Les Cochran, former president of Youngstown State University, has raised $20,353 as a candidate for the Lee County School Board, District 3. Lee County Board of Elections data, for the period ending December 31, 2011, shows that he has over 125 donors to his campaign representing all parts of the county.

“I’m excited about the number of individuals that have contributed to our campaign,” Cochran said. “Their generosity has been overwhelming. We’re less than $800 below the highest amount raised by any school board candidate in the entire 2010 race. And, we have seven months to go. People want and deserve better schools without higher taxes. I’m committed to achieving that goal.”

Cochran has met with hundreds of individuals, averaging ten to twelve meetings per week since last summer. He’s met with teachers, school personnel, community leaders, housewives and business people from all segments of our community. Cochran emphasized, “In these meetings individuals continuously supported four basic points:

• Our schools don’t need more money. We are 11th in funding, 40th in ACT test scores and 48th in graduation rates. Our youth and community deserve better!
• Our elementary schools need help. We must insist that no one leaves the 5th grade unless they can read, write, and compute at grade level.
• Our students need more time on task. We must add 20 days to the elementary school calendar and institute virtual summers in our neighbor elementary schools.
• Our schools need to be accountable. We must empower teachers to manage their classrooms and institute substantive evaluation/training programs for principals.

Through these efforts we can make our district one of the top ten school systems in the state. Anything less is unacceptable.”