Highlands Ranch Metropolitan District Director Ryan Stuart announced today that he will run for the Douglas County School Board in District A.

"The schools here in Douglas County are the best in the state, but I am running for the school board because I believe they can be even better. We should expect even more from our schools. We have the opportunity to make the Douglas County school system the envy of the nation. We don't have far to go," said Stuart.

Ryan Stuart began serving Highlands Ranch when he and his family first moved to the Westridge area. In 2004, he was elected to the Highlands Ranch Metropolitan Districts, the local government of Highlands Ranch.

In his first year on the board, his fellow board members elected him Chairman of District #4 and then appointed him to serve on the consolidated board after the 2006 election.

Stuart helped lead the effort to consolidate the four metropolitan districts, making local government operate more efficiently, decreasing the size and cost of government, and cutting taxes - saving taxpayers over a half million dollars.

Stuart has a Master's Degree in Education Policy from Harvard University. His top priority is recruiting and retaining the most qualified teachers.

"Study after study confirms the surprising truth that overall fiscal spending has no direct correlation to student test scores. The only factor shown to directly impact student achievement is the quality of the teacher at the front of the classroom. So, Douglas County schools should develop and fund an improved teacher recruitment and retention program, designed to attract the best new teachers right out of college, encourage the best teachers from other metro-area school districts to come to our district, and provide the training and incentives to keep the amazing teachers we already have here," Stuart said.

Ryan Stuart served as a Deputy District Attorney for two and a half years, prosecuting a broad range of crimes, including child abuse and sexual assault on children. School safety is another priority for Stuart.

"We should dedicate ourselves to making our schools as safe as they can be. When I was working as a district attorney in the Juvenile Unit, I saw up-close the impact that drugs and violence had on kids. Our kids aren't able to learn if they are worried about drugs, scared of the next school shooting, or being bullied. Our schools should be safe havens; places where kids can focus completely on academics, athletics, and the arts. Our school district needs to have a zero-tolerance policy for drugs and violence on campus. We should build on our partnership with the Sheriff and local law enforcement agencies to deter violent crime in our schools and target the drug dealers that prey on our children. Additionally, I strongly believe that the school board should insist that the Douglas County Commissioners prohibit sex offenders from living near our schools," Stuart said.

Stuart is also a strong supporter of school choice.

According to Stuart, "We should encourage choice within the Douglas County School system. There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to education. Kids learn in different ways and at different rates and embracing that is key to our success. So, an excellent school system offers many different learning opportunities to students. One way to do that is by having charter schools and magnet schools. These schools can each cater to a different educational need."