay to vote by secret ballot during a public meeting? I will never vote by secret ballot, and I will go on the record and request a voice vote, per policy.
7. How do you plan to communicate with your constituents, including providing nonconfidential information prior to and after meetings since all documents are not made available online?
Campaign page on Facebook @DanaHomesleyForLexington1SchoolBoard (here). Once elected, I will continue to provide information here as it would be my duty to keep the public informed of the board’s business.
Informed Citizens of Lexington County District One (here)– a Facebook page I co-founded and run with over 4,000 followers. For three years, this page has consistently informed the public of school board and district business. I also share information obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) record requests, so citizens have access to more information without the delay of waiting or paying a fee. I often share emails I have sent to the board as well.
8. Citizens' participation has been a big topic of discussion, with the board limiting the time of speakers and who is allowed to speak. Currently business owners who pay taxes but do not live in Lexington One are not allowed to speak. In addition, there are several restrictions on the topics speakers are allowed to discuss. What are your thoughts?
Every stakeholder and taxpayer in Lexington One School District has a right and duty to address their school board on any issue related to board governance. I would propose the board modify their policy to protect the First Amendment for all stakeholders.
9. Currently the public has no way of tracking new positions that have been created or promotions from within. Would you support announcing the positions of the new hires and not just the number of new hires?
Yes. Announcing position hires is more meaningful than simply the number of new hires. Current board members could easily share that information on their board pages and that would go a long way towards transparency.
10. Currently this board has no policy regarding censuring a fellow board member. Are you in support of censuring? How would you address violations of the Ethics Act by a fellow board member, a rogue board member, chronic absenteeism, or a board member that withholds information from other members?
I am committed to holding board members accountable when they violate policy and/or their duties and responsibilities as a board member, including censuring where relevant. The Ethics Act was passed to help prevent corruption among elected officials, and I fully support the Act. In fact, I have reported a board member for violating the Ethics Act before. Board members should never withhold information from other members as that is not transparent government, and if
withholding is happening then it needs to be made public so voters can replace the board member at election time, unless the governor is willing to step in and protect the public sooner.
11. Would you support standing committees? If so, what would those committees be?
Currently the board appoints only one committee that includes community members –the Comprehensive Health Education (CHE) Advisory Committee, as required by law.
I fully support standing committees and would bring back the Policy Committee, which was dissolved after the 2022 election. Although setting policy is one of the main functions of the board, they designated policy revision to district administration. It is a great idea to ask for input from the district as the board crafts policy, but this is like a boss asking their employees to make the rules at work. Other committees I would like to see would include a Citizen-Led Capital Projects Oversight Committee to monitor all projects, schedules, budgets and expenditures and a Legislative Committee to fulfill the board’s role of advocacy. In addition, I think it would be beneficial for the board to appoint their own Advisory committees that report directly to the board to include a Student Advisory, Teacher Advisory and Support Staff Advisory Committee.
12. Lexington One does not have an internal auditor and they do not review their monthly budget statements with the Chief Financial Officer during board meetings. Would you support the hiring of an internal auditor? Do you support being briefed on district finances during monthly meetings?
Absolutely, I support hiring an internal auditor, otherwise we have the fox guarding the hen house. The board should be briefed on all district finances during monthly meetings, instead of receiving reports labeled “For Board Information” with no discussion.
13. Currently, all schools in the district are eligible for the federal Community Eligibility Provision Program. The board signed a resolution in June 2024 choosing not to participate in the program, citing a “financial hardship”. Do you support participating in the district- wide no-cost meal program?
I fully support programs that directly benefit our students. What better way to improve student achievement and behavior than ensuring students show up to class on a full stomach?
I am disappointed that our current board voted last month not to participate in this program based on the “financial hardship” it would impose on the district. Yet, no board member has been able to provide documentation demonstrating the financial hardship when I requested this information, and with millions of dollars in surplus each year it is hard to believe we lack the funds without proof. In fact, I know funds are more than adequate, but it is not a priority for this board. This is one of the simplest bangs for our bucks as we make sure our students are fueled for success.
